Photo by Discover Churchill
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July 26th - July 31st 2025
Join Nikon Ambassadors Kristi Odom and Tamara Lackey on an Adventure to Remote Alaska!
Bears, Float Planes and Photography
Welcome to the ultimate photography adventure deep in the Alaskan wilderness! This is your chance to capture breathtaking images of some of the most awe-inspiring wildlife in the world, in the company of two Nikon Ambassadors: Tamara Lackey and Kristi Odom. Our seven-day workshop is designed for photographers and filmmakers of all levels who are passionate about capturing the beauty and power of bears and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Our base camp is located in the wildest part of Alaska, on the North shore of Lake IIiamna, surrounded by 18 million acres of roadless wilderness. This remote location is accessible only by bush plane, and our lodge is nestled between the pristine and wild Bristol Bay and both Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks & Preserves.
Every day will be its own adventure! Our expert guides will lead us on a journey to discover the best opportunities to observe and photograph Grizzly Bears and other Alaskan wildlife. We will have our own float planes, bush planes and boats to transport us to the most stunning locations for photography and filming. After our daily transport into the wilderness, we will embark on hikes to seek out the local wildlife such as Grizzly Bears. Keep in mind, the bears dictate how far we hike and we expect to average 3-5 miles (or less) roundtrip per day based on previous experiences in this location. So if you're ready for an adventure in addition to an incredible photography experience, this workshop is definitely for you.
With the flexibility of having our own planes, we'll have the freedom to explore and discover the wilderness, and create memories that will last a lifetime. And with two Nikon Ambassadors by your side, you'll have the opportunity to learn from the best and take your photography and filmmaking skills to the next level.
So pack your bags, grab your camera gear, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Join us on this epic photography workshop in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness, where every day is a new opportunity to capture unforgettable images and create unforgettable memories. Book your spot now and experience the magic of Alaska like never before!
Animal conservation and ethical travel are at the core of everything we do. We believe that as photographers, it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the wildlife and their habitats that we capture through our lenses. That's why we only work with outfitters and partners who share our commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism practices. We strive to ensure that our workshops not only provide incredible photographic opportunities but also make a positive impact on the environment and the local communities we visit. By promoting ethical travel and animal conservation, we aim to inspire others to use their cameras as a tool for change and help create a better world for all.
Photo Credits: Kristi Odom, Tamara Lackey, Steve Lackey, Jane Takagi and Charlie Finn
ITINERARY
The Following is a sample itinerary and will change. With the flexibility of having our own planes, each day is its own adventure!
Day 1
You will have an afternoon flight from Anchorage to Iliamna getting our first glimpses of remote Alaskan wilderness from the small plane. If the weather is clear, you might see glaciers and mountain tops. Following arriving at the Iliamna Airport, you will be greeted and transported to the lodge. After introductions, the crew will help get everyone’s gear into their cabins. Once you’ve had a chance to settle into your cabin, we’ll all meet in the main lodge, for our first meal. After dinner we will meet in the main lodge also called the “great room,” with its amazing panoramic views of Lake Iliamna and Roadhouse Mountain, this will be our natural gathering place. You can relax, socialize, play a game of pool, or just sit back and soak in the view. We will have an opening class, getting you ready with technical tips and tricks for photographing and filming bears!
Day 2
After enjoying a hearty breakfast, we will board one of the lodge’s aircrafts, and our bear adventure begins! One of the main things that sets this workshop apart from most is that we will have access to a fleet of five aircraft throughout our stay. In addition, the seaplanes are capable of landing on rivers and lakes and the bush planes can land on beaches, gravel bars and ridge tops. These planes will be paired with boats, all set aside for our use.
We will land in Katmai on a small alpine lake in one of the lodge’s float planes. After landing, our guide will lead us on a walk through the Alaskan remote wilderness. There, we will spend the day hiking and photographing the wildlife that we see. Our guide has led bear-viewing trips there since 1978 and knows the area intimately. They will help to ensure that we get the best images and bear-viewing experience possible. Afterwards, we will return to the plane and begin our short flight back to the lodge.
After a delicious dinner, we will review some of the images we all captured, with the opportunity for additional image critiques and photography technique walkthroughs. Lastly, we will step through our plan for the following day.
Day 3
Once we’ve enjoyed our full breakfast, we will fly to Brooks Falls to capture iconic images of fish jumping up the falls - often to be greeted by the jaws of countless hungry bears!
