A few things to note:

1. This trip is timed specifically because it is the later season of bear photography in Lake Clark with a higher chance of seeing bears looking for salmon in the creek for more action in water.

2. This is an intensive instruction tour, meaning that we may be out in the field ALL DAY if the light and sighting is good (You have the option to take any break at the lodge). I will be beside you giving you ideas and instructions to learn how to take great photos given different situation. I will help you with settings, and teach you how to see and capture the special moments.

3. I am going to give photography tutorial during the trip in the evenings or when the light is too harsh for photography in some of the day time. There is a conference room where I will carry out critique session on your photos during photo review sessions.

4. Before the tour, I will have a group zoom meeting to answer all your questions and give you tutorials prior to the trip to understand light, exposure, telephoto lens technique, etc. I will send you detailed PDF on lens selection and how to prepare for the trip. The best lens for the tour is a 400mm 2.8. The second best is a 600mm f/4 but sometimes it's too much lens. I highly recommend you rent a 400mm 2.8 for the trip so I can give you the best instructions on how to handle big lens in low light and action photography.

5. By the end of the trip, you will bring home a portfolio of photos you will remember a lifetime. I will provide two additional group zoom calls to help you with your photos after the trip. 

6. We will charter our own plane directly from Anchorage to Lake Clark. Depending on weather, we also have alternate ways to get to our remote lodge. 

7. And we will have the whole lodge exclusive to our group so that teaching and discussion will be very convenient. Did I mention they have the best seafood and freshly baked bakery… we will have a great time. 

8. Bear photography is my specialty. I won the grand prize among 25,000 entries in Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International with a bear photo, and have numerous photos of bears in other photo contests, including photos taken in Lake Clark winning Judge's Choice award winner at NANPA and in many exhibits. I won the 2018 Wildlife Category in Nature's Best Photography and my photo is currently displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. I'm also invited judge for Bird Photographer Of The Year, Nature Photographer of the Year, Nature's Best Photography Asia and Viewbug. So I have a lot of experience photographing brown bear and other wildlife I can give you the best tips to capture great photos.

Sept 7, 2023: Please arrive at Anchorage Alaska Airport before 3pm. If you are flying international please consider arrive one day in advance and notify me for an extra day of booking at the hotel. Stay overnight at the hotel in Anchorage. We will have a meet and greet at the hotel at 6pm and have early dinner together. Lodging and dinner Sept 7 is included.

Sept 8: Breakfast at the hotel is included. Our shuttle leaves at 9am, and we head to the airport to take our chartered plane to the remote bear lodge. The flight is about 1 hour 30 minutes. Once we settled down and grab something to eat at the lodge, we will head out immediately for our first drive to look for bears. Our guide will drive us in the ATV so we don't need to walk all the way from the lodge. After a few hours, if the light is bad and the sighting slows down, we will head back to the lodge for some quick coffee and freshly baked bakery goods. And we will head out again! Around 6pm, we will head back to the lodge for an amazing dinner (sometimes with freshly caught salmon and halibut!). After dinner, we will head out again for more photography! 

Sept 9-12: Full day of bear photography, seminar and training. 

We head out in predawn and photograph all day. With evening photo critique and discussion.