Alaska Aurora Borealis Photo Workshop

Feb 15-22, 2025 - SOLD OUT!

Feb 23 - Mar 2, 2025 - Sold Out!

Mar 3-10, 2025 - Sold Out!

Experience Alaska's winter beauty as the mysterious Northern Lights dance across the skies and golden light illuminates the snowy landscapes. Our journey will take us far above the Arctic Circle in pursuit of the aurora borealis, stunning scenery, dramatic mountains, and arctic wildlife. And there's more - you will gaze in awe at a stunning ice cave and spend time with dog mushers! With a max group size of 6 participants and 2 instructors, you'll get tons of individual attention and the numerous benefits of having your own vehicle door.

Tuition

$5950
Includes all Lodging & Transportation

Max Group Size

3 Students per Instructor
Max 6 Students

Instructor(s)

See Logistics Section Below

Physical Intensity

Highlights

Journey well above the Arctic Circle where we'll be directly under the auroral band for best Northern Lights viewing! Workshop dates are timed for dark skies with little to no moon interference.
Experience the dramatic snow-covered landscapes of North Central Alaska. Low sun angles throughout the day will produce rich colors and warm light.
Gaze in awe inside a spectacular ice cave, shimmering with the most amazing ice crystals!
Small group of only 6 students with 2 pro instructors will ensure plenty of individual attention and comfort.
Improve your photography skills with both in-field instruction and digital darkroom training.
Workshop includes all transportation and lodging along with a dog-mushing experience.

Itinerary

Feb 15-22

The itinerary is subject to change due to the unpredictability of Arctic weather. We will make every effort to optimize our shooting conditions no matter what the weather throws at us. On clear nights we will be out looking for the aurora.

Day 1: We begin with 11AM pickups at the Fairbanks International Airport. After loading the luggage, we drive out towards the Alaska Range and check into our hotel. We hold a short orientation session before heading out for our sunset shoot. Skies are cloudy tonight, so we get to bed after dinner.
Day 2: We are up early this morning for our ice cave adventure! Equipped with snow shoes, we hike to the foot of the glacier and gaze in awe at the incredible ice formations inside. We spend several hours photographing inside. On the way back, we make several stops to photograph ice formations and the impressive Alaska Range. After dinner and a short rest break, we take advantage of clear skies and head out to capture the amazing Aurora Borealis!
Day 3: Depending on how late we were out the day before, we may or may not shoot sunrise this morning. We check-out mid-morning and then enjoy a couple hours with the dog mushers. We'll see some beautiful scenery and have a blast playing with the puppies! From there, we start our journey to the north, taking lots of photos along the way and stopping for wildlife sightings. After checking into our hotel, we shoot sunset and aurora at a place well known for frost-covered trees!
Day 4: The Aurora put on quite a show the night before and so we catch up on some much needed sleep this morning. Then we hit the road and journey well north of the Arctic Circle. We photograph a number of spectacular mountains and rugged landscapes. After a warm dinner, we venture out for Aurora photography at some of our favorite locations.
Day 5: Today we explore many areas to the North and experience the mighty Brooks Range! We even find some great wildlife shooting opportunities with the caribou, dall sheep, and more! A fresh coat of snow makes the landscape sparkle and come to life in the beautiful low-angle light. The forecast looks promising, so after dinner we chase the Northern Lights.
Day 6: We sleep in again today before heading back to the Brooks Range for wildlife viewing and sunset. With a promising aurora forecast, we bring our dinner with us and wait for it to get dark. Once the aurora is out, we start photographing it with the impressive mountains.
Day 7: It's time to start heading south again. After checking out, we stay one more night at the place known for frost-covered trees. We shoot sunset in the trees and the sky lights up with flaming colors. With cloudy skies this evening, we eat dinner and hold a post-processing session.
Day 8: This is our last day together. After a sunrise shoot, we enjoy breakfast before making our way back to Fairbanks. The workshop will conclude by 1:00PM, allowing you the option of either staying one more night in Fairbanks or catching a late evening flight back home.

