Wilderness Photo Workshop
Learn how to create amazing images of both wildlife and your adventure to Larsen Bay
Learn To Shoot Like The Pros
Larsen Bay Wilderness Workshop
Have you ever wanted to photograph a true Alaskan Experience?
Want to explore Kodiak Island photographing coastal brown bears, fish, birds, marine life and beautiful scenery?
Larsen Bay offers a huge diverse array of subjects to photography and observe.
Come and join Professional Photographers Dan M Lee and Jessica Haydahl Richardson on a truly unique Alaskan adventure / workshop.
Both Dan and Jessica are seasoned professional photographers ready to lead you on an incredible experience in partnership with our amazing lodges, located on beautiful Kodiak Island.
Why Join Our Photography Workshop
Stay at one of Alaska’s premier remote wildernesses.
Enjoy all-inclusive food, drinks, lodging, fly fishing, kayaking, tours and photographic experiences. 1 x all day bear viewing flyouts INCLUDED !! and 1 x all day marine life boat tour INCLUDED !!
During your stay at the lodge on Kodiak Island, there are options for other recreation experiences as well. From hiking to sea kayaking, or even trying your hand at fly fishing at no additional cost.
Our Kodiak Island workshop is open to hobby and professional photographers.
Come and create stunning visual imagery and work alongside Dan and Jessica as they show you the beauty of Kodiak Island. From Wildlife photography, landscape and editorial photography, you will have an opportunity to try your hand at capturing images from a large array of wild subjects.
Workshop Profile
* Editorial * Landscapes * Wildlife * Macro * Story Telling
* Editorial * Landscapes * Wildlife * Macro * Story Telling
Watching Brown Bears in their natural habitat is one of the most life changing events you can experience
Sample Photo
Workshop Itinerary
Arrival Day
You will catch a flight from Kodiak to Larsen Bay (full instructions will be supplied)*
All guests will be greeted by Dan and / or Jessica after you have settled in, for a welcome presentation and safety talk and a local site orientation.
Arrival time by plane is approx. 6:30pm
We can fine tune any guest requests.
Day 1
Issue any equipment such was waders, boots waterproofs as needed.
Morning breakfast and a supplied packed lunch for your first day exploring the coast or inlets for Kodiak Brown Bears by either boat or plane depending on access.
Places we visit include, Halo Bay, Katmai National Park and inlets and rivers inside Kodiak Island.
Return to the lodge for a delicious dinner and any critique or help you may want on the days shoot.
Day 2
Morning breakfast and a supplied packed lunch for your first day exploring the coast or inlets for Kodiak Brown Bears by either boat or plane depending on access.
Places we visit include, Halo Bay, Katmai National Park and inlets and rivers inside Kodiak Island.
Return to the lodge for a delicious dinner and any critique or help you may want on the days shoot.
Enjoy the spa and hotub for the evening.
Day 3
Morning breakfast and a supplied packed lunch for a boat trip(s) and optional landing to see the local marine wildlife, expect to see sea otters, humpback whales and if you are lucky, maybe Orcas too.
If the sea is too choppy then we will explore the local area to find salmon, Bald Eagles and bears which are found in the area. Learn creative travel shots with Jessica.
Day 3 is also a backup day incase the weather doesn’t hold for the flight on day 2.
Day 4
Day 4 is a flex day. You can choose to enjoy some downtime, use the local facilities such as Kayaking or even try your own hand at Fly-Fishing. It’s a great chance to catch your breath and relax. Use this day for saltwater fishing if you wish.
Want to do more ! Sure, we can head out by boat, plane** or foot to find more wildlife and exciting places to visit.
Jessica and Dan will also help you capture the local area to help you document your trip though exceptional photography.
Departure Day
Time to saddle up and head back to Kodiak, feel free to enjoy a breakfast before you leave.
Your air taxi departs around 8-8:30am for Kodiak.
Jessica and Dan will be on hand to help you in any way possible.
Take any last minute pictures before you go, keep your camera at hand, enjoy the flight !
* We highly recommend staying in Kodiak and day before you arrive to get early flights, and stay in Kodiak after the workshop is completed so you can enjoy Kodiak. All fly outs and bear viewing by boat or plane are subject to weather. Make sure you have the required travel insurance that covers cancellation of trips as the weather sadly is beyond our control. 1 fly out is included, if you want to go fishing instead of bear viewing please let us know in advance so we can allocate a guide.
** Additional charge for a 2nd and / or 3rd day fly out.
Based on dual occupancy, starting at:
$6,000 / 5 Nights (6 Days) per person, 2 sharing
Non-Photographers Will Love It Too
We understand not everyone who comes wants to learn photography so there are loads of ways to enjoy yourself without talking f/stops, who has the longest lens and nerding out over image sensors.
Guests can enjoy unlimited, fly-fishing, kayaking, local hiking and of course wildlife viewing which would keep any outdoor enthusiast occupied and happy.
You also stay and enjoy the hot tub all day long, maybe just sit and enjoy a book in such a stunning location too, if that’s your thing.
Getting Here To Larsen Bay
It is just a 30 minute flight from the town of Kodiak to Larsen Bay but don’t wait to get here before your adventure begins, it’s begun already.
Even before you unpack your camera bags in Larsen Bay, you have experienced upon entry to the plane something truly magical.
Kodiak Island is bigger than Rhode Island and also very mountainous. It is heavily forested at the northeast end of the island but almost treeless in the southwest part of the island where Larsen Bay is situated.
The island is deeply cut by sapphire-blue bays surrounded by jagged tall mountains. In the summer when Kodiak Island is carpeted in deep shades of green it is easy to see why Kodiak Island is called the Emerald Isle.
