GRIZZLIES OF ALASKA’S GREAT NORTH

Stay on a Live Aboard Boat in Scenic Katmai Alaska and Photograph Coastal Brown Bears in Their Natural Habitat During the Summer Salmon Run

AUGUST 3 - 8, 2025

It’s hard to describe the thrill of locking eyes with a 800 pound grizzly bear in the wild. In most anywhere else in the world, any sane person would be filled with terror. But in Alaska, with abundant food sources, getting on the same level as these beasts with unimaginable strength and looking them directly in the eyes is not only possible, it’s the stuff that great photos are made of.

Our 6 day wildlife photography adventure will begin by float plane taking you to our comfortable boat and home in scenic Geographic Harbor located in Katmai, Alaska. Here we will be stationed and flexible to move our vessel wherever bear viewing is best in the area. Each day we will take the zodiac ashore several times and spend as much time as we’d like photographing bears. This area has world class salmon runs and our goal is to time this as perfectly as we can to be there in the middle of the action. This area is only accessible by plane or boat allowing us total immersion and seclusion in this amazing ecosystem with Alaska’s top predators. Due to the season long availability of food, some of the best and most consistent bear viewing in all of Alaska will be right on our doorstep. From sedge grass to clams and salmon, these omnivores stay well fed and with only few humans as part of the scenery allowing us to view and photograph them safely in close proximity.

Nothing quite comes close to this totally immersive experience among the largest predator in North America, wandering in the wild with them and a backdrop of tall mountain peaks and green valley floors. This is the farthest thing from a zoo that you can get! Led by our seasoned expedition leaders who will provide thorough coaching on bear etiquette to ensure our safety at all times. Being wild animals and Mother Nature there is no way to predict exactly what bear behavior we will see. But there will always be something going on within the vicinity of the boat that we call home. Whether it’s mothers with cubs, bears fishing for salmon running, or peacefully grazing in the grasslands, there is no better environment to see these impressive animals safely and in their natural environment. The photographs you will come away with on this workshop will be nothing short of amazing and capture memories for a lifetime!                   

INSTRUCTOR: CHRIS BYRNE & BEN BLANKENSHIP

GROUP SIZE: 8 - 10 PARTICIPANTS

COST: $8950

INCLUDED: All Transportation from Homer, Bush Planes, Meals and Lodging (shared rooms)

NOT INCLUDED: Flights to Homer AK, Tips & Gratuities, Camera Equipment

DEPOSIT: A 33% deposit is required to secure a spot, with a second payment due 180 days out and final payment due 120 days in advance of the workshop.

PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY THE TERMS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE REGARDING CANCELLATION POLICY, TRAVEL INSURANCE, MEDICAL EVACUATION, ETC.

ITINERARY

The workshop will begin on August 3, 2025 and this day will be set aside for arrivals into Homer where we will stay the night. The following morning we will hop on a float plane and depart for our boat accommodations anchored somewhere in the waters off Katmai. The location will be dependent on where the bears are at and our crew will be making that determination the week that we arrive. However, rest assured there will be plenty of bears in various habitats, whether it’s grazing on sedge grasses with a mountain backdrop, clamming in mud flats, or catching salmon, our opportunities will be numerous. Once we get settled into our boat quarters, we will be heading out searching for bears by mid day if the weather cooperates. We will spend the next 4 nights in Geographic Harbor moving the boat as we wish for different backdrops to photograph these animals. And each day we will be taking a zodiac onto land to get close, personal and on eye level with the bears! Our final day will be August 8, with a trip inland by float plane to one of several creeks in the area known for excellent salmon runs. Here we will be after more unique images with red salmon and fishing brown bears. From there we will fly back to Homer and stay the night.

Please note, this itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions specifically affecting plane and boat travel.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Bears, bears, and more bears! Add in beautiful mountain scenes and wilderness on a tremendous scale with a mix solitude and silence and you have an experience that only a privileged few have had the chance for. The opportunity to watch bears here in their home of Katmai, on their terms, and photograph their natural and wild behavior is a must do on the top of any nature or wildlife photographer’s list. You would be hard pressed to leave here and not become a steward of the Alaskan brown bear’s plight and this vital ecosystem.

Our downtime on the boat will be relaxed, comfortable and well fed. Being together will also give us time for post processing instruction sessions as well as image reviews and critiques. While our goal is to get as many amazing bear photos as possible, we also want to ensure that ongoing time is dedicated each day to review photos and help you improve your skills during your time in Alaska and think more about what you are trying to accomplish in the field. Reviewing photos as they are taken to find out what is working and what is not is an excellent way to get the most out of your time with the bears.