Itinerary

Feb 23-Mar 2
Mar 3-Mar 10

Day 1: We begin with 11AM pickups at the Fairbanks International Airport. After loading the luggage, we start our drive to the far North, stopping along the way for landscape and wildlife photos. After checking into our hotel, we hold our orientation session and then prepare to shoot sunset and aurora at a place well known for frost-covered trees!
Day 2: The Aurora put on quite a show the night before and so we catch up on some much needed sleep this morning. Then we hit the road and journey well north of the Arctic Circle. We photograph a number of spectacular mountains and rugged landscapes. After a warm dinner, we venture out for Aurora photography at some of our favorite mountain locations.
Day 3: Today we explore many areas to the North and experience the mighty Brooks Range! We find some great wildlife shooting opportunities with the caribou, dall sheep, musk oxen, and more! A fresh coat of snow makes the landscape sparkle and come to life in the beautiful low-angle light. We check into our new hotel, have dinner, and then go out chasing the aurora if the forecast is promising.
Day 4: We photograph the musk oxen one last time and drive back through the Brooks Range, stopping frequently for wildlife and landscape shots. We get settled at our overnight accommodations and then make our plans for sunset and or aurora shooting.
Day 5: It's time to start heading south again. After checking out, we stay one more night at the place known for frost-covered trees. We shoot sunset in the trees and the sky lights up with flaming colors! With cloudy skies this evening, we eat dinner and hold a post-processing session.
Day 6: We wake up early and catch sunrise on our way back. Midday we enjoy a couple hours with the dog mushers. We'll see some beautiful scenery and have a blast playing with the puppies! We continue our journey towards the Alaska Range and get settled into our new accommodations. We photograph sunset that evening with some amazing broken ice foregrounds. If skies are clear, we'll chase the aurora!
Day 7: We are up early this morning for our ice cave adventure! Equipped with snow shoes, we hike to the foot of the glacier and gaze in awe at the incredible ice formations inside. We spend several hours photographing inside. On the way back, we make several stops to photograph ice formations and the impressive Alaska Range. After dinner and a short rest break, we take advantage of clear skies and head out for our final night of the aurora borealis.
Day 8: This is our last day together. After an optional sunrise shoot, we enjoy breakfast before making our way back to Fairbanks. The workshop will conclude by 1:00PM, allowing you the option of either staying one more night in Fairbanks or catching a late evening flight back home.

Musk Oxen Arctic Wildlife and Landscapes Photo Workshop

Dalton Highway Brooks Range Alaska Photo Workshop

Logistics

Arrive in Fairbanks no later than 11AM on the first day with pickups at the Fairbanks International Airport. We'll drive for 2-3 hrs, get settled into our accommodations, and then hold our orientation session.
Mild to moderate hiking is required to reach some locations. For the ice cave, snow shoes will be provided with a 2-mile round trip hike.
Winter weather is unpredictable in Alaska and temperatures can be very cold. We will email you a list of personal items and recommended clothing a few months before the trip.
Lodging in the Arctic is very expensive and in short supply. When we are outside of Fairbanks, two hotel nights will not have en-suite bathrooms. There will be shared mens/women's restrooms with showers in the hallway. All other nights will have private en-suite bathrooms.
Food is not included in the workshop fee. We will be stopping for meals at either grocery stores or restaurants.
There is no need for you to rent a car. All transportation is provided.
Due to the high costs of operating in the Arctic, we are unable to offer the 10% Loyalty Program Discount.
The Feb 15-22 dates have a reverse itinerary from the Feb 23-Mar 2 and Mar 3-10th dates. This is take better advantage of the moon phases.
Due to shorter daylight hours, the Feb 15-22 dates will not go as far north. These dates focus more on capturing the aurora in the best landscapes.
Weather depending, the Feb 23-Mar 2 and Mar 3-10th groups will spend one night at the furthest north point in hopes of seeing the musk oxen. Note that this area does not have as good of foregrounds for aurora shooting.
Workshop Instructors:
- Feb 15-22: Nickolas Warner and Kevin McNeal
- Feb 23-Mar 2: Nickolas Warner and Ryan McGinty
- Mar 3-10: David Swindler and Ryan McGinty
We highly recommend Travel Insurance to cover any non-refundable fees or medical coverage during the workshop.

