Polar Bear Adventure

Join Jim for a spectacular adventure in photographing the great white predators of the north.  Instead of shooting from those monster tundra buggies where you are 15 to 20 feet above the ground and photographing down on the bears -- a terrible vantage -- with Jim you'll be shooting at ground level to get unbelievably impressive images.  Low angled perspectives give greater stature to the bears. The staging area is Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, and we will seek out the bears in four-wheeled drive vehicles.  You will be able to get out of the cars and take pictures from a tripod and, if you want, you can even lie on the ground to shoot.  We will have to be next to the vehicles for safety, but this kind of opportunity to photograph bears at eye level makes this trip particularly exciting.  We should average 3 to 5 bears per day, and our local guide knows where all the best photography spots are. This trip is priced thousands of dollars less than most others, so this is an amazing opportunity for passionate wildlife photographers. 

Itinerary

Day 1, Tuesday, October 19  

Arrive in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on this day. The hotel is a 2 to 3 minute walk from the terminal.  Meet Jim in the lobby of the hotel at 6 pm for a discussion of the photo tour.  We'll talk about camera settings, exposing on snow, lens choice, and safety.  This is followed by a welcome dinner.  Overnight at the Grand Hotel Winnipeg Airport.

Days 3 to 6, Thursday - Sunday, October 21-24

We spend the next several days eating, sleeping, and photographing polar bears.  We should also see ptarmigan, red fox, silver fox, and probably arctic fox as well.  If Northern Lights are displaying, we will photograph them after dinner.  Only one night is set aside for the aurora if the nights are clear because we all need our sleep to be on our toes when the world’s largest carnivore is in front of us.  Nowhere in the world, and nowhere in Canada, will you have better opportunities to photograph these spectacular animals than on this trip.  During any part of the trip, Jim offers group critiques as well as one-on-one time to evaluate your photographs and to give you professional feedback. Overnight in a family-owned guest house.

Tour fee:  $8950.  For this photo tour only, a $3000 non-refundable deposit is required upon booking a spot. The tour operator in Canada requires this amount from each client.

Single supplement:  $990

Includes:  All night's lodging in Churchill, daily outings in 4-wheel drive vehicles in search of polar bears and other wildlife, all breakfasts beginning in Winnipeg, photo instruction and critiques.