Alaska Bears and Red Salmon

Aug 23-29, 2027 - Coming Soon

Discover Alaska's untamed beauty on our Bears and Red Salmon Photo Workshop. Based at a remote lodge on a pristine lake, this all-inclusive adventure gives you daily access to incredible bear photography opportunities. We’ll fly out each day to new locations, capturing brown bears in diverse environments—from fishing in salmon-packed rivers to clamming along the coast and foraging in lush meadows.

The workshop is timed for the red sockeye salmon runs in various streams and rivers. You'll capture dramatic action with bears running through the water and catching fish! And we'll even get on small rafts to get further downstream for the best bear activity! With a small group of only 5 participants, you'll enjoy expert guidance with a strong focus on safety. Moderate hikes (2–4 miles) will take us to prime shooting spots each day.

Tuition

$11,200
All-Inclusive
All Charter Flights

Max Group Size

Max 5 Students

Instructor(s)

Josh Miller

Physical Intensity

Alaska Bears and Red Salmon Photo Workshop

Highlights

Prime Bear Photography Location – With over 2,000 brown bears, Alaska’s southern coast and inland rivers offer world-class opportunities to capture these powerful animals in their natural element.

Daily Exclusive Bush Flights – Fly out each day from our remote wilderness lodge to photograph bears in a variety of breathtaking backdrops—from riverbanks to coastal meadows.

Perfect Timing for Peak Action – Scheduled to coincide with the red sockeye salmon runs at various locations. You'll capture stunning action shots of the bears running and fishing!

All-Inclusive Experience – Includes five nights at a remote backcountry lodge, all meals, waders, and charter flights—just bring your gear and sense of adventure.

Small Group, Big Benefits – With just 5 participants and one professional instructor, you’ll enjoy personalized guidance and a strong focus on both safety and creativity.

Rafts - We'll get on small rafts in certain locations to get further downstream for the best bear activity!

Post-Processing & Image Reviews – Hands-on editing sessions and image critiques will help you elevate your portfolio and refine your photographic vision.

Includes Charter Flight from Anchorage - New for 2027, we are including the charter flight to/from Anchorage to the wilderness lodge.

Itinerary

Due to the unpredictability of weather in Alaska, the itinerary below is subject to change. We will optimize our time to give you the best possible bear photography experience.

Pre-Workshop: A few months before, we'll hold a zoom meeting with all participants to cover gear and travel logistics. We'll also go over the shooting techniques you'll be using during the workshop.
Day 0 (Aug 23): Optional arrival day. Lodging is not included this evening, giving you the flexibility to choose accommodations that best fit your preferences. Or you can arrive on an overnight red-eye flight.
Day 1 (Aug 24): We will meet at 7AM at Merrill Field near downtown Anchorage to check-in for our flight to the wilderness lodge. The route is absolutely breathtaking as we pass over mud flats, sedge meadows, glaciers, and jagged peaks! Once there, we get fitted into our chest waders, attend orientation, and fly out for our first day of shooting with the majestic brown bears!
Day 2 (Aug 25): We convene for an early morning image critique and classroom session. After breakfast, we load up in the float plane. We fly over snow-capped volcanos, huge glaciers, and lakes. We spend the day photographing brown bears against a stunning mountain backdrop as they are foraging, clamming, and caring for their cubs.
Day 3 (Aug 26): After another morning classroom session, we fly out to remote location far away from other people. The bears are busy doing their thing as we walk the creek and chase after the spawning red sockeye salmon. We get some incredible action shots. Time flies and before we know it it's time to fly back to the lodge for dinner.
Day 4 (Aug 27): With the potential for bad weather in the afternoon, we fly out very early today. We land near a small river where we are greeted by a guide with several rafts. We raft down the river, photographing the bears fishing for salmon all around us. It is a surreal experience. By mid-afternoon we return to the plane and fly back to the lodge. We meet later that evening for a post-processing session.
Day 5 (Aug 28): We meet for a final image critique session before flying out to another river with spawning salmon. We photograph numerous bears and family groups in the river corridor. The rambunctious cubs are a highlight as they wrestle and fight with each other. We return late to the lodge for our final dinner.
Day 6 (Aug 29): We enjoy our final breakfast at the lodge before going to the airport to catch our flight back to Anchorage. We arrive by 11AM at Merrill Field. Allow 1 hr to transit between Merrill Field and Ted Stevens International Airport. Return travel can be scheduled anytime this afternoon.

