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When summer comes to Alaska, millions of salmon gather offshore in Bristol Bay. When the waters coming from streams and rivers feeding into the bay smell just right, the salmon begin moving upstream. Bristol Bay’s sockeye salmon run is the biggest in the world, with some salmon taking a month or more to make it to their individual spawning grounds – the very place they began life as eggs and then fry. Some of the main salmon routes have so many salmon it takes weeks for all of them to pass, creating a red stripe one can see from the air. |
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Brown bears, normally solitary animals, begin to drift toward favorite “fishing holes” in anticipation of the arrival of the salmon.
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They are suddenly in close proximity with others of their kind. Some they remember and greet with loud displays, often needing to reassert dominance. This can result in friendly “battles”, which are amazing to watch and photograph.
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And, females bring their young to learn to fish. Amazing to watch. But they must keep large males away, as they will kill cubs that are not their own! |
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Every bear develops its own style of fishing. Good moms teach good skills. And some bears just don't seem to know how to do anything but pounce with a huge splash!
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As you might imagine, every time a salmon swimming upstream encounters the confluence of two or more streams, a choice has to be made. They have to “taste” the waters of both streams to know for sure which one to choose. As they mill around to accomplish that, they present a great opportunity for bears – and it is in such spots that bears congregate in significant numbers. |
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Also, obstructions, such as waterfalls, present similar opportunities for the bears – and photographers - as the salmon are held up and then have to leap to get over the obstacle. 
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In 2025, we’ll gather the Katmai Alaska Bears Wild Photography Adventure participants in Anchorage on July 31. The next morning we’ll transfer to Lake Clark Air for a sightseeing flight to the Farm Lodge and Lake Clark Resort. That flight will take us over inlets and volcanos and glacier clad peaks. We’ll swoop down to Port Alsworth, headquarters of Lake Clark National Park – and our home for the next few nights. |
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Your room will be a few steps from the water's edge, close to where the float planes are moored. We’ll have time, that afternoon poke around – maybe even take a hike. Sunrises and sunsets are amazing just outside your front door. And the flora around the lodge is incredible! Most food for what I term wilderness gourmet meals, is grown right on the grounds in gardens and greenhouses. |
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Then, it’s five days of small float plane flights out to the Katmai to seek out the spots where the bears are most active.
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One or more of those days should (dependent on the salmon run) take us to the fabled Brooks Falls. |
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And, we have the option to say all or part of the group (depending on plane configuration) can sit out the bears and take the float planes to outstanding glacier, lake, canyon, river, and volcano views. There is even a historical cabin that the park service has protected. |
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On the last morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we’ll load back into Lake Clark Air and head back to Anchorage. We’ll arrange transfers to Stevens Airport (ANC) or you can make other arrangements if you have more Alaska explorations in mind. |
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2024
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Private
Mara River Crossing
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We're off to witness the great migration as it encounters the Mara River. The migration follows the noses of wildebeest which tell them where rains are falling. When they encounter the Mara, they are terrified of the crossing. Crocodiles lurk in the waters. Some wildebeest and zebras fall and get trampled. This is a holy grail of wildlife photography! |
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Journey with us into the wilds of Ethiopia to visit a number of ethnic groups that have clung to the old ways. We'll learn how each group sees the world differently - and how it shapes their personal actions and looks. We'll make amazing artful images of the peoples, their worlds, and the natural world around them. This is a wild adventure - we'll be journeying to where few people go - and tourism infrastructue is available. Check out the itinerary here. |
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Taking Control in the Mirrorless Era
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Three days of classroom and field time with migrating waterfowl, bald eagles, and macro opportunities. You'll learn how to take control of your mirrorless camera - and take advantage of new developments in the digital darkroom - to yield images that closely match your intentions in the field! Embrace manual - it's easier that the auto modes - and easier than ever in the mirrorless era!. |
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2025 |