On our flight back to the lodge, we will fly over the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, past mount Katmai, over the giant caldera of Crater Lake, and then past Novarupta with its many steaming volcanic vents and its 30,000-year-old glaciers. We’ll arrive at the lodge with appetizers already waiting, followed by another incredible dinner, image sharing and critiques as preferred.
Day 4
On this day, we will leave the lodge in the late morning, after a hearty breakfast, and arrive on the Katmai coast. We’ll land on a remote lake with our float planes. Our mission for the day will be to photograph bears digging for clams on the coast and eating sedge grasses. It is also common to see a wolf on or near this secluded beach. There will be more walking on this day because the bears may be spread out anywhere along the tidal flats, or they may be napping in the tall grasses.
Day 5
Today, some of our workshop participants will choose to fly to Twin Lakes to view and photograph the Dick Proenneke log cabin. (One Man’s Wilderness). We’ll shoot photos while flying over the turquoise water of Lake Clark, the Dall sheep in the higher tundra, caribou, and the extraordinary glaciers of Lake Clark National Park. The plane will touch down on Upper Twin Lake, a mere 100 yards from the historic homestead site built by Dick Proenneke. The history is well documented and preserved by the Park Service.
The other group will head out to spend more time with the bears and get more photos of them in the remote Alaskan wilderness.
Photo Credits: Kristi Odom, Tamara Lackey, Dan Haake
Day 6
After another hearty breakfast, we will travel to the secluded confluence of the two creeks. We’ll land on a small alpine lake in the De Havilland Beaver float plane and walk 15 minutes to the creeks. We hope to see more bears and to put into practice much of what we have learned this week through experience, instruction - and sheer joy.
After we wave our goodbyes to our newly-found 600-pound furry friends, we’ll take our short flight back to the lodge. There we will change into more comfortable traveling clothes, finish up our packing, and travel as a group back to Iliamna Airport for the evening flight back to Anchorage!
Please note: This is a sample itinerary and will change. Every day is its own adventure, we follow the bears, and the weather determines where and when we can go out for our adventures.
DETAILS
Education Overview
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A keynote introduction on photographing bears and putting more emotion into your wildlife images will be provided.
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Morning and evening time you will have optional one on ones with either Tamara Lackey and/or Kristi Odom. During these sessions, you will review your images from your days of photographing the bears. These sessions are vital in making sure that your photographs are both technically correct as well as showing off your unique voice.
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Optional group image shares with critiques for growth and critical thinking.
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Daily assistance during in-the-field shoots from both Kristi and Tamara.
Inclusions
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Airport transfer
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All ground transportation
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Full-time driver/guide
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Shared rooms (no option for single supplement)
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Full-board accommodation: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Exclusions
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Flight to Anchorage
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Flight from Anchorage to Iliamna Airport
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Travelers Insurance
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Personal expenses such as drinks, tips, telephone calls, etc.
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Tips and Gratuities
Cost
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Price: $10,985
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$3500 non refundable retainer at time of booking
Dates
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July 26th - July 31st 2025
What people are saying about this adventure!
Music from TripleScoop
FAQ:
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Is July a good time to photograph bears?
Late July is a great time to photograph bears! The salmon have started to flow and the bears are out. It is high season at Brooks Falls and it is the perfect time to see the bears gather at the falls. They are also out in the remote areas either claiming or fishing.
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What animals might we see?
Wildlife is never guaranteed. Animals that live in this area include Bears, Foxes, Walrus, Wolves, Eagles, and Dall Sheep.
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How do I get there?
To get to the Lodge you will need to take a flight from Anchorage to the remote Village of Iliamna. There is no road access to this wilderness. We will make the reservation for you on Lake & Peninsula Air, but you will be responsible for the roundtrip cost which is usually around $650.
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How physically demanding are the wildlife safaris
This trip can have a lot of hiking involved. You will need to be able to hike up to 8 miles carrying your camera gear for the day. We will mostly be off trail and in the real wilderness. Hiking will take place in our waders as some parts may be hiking over rocks hidden in flowing water. You will also need to be able to get on and off small float planes.
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Is there a weight limit on baggage?
Your first 50 pounds is free. You will be charged $1.60 per pound excess baggage fee by the air service for anything over 60 LBS but there is no limit as to how much you can bring provided you are willing to pay for the overage.
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Meals?
