Although based in Saint-Malo, Margot Sib has been traveling the globe for the past ten years, from the sub-Antarctic islands to the remote archipelagos of the Pacific, from the Norwegian fjords to the African coast. As a wildlife photographer and naturalist guide on Ponant cruise ships, she documents the most remote territories, where nature dictates its laws and man is only a passing guest.
There's nothing random about her career path. From her childhood dream, born of an early fascination for animals, to her career as a photojournalist, this radiant and passionate young woman, 36 in 2025, reveals in the first part of this report a journey shaped by determination, decisive encounters and a life at sea, close to the elements.
How did photography come into your life? Is there a particular memory that inspired you to grab a camera and capture what you saw around you?
It came about very young. Basically, out of nowhere, I've always had a passion for animals. In other words, my family has never been in contact with animals: we've never lived on a farm. On the contrary, we lived in social housing! We never had a cat or a dog - it was an animal desert. But I was immersed in animals right from the start, and it became a passion.
At first, I imagined I'd be a care worker, a vet, but my teachers didn't help me much in terms of orientation. They were quick to tell me that I was hopeless in scientific subjects and that I wouldn't make it. That was still the case thirty years ago. I told myself that I had to combine what I liked to do with what I knew how to do. And I was really good at visual arts, so I said to myself: "What can I do? What brings art and animals together? "It's wildlife photography. It was a life choice and I was going to become that.
And in fact, I never let go. I was self-determined, convinced that it couldn't be any other way. It led my career very well, and then my father said to me: "It's the right thing to do OK, I'll go along with you. On the other hand, you take your chances with high standards, even if it means going lower Then I met a wildlife photographer called Michel Gunther, who became my mentor. I did several internships with the BIOS photography agency, in which he was involved. He took me under his wing and taught me the basics of photography, even though my passion for it came first and foremost from my father, who is an artist. At the time, he was crazy about film photography!
When did you first feel the call of the open sea? Was there a particular moment when you realized that this way of life, between sea and photography, would be your long-term path?
The call of the open sea came later. I never did much sailing, but I did sail on the family motorboat. The Mediterranean is more about motorboats and yachts. Everyone in the family goes boating. My grandparents lived on the Balearic Islands... We've always had this instinct for freedom. In other words, instead of huddling together on the beaches with all the tourists, we'd take our boat and head off to secluded coves. My sense of navigation, my sense of the sea, comes from my father.
Also, when we went to Spain, it was by boat and never by plane. I got a bit tied up in those conditions, even if it was painful because I'm terribly seasick! Even today, I'm still seasick, and I continue to travel. Right now, for example, I'm going out to sea again in a few months' time. I haven't tried these little methods like the ginger ring wedged under a bandage on my wrists. Maybe I should... It's an acupuncture point to try. There's so much to prepare before leaving that I almost forget how sick I'm going to be. On board, I take Mercalm. If that's not enough, I lie down and wait. Whatever it takes, my desire to travel has always been predominant! I knew I wanted to be a wildlife photographer.
How did you become a photojournalist and naturalist guide on the Ponant expedition cruises?
When I left photography school, I was trained for fashion and advertising. After a year in studios in Paris, a photographer working for Compagnie du Ponant encouraged me to try onboard photography. I sent in an unsolicited application, which was accepted. They called me on December 8th to embark on the 15th, for 6 months in Asia-Pacific aboard the Soleal. Several months without coming back home... A decision I had to make in a week!
I found myself alone, plunged into the great unknown: the photo report commissioned by a cruise line. It was all a first. It was a very violent beginning. First times are always tough in this business. You get into the gears and get caught up in the hamster wheel! The maritime vocabulary is specific, and the organization is a well-oiled machine. You disembark and have to be operational immediately. On my first cruise, everything was new, even for Ponant. They were expecting exceptional images. We were going to the New Zealand sub-Antarctic islands. It was storm after storm; I was sick for 3 weeks!
The only times I felt good were when I was on land, literally in awe, but you had to go sailing to meet these cultures and see such landscapes. I felt like I was on Ushuaïa Nature. Finally, I was firmly anchored in the dream I had projected for myself, where I wanted to be. I said to myself it's incredible what you're going through! then, after 3 weeks, the sea calmed down. I had 5 months left on board. Little by little, I settled in and everything calmed down. The company was satisfied with my work. That's when I knew I belonged.
Ponant presents itself as an expedition shipowner, far from the image of traditional cruises. Do you draw the line between luxury and adventure?
Even though we're not allowed to improvise or explore in the raw sense, we do take part in a number of expeditions, for example to the Arctic and Antarctic poles; it's still a form of adventure! Because we can't program everything, we often change our sailing itineraries, which still gives us a great deal of freedom of choice when it comes to cruising and travelling.
Ponant is currently reviewing its formulas, but previously there were 2 distinct types of cruise. The first, yachting, corresponded to the classic cruise with ports of call where passengers were then transferred by bus for visits focusing on cultural and historical themes. These cruises were very enriching, with guides accompanying us to museums and providing detailed explanations. It was the ideal option for those looking for a more traditional cruise experience.
The other formula, the expedition cruise, was totally different: it involved setting off with a team of around fifteen naturalists and scientists who accompanied us to guide us and enlighten us on the areas we were exploring. Today, this approach predominates. For my first expedition, for example, we set off from New Zealand to a small, extremely isolated island called "Macquarie". There, we had only naturalists and scientists with us, who guided us along hiking trails to tell us about the flora and fauna, etc. It was really interesting. It was really interesting.
In fact, after completing my assignments as a photojournalist with Ponant, I became a naturalist guide in September 2024. It's a kind of personal promotion. I've been on several types of cruises, so I know all about them. I know the fauna and flora of the land where we disembark.
For my first contract, we did New Zealand before heading for the South Antarctic, where navigation was complicated. We went all the way to the east of Australia, including the Coral Reef, before moving on to Indonesia, Malaysia and then the Philippines. We then went to South Korea and stayed in Japan for 2 and a half months. All this for over 6 months... And we also did Papua New Guinea. We passed through the Banda Sea; it was incredible. I would never have been able to make such a trip on my own by boat, to meet such remote and isolated populations. I was overwhelmed. I didn't come back the same as when I left, that's for sure.
As an onboard photojournalist, how does sailing shape your vision of nature and the environment?
There are some memories that stand out for me. We did Auckland-Sydney, and the fact that we arrived by sea and not by land to see the Sydney Opera House was incredible! It's like arriving in New York by sea. It was so beautiful! I also remember Venice. When you arrive by sea aboard a hundred-meter-high yacht, you can admire the whole city from an exceptional angle. It's simply magnificent. And it's not just a static view, as you're sailing.
I have wonderful memories of sailing in fjords, in Antarctica or Norway. I find it so scenic. You get sumptuous time-lapses. Photographically speaking, it gives you access to things you couldn't get from land. With the RIB, for example, you have access to cliffs teeming with bird colonies! They fly over you and you feel inundated; it's very impressive.
In part 2 of our report, Margot Sib tells us about her daily life as a photojournalist aboard the Ponant expedition boats. Between intense moments and the rigors imposed by life at sea, she discusses the pleasures and difficulties of her job.