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Three days of classroom and field time with migrating waterfowl, bald eagles, and macro opportunities. You'll learn how to take control of your mirrorless camera - and take advantage of new developments in the digital darkroom - to yield images that closely match your intentions in the field! Embrace manual - it's easier that the auto modes - and easier than ever in the mirrorless era. |
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Timed to meet the great migration in the Serengeti, our safari takes you to some of the great parks and protected areas in northern Tanzania in search of lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetah, hyenas... Of all our itineraries, anywhere in the world, this one has the best reviews - and is a real life-changing experience! If you'll only be making one photography foray into sub-Saharan Africa in your life - this is the trip! |
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Lions and leopards and cheetahs! Oh my! This two week safari is dedicated to putting us in great positions to photograph cats in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. And, our design lets us "hang out" with the cats until something interesting happens! Timed for when the grasses in the Serengeti are turning green and the game is fat - when cats are in their prime. Read the description and secure your space before its gone. We'll come home with great images and many memories and stories! |
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So many birds! Such good photography opportunities. So little physical effort required. Forty percent of the planet's hummingbirds are found in Ecuador. Thirty-seven percent of the tanagers (which don't show up in the Old World at all). Conservation has teamed up with landowners to protect natural cloudforest habitats - and the result is birds sitting on branches predictably in a way you can photograph them. Did we mention Cock-of-the-rock? Or mountain tourcan? Small group so secure your space before it is gone! |
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Borneo! Rainforests. Orangutans. Gibbons. Pygmy elephants. Proboscis monkeys. 420 species of birds, including amazing hornbills and kingfishers, brightly colored little birds. Carnivorous plants. Sun bears. The list goes on and on. We've built an itinerary that takes you into the canopy, on trails by foot, on rivers by boat, and out on night safari. This is not an adventure you want to miss! |
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Our Drones Photography Group is at it again! Back to Iceland to visit a number of unique sites, looking for great places, away from people, to position our drone cameras to capture unique angles. This time we'll find some great "interior" locations, some thermal features, some wild coastlines, and some exciting rivers. Waterfalls are always part of the game in Iceland - you'll be able to position your drone where no person has ever put a camera before. Bring your drone and come create great art with us! |
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Join us in Brazil's Pantanal for a wild adventure that features both jaguars and an amazing array of birds, reptiles, and mammals. The Pantanal is the only place in the world where one can reliably find and photograph jaguars - as they are nocturnal hunters everywhere else. The birds here are fantastic - this is one of our favorite places to photograph flying birds (we can help you build your skills). Add in close-up encounters with giant river otters and so much more. Join us for this wild adventure! |
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Turkey sits at a geographical crossroads, which means that, over history, many cultures have passed through Turkey, each leaving a distinct imprint on the culture and the archaeological record. Let's explore some of the great archaeological wonders - while putting ourselves in great positions make exciting art with cameras. Mosques, Fairy Chimneys, Ephasus, Istanbul, Aphrodisia, Pergamum, Assos and so much more. |
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2026 |
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To sit quietly in a bamboo thicket with a gorilla family, interacting with eye contact, observing, and making compelling images is truly a life changing experience. Venture out into the wilds of Rwanda with a small group to experience photographic encounters with wild gorillas, chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, and much, much more. Fitness level is necessary to accomplish this adventure. Dates are tentative until we secure permits. |
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Timed to meet the great migration in the Serengeti, our safari takes you to some of the great parks and protected areas in northern Tanzania in search of lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetah, hyenas... Of all our itineraries, anywhere in the world, this one has the best reviews - and is a real life-changing experience! If you'll only be making one photography foray into sub-Saharan Africa in your life - this is the trip! |
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Join us in 2026 as we'll explore favorite haunts and add new landings and vistas. Giant tortoises, flightless frigates, 3 kinds of boobies, land and marine iguanas, sea lions and fur seals, flamingos, and the northernmost penguin in the world. The list goes on and on! Exciting landscapes. So much to learn about geology, biology, and evolution.Truly an inspiring experience - ties the Serengeti in client feedback as the "most life-changing" experience of their lives. |
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