We have a personal chef throughout our stay. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, are not a problem at all, our chef can cater to our group and any dietary requirements. If you have special dietary restrictions, please let us know a month before our trip.
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What are the accommodations like?
The main lodge, is right on the shore of the lake and the gathering place for our guests. You'll enjoy the warmth and atmosphere around the stone fireplace reliving the day's adventure, project images on a large screen, play pool, and plan tomorrow's adventures, all while taking in a 180 degree panoramic view of Alaska's largest lake and the glacial filled mountains of the Alaska Peninsula. We have 5 comfortable cedar guest cabins next to the main lodge. Each cabin has a private bathroom, shower with unlimited hot water, heaters with thermostat so you can set the heat where you like it. There are 2 full sized beads in each cabin, and you should expect double occupancy.
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How close do we get to the Bears?
Bears are individuals just like people. Each bear will have a different tolerance level for how close it will be comfortable with us approaching it. We often approach to 50 yards and bears will occasionally wander past us as close at 15 yards. Our guides are able to read the bear's body language and know just how close is a safe distance. We have many bears that we have identified and watched for years.
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Does the lodge have Internet and Phone service?
Cell Phones will not work. There is a lodge satellite phone that you are free to use for non-international calls. Our satellite Internet has very limited bandwidth so only emails that do not have attachments can be sent or revived. It is spotty and sometimes the Internet is down for the duration of your trip.
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What happens if there is a medical emergency?
We will be in remote Alaska but are incredibly fortunate to have a fully equipped medical clinic only 7 miles from the lodge that is accessible 24 hours a day, emergency evacuations are always available. Guides carry Satellite phones during the day.
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Can I join if I am not a photographer?
Yes! Every trip to date has had non-photographers. If you are interested in seeing bears and watching their behaviors, then this trip is for you! We cannot offer any discount to non-photographers since our numbers are limited, but we definitely love welcoming anyone for our adventures.
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What happens on rain days?
With our main mode of transportation being our float planes, we may have a day or so in which we can't get out because of weather. This being a photography workshop, we usually use our weather days for in-depth learning. You will have the option of pulling your laptop out at the lodge and working on your images with the expert guidance of Kristi and Tamara. Editing is an integral part of the process. There are also some walks you can take, or the bus can take the group on a local tour.
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What shots will I get?
Wildlife is always an adventure, with nothing planned and no way of knowing what is next. Shot lists can take people away from being truly present. This trip takes people out to really experience bears and wild Alaska. Come with an open mind and be ready to experience nature and all its grandeur.
INSTRUCTORS
TAMARA LACKEY
Tamara Lackey is a renowned professional photographer, speaker, author and program host. A Nikon USA Ambassador, Tamara has taught a wide range of programs, from delivering inspirational presentations at Google, Disney, and Harvard to leading dozens of photography adventure treks to being invited to speak on stage at The Nikon Global Mirrorless Launch Presentation in Tokyo, helping to introduce its first new line of ground-breaking mirrorless camera systems. The author of nine books on photography, Tamara is also the creator and host of Chasing Frames, a television show focused on capturing adventures through photography, found on PBS.org.
Tamara is the co-founder of Beautiful Together Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit focused on rescuing animals in need of refuge and connecting them with children in under-resourced communities. Strongly focused on conservation practices, education, and animal welfare advocacy, the sanctuary is currently being built out on 83 acres of land in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with a notable emphasis on sustainability and environmental stewardship. This sanctuary will serve as a model for conservation, demonstrating best practices in solar power, land management and habitat preservation, creating a space that not only supports abused animals and local wildlife but also educates visitors on the importance of conservation efforts. In keeping with her passion for conservation and animal welfare advocacy, Tamara also created Coco Bistro & Bar (cocochapelhill.com), an award-winning plant-based restaurant in North Carolina that serves “Seriously Delicious Foods That Take Less From Our Planet”.
To see more of Tamara's work visit her website,
KRISTI
ODOM
Conservation photographer and Filmmaker, Kristi Odom, has worked in some of the earth's most remote locations to help document stories that will help protect our planet's biodiversity. She is an internationally awarded photographer, an associate fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a Nikon Ambassador and a motivational speaker.
She believes strongly in the power of photography to help create positive change and ultimately help protect the planet's wildlife.
Her accolades include over 60 international photography awards. Her work has appeared either online and/or in print for the following clients: National Geographic, Washington Post, New York Times, Forbes, Rollingstone, NIkon, Microsoft and Outside Mag.