Alaska Brown Bears Photo Workshop David Swindler

Logistics

You have the option to arrive in Anchorage one day early on Aug 23, 2027. Lodging is not included this evening, giving you the flexibility to choose accommodations that best fit your preferences. Alternatively, you can arrive on an overnight red-eye flight.

We meet at 7AM on Aug 24th at Merrill Field near downtown Anchorage to check into our charter flight. We depart at 8AM. If the weather is clear, the views during the flight are spectacular! The cost of this round trip flight is included in your tuition.

To protect your investment in this trip, we STRONGLY suggest you purchase Travel Insurance. We have partnered with Squaremouth, a website that allows you to compare policies from multiple providers to choose the best one for you.

The lodge we are staying out is on the shores of a beautiful lake and is very remote. They have just installed Starlink internet, so connectivity is pretty good. Do not expect luxury-style accommodations. The rooms are spacious but basic (see photos in the lodge section below). The base price assumes double occupancy. Single rooms are available for an additional fee. Delicious gourmet meals are provided by the in-house chef. Lunches are of the sack-lunch variety as we will be out in the field.

We will have five full days of bear photography where our pilot will fly us to a location of our choosing. This will allow us to visit new locations each day or return to the same place if activity is really good. We will be able to access places where other people don't go. The pilots and guides at this lodge know the locations and bears intimately. If the group is interested, overnight camping can be an option if the weather is good for sunset/sunrise photos.

In lieu of an in-person orientation session, we will hold a zoom meeting with all participants prior to the trip to answer questions and ensure you are setup for success. We don't want any last minute surprises before running to the airport! Once we have the flight info for next year, we will email you detailed information along with checklists for clothing and gear to bring.

Alaska Brown Bears Photo Workshop Wildlife Photography

Take A Tour of The Lodge

**Flying is always subject to the weather. In the event of bad weather, our outings may be delayed. If we cannot fly at all, we will schedule an alternate location/activity for that day.

Pricing

$11,200/person + Tax

Trip Includes:

5 nights double-occupancy lodging at the wilderness lodge. Single-occupancy rooms available for an additional $1000.
5 days of exclusive charter flights to different bear viewing areas in the greater Katmai, Lake Clark, and McNeil areas.
Round-trip charter flight from Merrill Field in Anchorage to the wilderness lodge ($750 value)
All meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages.
In-field photography instruction and guiding.
Chest waders
Post-processing and image critique
Pre-Workshop Zoom Meeting

Trip Does NOT Include:

Transportation to/from your home to Anchorage, AK.
Alcoholic beverages.
Gratuities for Instructors, Local Guides and/or Pilots.

The Fine Print

25% deposit required to hold your spot.
Another 50% payment is due 3/24/2027.
Remaining balance is due 5/24/2027.
If you need to cancel, a full refund less a $300 cancellation fee will be given once your spot is filled by another participant.
Travel Insurance is highly recommended for this workshop.
Loyalty discounts are not available for this workshop.
See the full Terms and Conditions

Trusted by Over 900 Reviews

Josh Miller

Photography Instructor

Josh has been a professional photographer and educator for more than
twenty years. His work has been published by National Geographic, Sierra Club, Audubon, Microsoft, The Wall Street Journal, and Outside Magazine. Josh is also passionate about the environment and shares his photographs and knowledge with conservation projects whenever possible.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Josh developed a passion for “the high country” and “bad” weather. He became interested in photography while working at Denali National Park for a summer job during college, and after graduation he moved to the mountains of northern California to spend as much time as possible climbing, skiing, and photographing in the Sierra. In addition to being a professional photographer, Josh is a California
credentialed art and science teacher. Josh and his wife spent seventeen years running an environmentally focused high school academy in Northern California where they were both honored as teachers of the year. Josh also loves to travel, and after the Covid pandemic, he and his wife spent nearly two years abroad traveling and photographing the world with their two young boys.

During workshops, Josh loves sharing his passions for the environment and travel, and his expertise as both an educator and photographer helps students improve their technical skills and feel comfortable pushing their creative boundaries.