Brown Bear Photography Tour
How does one begin to describe this amazing photo experience? Where else can you stand at ground-level near a 1200-pound brown bear, and fill the frame with just bear? Within Lake Clark Nat'l Park, our wilderness lodge is surrounded by stunning scenery, and inhabited by Alaska's icon - the brown (grizzly) bear. We'll visit vast meadows, beaches and rivers wherein we'll find the bears - at play, nursing, sparring, foraging. We'll also visit puffin colonies by chartered boat. We'll photograph safely, escorted by a highly-experienced guide at all times. This is an experience not to be missed! What are you waiting for?
Group limited to 6 participants. Just 1 space available as of 4/1/13.
Note: The lodge now has a rental Nikon 200-400mm lens & tripod for those who either don't have or don't want to travel with their long lens. First come, first reserved, of course!
View the image gallery for this tour.
This was a fantastic trip - we had so much fun photographing the bears! On top of that, we learned a lot from Brenda on technique when photographing wildlife.
~ Deb K., Indiana
Program Highlights
Bears, Bears, OH MY!
• 5 nights lodging and 4 1/2 very full days of photography, during long summer light.
• We'll fill our time photographing, and sharing techniques each day, all day.
• When we find a bear, we'll all have prime access to photograph it - no platforms with 'best spots', no time-limit or lines to view the bears.
• When we find the bears, we stay with them until they go away - or fall sleep! (and even then we photograph them)
Small Group = Fun and Learning!
• We will be taken around in ATV-pulled carts through pristine scenery - much fun and a great way to cover distances while looking for bears. With our experienced guides we'll find the bears quickly, giving us more time for photography.
• Brenda will be available to offer advice on long lens techniques, exposures, and for hands-on assistance. She'll be photographing alongside you, a definite benefit as she can share real-time tips.
• With the digital projector and flat-screen TV in the lodge's comfortable living room, we are set for viewing our images, another learning opportunity.
Experience of a Lifetime
• Imagine full-frame images of cubs with mothers, bears frolicking, clamming, and more, all easily photographed with 300mm-500mm lenses. The bears are hungry, and come to the streams to look for salmon, but they are not in a frenzy over just fish, so we'll have opportunities to capture them play-fighting, clamming at low tide, and interacting.
• Being here, well it's an experience that has to be felt, not just talked about. And once you go, you'll not be able to stop talking about it!
• View the image gallery for this tour.
Additional Info
Workshop Details
* EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Sign up by September 15th and you'll receive $100 discount, taken on the final payment.
We require a non-refundable deposit of $500 will hold your place. View our Cancellation Policy under the Tours section.
Price is based on double occupancy. Single supplement is $400 but may not be available. We'll know as it gets closer.
What's included: Small plane transfer from/to Anchorage; 5 nights accommodation, all meals while at the lodge, non-alcoholic beverages; photographic instruction and advice, kayaking (optional), and boat charter to the puffin colony.
What's not included: Round trip air fare to Anchorage, AK. Hotel room in Anchorage before and after the trip; tips for service staff and naturalist guide.
Schedule: You'll need to arrive in Anchorage on July 26th, and book a room for that evening, to be there for our scenic morning flight to the lodge. We'll gather for a no-host group dinner and a brief orientation and technique discussion.
DAY 1
(Lunch, Dinner)
Fly from Anchorage to Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, 9am. Upon arrival at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge you will be met by lodge staff and our guide/s, followed by a safety briefing on viewing the bears. After lunch, we will head out and explore the surrounding area, and have our first chance to see and photograph grizzly (brown) bears. Our comfortable lodge will be our home and we'll enjoy three fresh and wholesome meals/day featuring local seafood and fresh greens from their garden.
DAY 2-5
(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Each day will be spent exploring different areas within Lake Clark National Park as we follow and photograph the grizzly bears. We'll be taken around in carts pulled by ATV's and disembark when we encounter bears to photograph. We will have an experienced bear guide to help us find and locate the best opportunities to see and photograph the bears each day. Depending on the weather and bear activity each day, we will also have at least one opportunity to visit the nearby horned and tufted puffin colonies. Also seen in the area are bald eagles, black-legged kittiwakes, and harbor seals.
There is also the opportunity to sea kayak the beautiful bays and varied coastline for scenic photo opportunities of this relatively undiscovered national park.
Evenings are spent sharing dinner, and sharing stories and images from the day’s activities. Brenda will gather images from each of you prior to out last night, and create a final evening image presentation so we can celebrate the best photos captured by the group and relive the experiences.
DAY 6
(Breakfast)
Optional run out before breakfast for one last bear photo. After breakfast we say our goodbyes and take a late morning flight back to Anchorage. But keep your camera handy - on the way to the beach there just might be another bear opportunity!
View the image gallery for this tour.
Specific details to follow upon registration and receipt of deposit.
Sponsors
I am pleased to have the following companies as Sponsors:
• NIK Software
• TOPAZ Labs
• Photograph America Newsletter
• Singh-Ray Filters
• Lensbaby
• Wimberly
• Plexicolor
• Flypaper Textures
Please see the DISCOUNTS page and save money on any purchases you might make with these companies. As a note of disclosure, I am an affiliate with these companies. I use and love their products.
