Alaska Inside Passage photo tours and travel photography

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Alaska Photography Tour: The Inside Passage



July: This photography tour is not currently in the schedule, but can be added by request 7 nights/8 inclusive days \| Maximum of 5 participants, and a minimum of 4 participants $4,130 USD per person \| Single Supplement: 14% of the base cost of the trip The deposit for this photography tour is $500. Make a deposit, or pay your tour balance here Explore our discounts for client loyalty, early enrollment, 2 trips in 12 months, referrals and more Do you have a question? Ask us via email: Click here Arrival and departure airport: Juneau, Alaska [JNU] Arrival window: For a variety of travel related reasons, arriving one day early is recommended Search fares at Kayak, Skyscanner, Orbitz, Google Flights or your favorite airline Client responses to our photo tours For the single supplement, cancellation policy and enrollment guidance see below 7 places are available at this time Updated: Monday the 15th of April, 2024 Indicates that we have sufficient enrollments and the trip is a 'go' Indicates that this trip requires the minimum number of participants as indicated on line two above



Photography Tour Overview: The vast untamed Alaskan frontier is very much an unspoiled menagerie of wildlife, flora and a traditional way of life. Our chartered boat will provide us with exclusive access to some very remote regions where the wildlife behaves naturally despite our presence. Occasionally during our sojourn we will anchor in serene and secluded coves and bays. You can also dine on the main boat level in plain view of Alaska's foremost marine environments, and spend the early and late hours photographing the sunrises and sunsets. Many subjects, including spectacular landscapes, seascapes and wildlife, are very ‘photographable’ from the spacious observation deck, which is also very accommodating to tripods when we're moored in still waters. Lastly, you're welcome add a fishing experience to your photographic potpourri as you'll have the opportunity to fish for Alaska's famed halibut and salmon. As with all of our photography tours, early and late shooting is scheduled for each day.

Our itinerary . . . But first things first! We suggest that you set your camera's clock to the local time, as your images will then synchronize with the times in our included photo tour field notes. Day 1 \| Juneau, Alaska We'll gather in Juneau late afternoon, and take a short break following check-in to our waterfront hotel. We’ll then casually explore the downtown and waterfront areas. Dinner in Juneau tonight followed by sunset photography around the harbor. Juneau, 1 night Day 2 \| The Inside Passage We’ll pursue some dawn photography this morning, then following breakfast we’ll depart Juneau harbor on board our chartered boat and head north around the tip of Admiralty Island into Lynn Canal and Chatham Strait. This is one of the many protected waterways of southeast Alaska, and sightings of humpback whales, seabirds, eagles and marine mammals et cetera will be frequent. As we enter the Chatham Strait sightings of humpback whales will increase, along with those of orca whales which are known to ply these waters in search of food. Depending on our headway, we’ll have the option of a short visit to Tenakee Springs village where a small group of village people make Tenakee home year round. Since the 1800's, fishermen, miners, trappers and explorers have wintered in this small village, spending long cold nights in one of Alaska's most famed natural hot spring regions. The area is also rich with the history of the Tlingit Indians. We will have quiet anchorage for our first night aboard our boat, and have plans for some beach photography this evening. Inside Passage, 5 nights Day 3 \| The Inside Passage After a restful evening, we will ‘pull anchor’ and continue south along the Chatham Strait to the southernmost tip of Admiralty Island. At the spot where the Chatham Strait intersects with Frederick Sound is Yasha Island, which is home to stellar sea lions, orca whales and is the favorite feeding grounds of the worlds most active and exciting whales, the humpbacks. Here surely, we will witness these 40 ton mammals rocketing completely out of the water to briefly deny the rules of gravity. Setting your camera frame rate on continuous will be most useful when the whales surprise us with 'aerial' displays throughout the trip. You’ll also be intrigued by bubble-net feeding, with as many as eight whales synchronized and in tune with the dominant whale. You’ll also have the opportunity to listen on the underwater microphone as an individual whale communicates with the others, as one of the most incredible displays of nature and wildlife combine. After ‘interacting’ with various marine mammals and birds we will find ourselves in a wonderful secluded bay, and take advantage of the low tide for photography, beach combing, and perhaps discover a fossil or two. Day 4 \| The Inside Passage We’ll go ashore again today, as we retrieve provisions and quality pictures in a remote village colorful with the rich history of native culture. Another photographic opportunity will emerge in the village of Kake when we disembark for an interesting photo-walk on narrow paths to explore and photograph flowers, village homes, totem poles, art and many relics of the past. Later in the day, we’ll be ashore again to spend time photographing the remote and secluded beaches where tide-pools form, and driftwood gathers, plus many small treasures that have washed up over the years. Man has rarely walked these areas, even though ancient villages line many shores of the Inside Passage. Old growth forests, [where tripods are a must!] will be the provider of vegetation in verdant greens such as grasses, ferns, mosses and flowers, plus smaller creatures that have inhabited these ‘cathedral’ forests for thousands of years. Day 5 \| The Inside Passage Today, ample time will be spent focusing on stellar sea lions; three species of porpoise; marine birds; eight species of sea duck, and the orca whales as they pass in close proximity to our boat. After spending an incredible two days in Frederick Sound, it will be time to head into the Seymour Canal which is sandwiched between Admiralty Island and the Glass Peninsula. This will take us to the Pack Creek Brown Bear Reserve. During our time there we hope to encounter the Admiralty Island brown bears as they fish for Alaska's famed halibut and salmon. We’ll also explore remote bays and coves, sometimes just sightseeing, but enjoying the Inside Passage in all it’s pristine splendor. We will then take up protected anchorage, and close our fourth day on the water with the late light on the ocean and in the sky. Day 6 \| The Inside Passage After we shuttle to shore to start our day, we'll enjoy more close-up photography of the famed Admiralty Island brown bears in and around Pack Creek. Closely related to polar bears, these special animals became isolated when Admiralty Island split from the mainland many, many years ago during intense geologic activity. Just in case you’re wondering!, we do our photography in designated areas where the bears will be used to our presence. This will be the ideal time to use those long lenses on sturdy tripods! After a fulfilling day at Pack Creek, it will be time to move on to another highlight of the trip, Holkham Bay, which is the gateway to the Tracy and Endicott Arms. Stunning radiant blue icebergs float peacefully by in emerald green waters, sometimes beaching themselves for world class photography from the boat or shoreline. We shall go ashore at this spot for close-up photography of icebergs, wildflowers, tide-pools, driftwood, and an array of rock formations. Day 7 \| Return to Juneau After pulling anchor in Holkam Bay, it will now be time to explore southeast Alaska's foremost scenic destinations. Heading 20 miles to the head of the Tracy Arm Fjord, and almost to Canada, we will photograph giant icebergs directly in front of our vessel. The sheer cliffs rise 2000’ vertically, and this region is where brown bears often forage on the steep shorelines. Mountain Goats also perch photogenically on cliffs, plus several species of seabirds and harbor seals can also be photographed. Most of all, two beautiful tidewater glaciers with immense blue glacier faces spill ice with roars and groans heard repeatedly as the sound echoes around the cliff walls. After a spectacular day in Tracy Arm it will be time to return to Juneau and check in to our hotel. The included dinner on the last night of our photography tour will feature an 'It's You!' presentation of clients in action on this tour by John. Juneau, 1 night Day 8 \| Departure day If you’re still willing, at dawn we’ll be out photographing the first light on Hodgkin's Peak plus the rugged Coast Mountain Range to the east - the peaks of which are in Canadian territory. Breakfast in Juneau will be followed by trips to the airport for late morning or afternoon flights home. Photo Tour Photographer/Leader: John Baker, Travel Images Photography Tours The preceding itinerary is a copyrighted work by John Baker Photographer LLC, and Travel Images Photography Tours