There is no doubt you will head home from this wildlife photography adventure with thousands of photos and even better fun times and memories of your week spent with Alaska’s iconic coastal Brown Bears.

PHOTOS OF OUR ACCOMODATIONS

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Hello there! I’m Chris and I spent way too many years aimlessly wandering the earth and working for the man before finding my true passion in nature and landscape photography. My love of nature started very early in life as I would study the photographs in my dad’s huge collection of National Geographics, and also spend as much time as I could out exploring in the woods with my younger brother.

Fast forward many years and after getting a finance degree in college I went to work in the stock market for over fifteen years (and didn’t get rich). During my time, I saw first hand two of the most devastating financial crises in our country’s history, and after the second go around I completely lost interest in my profession and desperately needed something more. I found myself in a place in life without any inspiration or excitement for what I was doing.

Then on a trip to Glacier, Montana I rediscovered my love of nature. However, the photographs I was trying to get just didn’t do the place any justice. It was then that I decided to get serious about photography and quickly poured all of myself into the craft, learning as much as possible as quickly as I could. I was a super sponge and had a new passion for life! As soon as I became proficient in my skills, I wanted to share my knowledge and began teaching others. Now I lead workshops to some of the best places on the globe. I am proud to be able to inspire others and spend as much time as I possibly can with each person in helping them connect with nature while teaching the techniques to capture the images that they want to create. Seeing people make breakthroughs in their art is something that I cherish. I truly believe that nature is good for the soul. The more you explore, the more you will be inspired. Join us on an unforgettable photography adventure!

Ben Blankenship is a professional photographer, documentary filmmaker, and photography instructor. He began his career working in film production as a cinematographer and film editor, but soon heard a higher calling, to devote himself to the preservation of our wild places and the animals that reside therein. He spent the next two years living in remote camps in Costa Rica, Belize, and Uganda, learning to harness the power of his camera as a tool for education and conservation.  In the years since, Ben has worked in some of the most pristine wildernesses in the world, sharing space an with an array of incredible wildlife, including many large predators. His work has been published in the New York Times, National Geographic, The Oregonian, and his most recent work will be published in The New Yorker (coming out soon).

Today, he calls the jungles of Costa Rica home, but Alaska will always hold a special place in his heart.  For the past six summers, he has spent weeks on end camping alongside one of Alaska’s most iconic animals; the brown bear. “Camping with Alaskan brown bears is a humbling, and unforgettable experience. There’s nothing like opening your tent in the morning to see a mother bear and her two cubs grazing just 50 feet away, totally calm and completely comfortable with your presence.”

Ben is an experienced photography instructor. He has taken well over 500 clients into the wilds of Africa, South America, Alaska and many other places. His goal is his clients’ success and enjoyment, and hopefully, for them to walk away with some of the best photos they’ve ever taken, and definitely some unforgettable stories.

CANCELLATION POLICY & TRAVEL INSURANCE - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

We reserve the right to cancel the workshop if minimum participants are not met or in the event of an emergency. In the event of emergency where Chris cannot personally attend, then a replacement guide will be the first option. If a cancellation does occur, participants may either use the fee towards a future workshop or receive a full refund.

Medical Evacuation Insurance is required for this workshop and often can be included in Travel Insurance. It is important that cancellations for weather are covered as well. For your convenience, you can purchase this through our Alaska operator partners via the dropdown menu selection. For this workshop we recommend WorldTrips Atlas Journey and protection must be purchased within 21 days of registration. If selected at checkout, we will purchase Economy coverage with 100% Trip Cancellation, 100% Trip Interruption, $500 max for Trip Delay, $10,000 Emergency Accident and Sickness Expense, and $250,000 Medical Evacuation coverage. Other coverage including “Cancel for Any Reason” is available at an additional cost. If you choose to purchase coverage on your own, please contact us immediately upon registration and we will provide all of the details that you need most importantly our operating partners in Alaska. We are not responsible for travel expenses incurred and therefore strongly recommend getting appropriate coverage for such costs.

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A $200 change fee will be charged for changes or cancellations. Participants who cancel prior to 120 days before the workshop will receive either a full refund or credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Any cancellations within 120 days of the workshop cannot be refunded under any circumstances. Only if we are able to fill the vacancy, will the participant will receive a credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Workshop credits are good for one calendar year from the date of the missed workshop. If a desired replacement workshop is sold out, we will work with you on the credit.

Any cancellations within 90 days of the workshop (for any reason) will forfeit their entire registration fee as it is extremely difficult to fill the space on that short of notice. If a true emergency arises last minute we will do our best to work with you granting a partial credit towards a future workshop, but this is not guaranteed. Again Travel Insurance with “Cancel for Any Reason” protection is strongly recommended.