Alaska Brown Bear Photo Workshop August, 2021
Join me, Tin Man Lee, for a 6-day 6-night photography adventure (with 5 full days of bear photography, an optional half-day puffin boat excursion), to photograph the majestic coastal brown bears in Lake Clark National Park, my favorite place on earth.
To apply, please use the following link:
https://form.jotform.com/211998261671161
August 18-23, 2021. Overnight at Anchorage, Alaska on Aug 17, fly to Lake Clark Aug 18th, depart Lake Clark for home Aug 23.
We will have 8 photographers plus photo leader (myself) and a professional bear guide (with all the proper national park training and bear safety precaution, and bear spray) in our group.
What are the FIVE most unique benefits of this workshop?
1. This trip is timed specifically because it is the estimated time for bear cub and salmon action in Lake Clark. Too early you may risk not seeing the cubs (if they show up), and due to some viewing time limit, it is much harder to get dramatic light. Too late and the action may slow down.
The spring cubs (if they do show up, depending on whether the mother bears gave birth, or how skittish they are) will be most active if we coincide with the salmon run, which is around that time, and will have the biggest potential for good interaction with mother bear.
2. This is an instruction tour. We will be out in the field ALL DAY. I am going to give photography tutorial during the trip in the evenings.
I will: give you tutorials prior to the trip to understand light, exposure, telephoto lens technique, send you detailed PDF on lens selection and how to prepare for the trip, teach photography during the workshop in the field, help you with settings, and teach you how to see and capture the special moments.
By the end of the trip, I hope you will bring home a special portfolio of photos you will remember a lifetime, and hopefully some award-winning shots.
But of course, the instruction is optional. If you are comfortable with your own photography, you can take photos without my instruction at all. It's all up to you.
3. We will charter our own plane directly from Anchorage to Lake Clark.
4. 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… I am very good friends with the owners and the staff, and they are wonderful people, so we will have a blast!
5. Bear photography is my biggest passion. 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 Nature Photographer of The Year 2021, 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.
Itinerary
Aug 17th: Arrive at Anchorage Alaska Airport before 3pm. Stay overnight at Holiday Inn Express Anchorage. We will have a meet and greet at the hotel at 5pm and have early dinner together. First night lodging at Holiday Inn Express and dinner included.
Aug 18th: We will meet at the lobby of Holiday Inn Express at 8am and head to the airport to take the chartered plane to Lake Clark. The ride to the airport is about 10 minutes. It leaves at 9 and should arrive Lake Clark before 10pm. 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. 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! The park regulation prohibits photography after 10pm and before 6am. But since we are going in mid Aug, we can get super light in the morning and evening after 6am and before 10pm if it's a sunny day.
Aug 19th: We will try to head out right after breakfast depending on the light. Then we will have full day of photography. Lunch and dinner at the lodge. Each evening we will hold a session on photo critique. You are welcomed to bring your raw files and we will have a group discussion, and suggestion on how to improve the next day.
Aug 20: Another full day. Some of the days, depending on the tides, we will head out early to catch the bears eating clams in the mud flat to get great colors on the background and reflection in the water.
Aug 21: Another full day of photography.
Aug 22: Another full day of photography. Pack after the evening shoot.
Aug 23th: Bring the luggages to the front of the lodge. We may head out one more time before breakfast to get another photoshoot. Our plane will pick us up at 9am to fly back to Anchorage. I suggest clients to book flight to leave Anchorage no earlier than 5pm.
Optional Puffin Half Day Tour: There is an island near Lake Clark with a puffin rookery where you can see tufted puffins. The boat ride can be choppy and takes about an hour. Photography can also be difficult there. But if you like to spend half a day there, it will be a $200 fee and it all depends on weather as well.
The Lodge
We will have the whole lodge exclusive to our group. We will have our breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks (coffee and bakery) there. The rooms, though small, are cozy and very clean. There are common area with couch where we can relax. Each room has it's own bathroom. Double Occupancy only. (Sharing a room with another photographer)
Included
First night lodging at Holiday Inn Express Anchorage (or equivalent). Early dinner Aug 17 after Meet and Greet. Double Occupancy Accommodation Lodging at Lake Clark, Professional Bear Guide, Transportation on ATV, All Meals at Lake Clark, Coffee and Snacks, Photography Instruction in the field, photo critique at the lodge, guide, round trip chartered flight to/from Anchorage, AK to Lake Clark, AK.
Not Included
Flights to and from Anchorage to where you are, alcoholic beverages (You need to buy it in Anchorage to bring to the lodge. I will also bring some beer and wine), recommended gratuity for staff (host, guide, chef) $250 total per person.
Tour Cost
Workshop Fee: $7,500 (Special for $6,500)
$3,000 deposit is required to secure your spot ASAP.
The remaining $3,500 is due by July 31st, 2021.
Payment method: Paypal to tinmanlee@gmail.com or bank wire transfer.
Note: This is the price for double occupancy, meaning you WILL BE SHARING the room with another participant. If you want your own room, an extra $1,500 is required for single occupancy for the whole trip.
Travel insurance is highly recommended.
For additional question: Please email tinmanlee@gmail.com
Please use the following link to apply for the tour:
https://form.jotform.com/211998261671161
About Tin Man Lee
Wildlife photographer based in Los Angeles
Grand Prize, Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International
Winner, Wildlife Category, Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International
NANPA Top 10 and NANPA "Expression" magazine cover
Judge, Nature Photographer of the Year, NBP Asia and Viewbug.
Featured in Smithsonian Earth, Nik Softwares, Peta Pixel, Outdoor Photographer magazine, Ranger's Rick Jr. Cover of Alaska magazine, Wild Planet Photo magazine, Smithsonian Calendar.
Photos have been displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Invited solo exhibit of 48 photos, HKUST, Hong Kong.
