Post your best current shots

[Jonathan Huyer]

I'm back from a fun bear-viewing trip to Alaska, my second trip to this fabulous part of the world. This time we were in Katmai Park (last time was Lake Clark). As always there is no shortage of bears, and the backdrops are utterly incredible too. A major highlight was catching a glimpse of an elusive coastal wolf --- something I've desperately wanted to see. The viewing season starts in June and goes right through to September. We chose early season for the more quiet experience with fewer groups around. It's great having an enormous bay to just your group and the bears. What's unique about Alaska is you view the bears on foot. And what a huge difference that makes for photography. You have much more flexibility to compose your shot the way you like, and of course there is the sheer exhilaration of having nothing between you and these magnificent animals. But don't worry --- they completely ignore you as they focus on munching as much sedge grass as they can. There are many options for accommodations, and we stayed on a boat that we transferred to by float plane from Homer. To get ashore you need waders, since the bays are quite shallow. For camera gear, I brought my 500 mm and 100-400 lenses, but I think an even better choice would be the 200-400 1.4 TC (if I owned it), plus a 70-200. Some of my favourite shots are the wide-angle views when the bears happen to wander very close. Let me know if you have any questions about going there, and meanwhile here are some of the 13,000 shots I grabbed in the week:

Out for a stroll


Junior Playfight


On the Prowl


Majestic Alaska


Kukak Bay


Coastal Wolf


Thanks for viewing!