After take off you’re in for a treat, get your camera busy clicking each view, that is only surpassed by the next one. With postcard views out of every window, in every direction.
Keep an eye out for mountain goats, Kodiak Bears and “sitka” blacktail deer. In the bays it is not uncommon to see whales breaching the water surface. Also in the bays, purse seines are busy trying to surround schools of salmon and set nets can be spotted extending out from shore.
As the flight comes to an end Uyak Bay comes into view, Larsen Bay extends away from Uyak Bay in front of you as you touch down.
We will give you guidance on how to book and pay for your flight, connection flights are NOT included in the price of your stay. Prices can vary from $200-$400 per flight and subject to change from the local air taxi companies.
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FAQ
What Clothing To Bring
The weather will be very mild June reaches around 47.0°F low and 62.3°F high with July a low of 51.5°F and highs around 65.3°F so bring layers and a waterproof shell at the very least. Contact us if you have questions about weather.
Bring enough socks (expect them to get wet) and some decent hiking books and day pack. Sleep clothes are a must as well as a towel and wash / personal hygiene kit.
A heavy and a light waterproof jackets are essential.
Waterproof hiking shoes, please don’t wear regular “sneakers”.
Water bottle that can attach to your bag preferably metallic and some hand sanitizer.
Camera Equipment
Highly recommend the following equipment for your Alaskan photography workshop to be a success.
- Carbon fiber tripod (such as Sirui W-2204) with a ball head.
- Long lens like a 70mm-400mm f/4 or better.
- Wide angle lens 15mm-30mm f/4 or better.
- Circular Polarizer and UV Filter (Tiffen or Hoya at a minimum spec).
- Waterproof backpack.
- Full frame camera is preferred, APS-C and MFT with long glass.
- Many batteries and chargers (5 batteries and 2 chargers as a suggestion)
- GoTenna Mesh which you can buy here
- Tactical light (such as Fenix PD35)
What Cost Am I Responsible For ?
You will be responsible for your flight to Kodiak and Larsen Bay and accommodation in Kodiak before and after the workshop portion of the tour.
You will be assisted with booking the last flight leg in getting to Larsen Bay. Please book your tickets between home and Kodiak (airport code ADQ). There are two airlines that fly the Anchorage to Kodiak leg: Alaska Airlines and Ravn Alaska (aka PenAir). Plus additional fly-outs at a cost of around $250.
You MUST have comprehensive travel insurance.
Price Includes
Lodging, meals, nonalcoholic beverages, guided fishing, guided wildlife viewing, wifi, hot tub, sauna, unlimited kayak rental, fishing equipment, waders, (Alaskan sneakers) boots, rain gear, processing/packaging of fish and souvenir water bottle.
1 bear viewing fly-outs are included and 1 marine life tour as well. Both are FULL days from 8am to 4pm. Additional fly-out is charged at approx $250 per person.
Admission for two people, sharing one room, single rooms are available but super limited supply.
Photography tuition and workshop classes, signed limited edition copy of “Creative Photography : The Professional Edge” by Dan M Lee.
20% off camera protection gear at outex.com with our exclusive partnership, included with every booking.
Price Excludes
Flights to and from Larsen Bay.
Surcharge for freshwater fly-out fishing or additional bear viewing fly-outs ($250 per person, per day flying), gratuities (15-20% of package price) licenses/tags (varies, see Alaska Department of Fish & Game), alcoholic beverages (BYO) and taxes. You will need to pay for at least one fly-out on our second day.
You are welcome to bring your own alcohol, Larsen Bay is a completely dry location.
Local taxes are $5 per person per night.
Tips and gratuities are not included, you can tip online on this page.
Single Travelers
Almost all the rooms available at any of our partner lodges are double or dual occupancy, that doesn’t mean you can’t travel alone.
Let us know when you’re thinking of coming to visit Kodiak Island to join our photography workshop, we will try and match you with someone to room with, we do have limited single rooms available on some tours.
If we have available rooms check the booking page for tickets.
Fishing & Fly Fishing
1 fly out is included for going to see bears, if you want to use one of those flights on day 2 or 3 to go fishing you can absolutely do so. Day 4 is there for you to do as you wish, if you want to fly out (rather than boat) on day 4 there will be an additional fly out charge which you can pay onsite.
However the freshwater fishing or fly fishing locations may differ from where we view bears and can not guarantee you will stay with the group. Additional charges maybe applicable due to guide availability and the mode of transport needed via air or boat.
Also the other dependency is the type of fish you are wanting to catch.
You will need to buy all licenses/tags (varies, see Alaska Department of Fish & Game) ahead of time before you arrive. They are NOT available at the Lodge.
Read more about fishing & fly fishing here.
Arriving & Departure
We highly recommend you spend the night before and the night after booked into a local hotel in Kodiak City. A list of suggested places to stay on Kodiak Island is over on this page here.
You will receive instructions on which local airline to take and the payment will be needed before you depart, remember the last leg is not included in your cost.
Flights cost around $260 per person with a bag limit of 50lbs in weight. Additional charges for heavier bags will cost approx. an extra 0.77c per Lb. You will be billed this separately from this booking. Local charges will be from Island Air. Flights depart Kodiak Island at 6pm and land in Larsen Bay at 6:30pm. Return to Kodiak at the end of your visit leave at 8am and land in Kodiak Island at 8:30am. These flights are not included in your package.
Note air prices may change and are beyond our control.
The weather plays a big part in local Alaskan transportation and if there are any delays having a day each side will give you a safety net / buffer.
call us
+1 (907) 931 7008
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