Julie

My week-long Alaska bear photography workshop with Colby Brown Photography was nothing short of extraordinary. If you want a true, untamed wilderness experience, this is the trip to book. Every day began with an incredible adventure: we boarded a small Cessna floatplane for an hour-long flight over breathtaking scenery to reach our remote photography locations, returning to the lodge the same way at the end of the day. Because the long Alaskan daylight hours gave us flexibility, we could adjust our daily schedule around the tides and the bears to optimize our photography opportunities. The bear encounters themselves were magical. Because the bears were solely focused on feeding, we had the unique opportunity to get safely up close to these beautiful creatures. We were incredibly lucky to see a lot of new cubs with their mothers, and captured stunning frames of bears catching salmon, playing in the sedge grass, and digging up clams on the mudflats. Best of all, we were the only group at most locations. There was zero fighting for spots or crowding from other tourists; we had total freedom to position ourselves perfectly according to the bears' movements. Between the long shoots, returning to the lodge was a treat. The accommodations are highly comfortable, and the staff were all amazing, friendly, and truly went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful time. The food was absolutely delicious, and there was always plenty of it to refuel after a long day. I highly recommend this workshop for any active wildlife lovers looking for a real wilderness experience while still enjoying comfortable accommodation and good food. For anyone planning this trip, here is some practical advice: Assess your fitness: This is the most physical photography workshop I have been on. Be prepared for a few kilometers of hiking across difficult, uneven, wet, and muddy terrain, as well as wading through rivers. Pack smart for the field: On some days, you will be standing in mud or deep water and cannot put gear down, meaning you will have to keep your heavy backpack on for most of the shoot. Bring a tripod: It was incredibly helpful for stability during the long periods when we stopped to observe and shoot the bears. Layer up: The Alaskan weather was highly changeable, and we experienced a bit of everything. Pack clothing for all eventualities! This workshop is worth every penny and delivers a flawless, immersive, and deeply rewarding adventure that I will never forget. I cannot recommend it highly enough!