Pricing - 8 Days

$5950/person + Tax

Trip Includes:

7 Nights Double Occupancy Lodging. Single Occupancy is available for an additional $950
Small group photography guiding and instruction throughout the trip.
Dog Mushing Experience
Ground Transportation in two 4x4 winter-equipped SUV's with 3 clients per vehicle.
Snowshoes for the Ice Cave Day.
Post-processing and image critique sessions.
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting

Trip Does NOT Include:

Flights to/from Alaska.
Meals, beverages, and snacks.
Alcohol
Instructor Gratuities

A 50% deposit is required to secure your spot. You will be sent a payment link for the remaining balance approximately 120 days before the workshop. Due to the high costs of operating in the Arctic in Winter, we are unable to offer the 10% Loyalty Program Discount on this trip. See the full Terms and Conditions.

Recommended Camera Gear

Sturdy tripod and ballhead
Digital SLR or Mirrorless Camera Body.
Fast wide angle lens in the 14-35mm range. We recommend a lens that is f/2.8 or faster for night photography.
Mid-range zoom lens in the range of 24-100mm.
Telephoto lenses will come in handy for landscape compression and wildlife encounters.
Circular polarizer filters (optional).
Extra batteries, memory cards, and cleaning supplies.
Remote cord for your camera.
Camera backpack you can use to transport your gear.
Drone camera for aerial photography (optional).
Laptop if you wish to backup or edit your photos.

Personal Gear List

Lots of warm clothes! We will email a recommended packing list with many more details. We will also hold a pre-workshop zoom meeting with all participants.
Microspikes are recommended for walking on slick surfaces.
Warm, waterproof winter boots.
Sunglasses, Sunscreen
Thermos for hot beverages

Trusted by Over 800 Reviews

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Trip Advisor

David Swindler

Founder - Photography Instructor

David Swindler is an award-winning landscape and wildlife photographer. Among others, he has been recognized by the International Photography Awards, Siena International Photo Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, International Landscape Photographer of the Year, and National Geographic. He received a degree in chemical engineering and worked in the semiconductor industry specializing in optics and photolithography. In 2014, he left his day job to follow his true passion. He has traveled to some of the most remote regions of the world and has extensive experience photographing a wide variety of subjects and conditions. As the founder of Action Photo Tours, he finds great satisfaction in helping others learn photography, especially in the wild desert environment near his home in Kanab, UT. David is an expert in night photography and loves to get out and shoot the starry night skies.

Gallery Awards and Media Coverage

Having guided photo tours for years, David is very familiar with many different types of cameras. He is a master with light and composition. But most importantly, his dedication to his clients is what really sets him apart! But don't take our word for it - read what others are saying: Trip Advisor.

Nickolas Warner

Photography Instructor

Nickolas Warner is an award-winning photographer with recognition by the Epson Pano Awards, International Landscape Photographer of the Year, and Outdoor Photographer. He has a particular interest in extreme and unusual locations. His travels have taken him to some fascinating locations, but the American Southwest is his favorite place to photograph.

Nickolas spent the past decade guiding in Alaska, where he provided instruction on photographing the aurora borealis, and shared his knowledge of the far north’s rugged terrain and resilient wildlife.

When not guiding, Nickolas enjoys long distance hiking and extended backpacking trips through remote wilderness areas.

Artist's Statement: "The more one travels, the more one sees how small our world is. Landscape photography is often an idyllic vision of nature that stretches the truth. While most of my photos are taken in the wilderness, the reality is that modernity and progress has shrunk the wild into small islands of untouched land, flanked on all sides by development and exploitation. Before becoming a full-time photographer, I pursued a career in sustainability. While I've since changed directions, I still have a strong sense of urgency to protect nature and keep the wild wild. I hope my photos can inspire others to explore and let our world be untamed."

See Nickolas' portfolio: Nickolas Warner Photography

Ryan McGinty

Photography Instructor

Ryan McGinty is a seasoned landscape photographer living in the Palouse area of southeastern Washington. His first-hand experience in this unique agricultural area makes him the perfect instructor to lead people to out-of-the-way places for those once-in-a-lifetime rainbows, sunsets and sunrises in the beautiful rolling hills. He loves chasing the light and diligently checks weather apps to get the latest sun and rain predictions, cloud formations, wind and temperatures for the best locations and light.

His interest in photography started at an early age and continued in college with graduate work at Brooks Institute of Photography. His experience in portrait, wedding, film, and medium and large format photography give him an extraordinary background for his award-winning landscape photography.

His passion for the Palouse is only exceeded by his passion for photography and his desire to show people his favorite places. He takes a legitimate interest in his clients and strives hard to ensure they get the best shots. His photographs have been published in books, calendars and travel guides.