Enhancing Your Photography Skills Describing the assistance you'll receive on one of our photography tours takes more than a few words, so for greater detail please go here. Exertion level: This photography tour is classified as 'non strenuous' to 'mildly strenuous' Boarding and disembarking the boat will be the most strenuous situation you are likely to encounter In every other respect this photography tour is considered non-strenuous to mildly strenuous Do you need a Visa for travel to the United States? Travelers from all countries can do a quick check of visa requirements here or here Our international clients may need to contact the embassy of their intended destination in their own country for a visa. Go here or here

Photography Tour Cost, Deposit, Cancellation Policy and Enrollment Guidance Trip Cost: $4,130 USD per person not including airfare. A 5% discount is applied to all double occupancies. A single room supplement is required for single occupancy Single Supplement: 14% of the base cost of the trip The deposit for this photography tour is $500. Make a deposit, or pay your tour balance here Cancellation policy: Go here Enrollment guidance: Go here

Included in the Trip Cost: The following items are included in the trip cost . . . Photography instruction throughout the trip by John All accommodations with private facilities [en-suite] All breakfasts Lunch on day one of the trip Dinner on the last night of the trip On-vehicle snacks and bottled water All ground transportation Airport pick-up on day 1, and drop-off on departure day. Arrival prior to day 1 is not included Entrance fees for sites and activities listed below under ‘Admissions Included’ Following the trip you'll receive detailed field notes describing the time, place and subject of each photo stop, plus image uploads to a private web page of clients 'in action' on the trip Not Included in the Trip Cost: The costs for these items are the responsibility of each participant . . . Airfare Travel costs between your home and the gateway airport and return Any transportation or travel costs incurred prior to or after the tour’s inclusive dates Pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodation Lunches and dinners except for lunch on day one of the trip, and dinner on the last night of the trip Alcoholic beverages Entrance fees or costs related to optional sites or activities not included in the itinerary Baggage fees Medical expenses Personal items such as the hotel mini-bar, laundry et cetera Incidental charges incurred at our accommodations such as movie rentals, internet and phone Travel insurance Passport or visa expenses Airport departure taxes, if applicable