Every November the largest gathering of Bald Eagles happens at the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, AK. Between 1,000-3,000 eagles come together to feast on a late run of salmon. The eagles draw birders and photographers from around the world to view the spectacle. Haines even hosts an annual Bald Eagle Festival celebrate the gathering of eagles.
By far the biggest challenge of photographing the eagles is the weather. It can be bitter cold, snowy, rainy, icy, blustery or all of the above. I recently returned from Haines and cut my trip short because over a three day period it was supposed to receive 10” of snow on day one, snow and rain on day two and highs in the teens on day 3.
There are essentially two ways to visit Haines: ferry or small plane from Juneau. The ferry is a five hour ride and in the fall leaves Juneau three days a week. Alaska Sea Planes has several daily flights from Juneau to Haines. These are small 10 passenger planes and flights are often canceled because of weather.
Several companies offer photography tours of Haines. Unless you are looking for photography instruction, a tour is not needed to see the eagles. They tend to congregate on a 3 miles stretch of land that off a major road and there are frequent stops to view the eagles.
At the bottom of the post is a quick video to give you a better feel for the location and the shooting conditions.
Tips on going to Haines, AK
- Haines is a small town and many businesses shut down in the winter. There are several hotels to select from, but no major car renal companies. The Captain’s Choice Hotel rents all wheel drive Subarus for around $75 a day. I stayed at the hotel and rented a car from them and it was simple.
- There is no cell phone service where you view the eagles. Signal is lost about 10 miles out of town.
- Most restaurants are closed, but there is a health food market and an IGA supermarket in town.
Eagle Photography Tips
- Because of the lack of daylight, there is a small window to photograph the eagles. If the sun is out there tends to be decent light from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Bring as long a lens as you have. The Eagles tend to be 50’ away or more. You can consider using a teleconverter, but because there is a need for fast shutter speed you will have to balance with a high ISO.
- Be prepared to have bad / off days because of weather. I would plan on spending 5 days in Haines and hope that you see the sun on 2 of the 5 days. Below is this week’s weather (Nov 18, 2021) and as you can see not much sun.
- Photographing in snow has unique challenges: Autofocus systems don’t like to focus on snow (but they should do a better job on the eagles); gray skies and fog mean you need a higher ISO for motion capture so consider using shutter priority with auto ISO; and you will be cold and wet so pack appropriately for both yourself and your gear.
- Have a spotter. Eagles will tend to fly in and out quickly. Having a friend spot when birds are coming into an area is helpful. You may be with groups of other photographers and someone may shout out “coming in from the left” etc. It helps.
Quick video on photographing the eagles:
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If you have ever seen a picture of a bear eating a fish on a waterfall, chances are it was taken at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park Alaska. National Geographic Photographer Joel Sartore captured his iconic grizzly image in 1999, but one doesn’t need to be a professional photographer to take an amazing picture at Brooks Falls. The key to taking a great picture at Brooks Falls is just getting there.
Brooks Falls is a now famous location for watching bears eat salmon as they swim upstream. It is only accessible via sea plane (essentially a taxi ride in Alaska), and if you are a bear or wildlife lover, it is one of the most amazing places on earth.
Unlike visiting Barter Island, Alaska to see the polar bears, you do not need an organized tour to go to Katmai. Brooks Lodge which is the only hotel in Katmai will take care of everything. Essentially from the Lodge you walk a short distance to a viewing platform to see the bears. I see little benefit in paying extra money for an organized tour, as everyone goes to the same viewing platform and stays in the Lodge.
Brooks Falls and the Lodge area have several elevated platforms and walkways to observe the bears. While the falls is best known, you will get to see bears in many different environments. It seems like everywhere you turn you see a bear. I am not a fisherman, but apparently this area has some of the world’s best fly fishing, and it is interesting to watch people fishing in the river along with the bears. -
Tips on going to Brooks Falls
- Reservations at the Brooks Lodge are coveted and there is a lottery system to book hotel rooms. I was flexible in my dates and was able last minute to find two available nights.
- Camping is also available next to the Lodge in a fenced in area to stay safe from the bears. This is an economical option to see the bears.
- It is possible to fly to Brooks Lodge for a day trip. Sea planes arrive in the morning and fly out in the afternoon. If you are not a diehard bear fan or photographer a day may be ample time to photograph the bears. My personal recommendation is try to stay at least one night but the more the better.
- You do not need professional camera equipment or super long telephoto lenses to take great pictures. From the platform you are not far away from the bears, and a cell phone can capture great shots.
- The Lodge is made up of small cabins that have several bunkbeds. One cabin can easily sleep a group of 4.
- Peak bear viewing is late July, and there can be a wait at the viewing platform to see the bears.
Bear Photography Tips
- Alaska is one giant rain forest and it rains a lot. Be prepared for bad weather and bring gear to keep your camera and other equipment dry.
- A 200-400mm zoom lens is ideal. On the platform you are not too far away from the bears so you don't need to worry about an extra long zoom lens or bring a teleconverter.
- Set your camera to a moderately fast shutter speed (1/400) and try to have a fast frames per second. The fish jump the falls quickly and sometimes a fraction of a second can make a difference between a good shot and a photograph that is amazing.
- Bears are essentially monochromatic. A vibrant fish or water from the falls can add a splash of color that makes the photograph pop.
- A tripod cam be helpful especially if you want to get an image of milky water over the falls. There is a railing at the falls where you can balance your camera, but a tripod would be usefully. Numerous other photographers will be using tripods.
It has always been a dream of mine to photograph polar bears in the wild. I was planning on being in Alaska in the fall (September 2019), and this time of year provides the opportunity to see grizzly bears in Katmai National Park and polar bears on Barter Island, Kaktovik, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North Slope of Alaska.
Kaktovik is a tiny town located on Barter Island a remote region of northern Alaska. Katkovik is approximately 500 miles past the middle of nowhere (literally it is 500 miles north of North Pole AK). I still don’t quite understand why this town exists (apparently it was of some military strategic significance for a radar site), but now approximately 300 people call Katkovik home.
I am not the most organized traveler, but one cannot just show up to Katovik and see the polar bears. Tours and accommodations must be book in advance, and I arranged a photography tour through Akook Arctic Adventures. It is run by Steven Kazlowski of Left Eye Productions, Inc., a professional wildlife photographer who has been photographing polar bears in the Alaskan arctic for over 20 years. Akook Arctic Adventures essentially handles everything from hotel to photo sessions. There are several other groups that run tours, and essentially they are all the same. There are two tiny “hotels” on the Island (see pictures) and nothing else.
Each day we would take a small boat on the water and photograph the bears for about two hours, return to the hotel for lunch and to warm up and then go out for another photography session. Unfortunately our guide had by far the worst boat (we did not have a heated cabin), so I was cold and wet each time we went out. But seeing the polar bears made the travel, the cold, and everything else worth while.
Polar bears spend most of their lives on the sea ice, but many gather during the ice-free period in the early fall near Barter Island. The main attraction for the polar bears is feeding on the remains of bowhead whales killed by the native population. Unbeknownst to me bore my trip, Native hunters are allowed to kill three whales each year. According to the Sierra Club “Alaska Natives are allowed 67 collective strikes (the take of a whale or attempt of a take) per year, dividing the meat shares between families, captain, and crew within 11 identified Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission communities.” I was shocked that whaling still exists, especially of federally endangered bowhead whales. To me, all hunting of these magnificent creates should be stopped.
I happened to be in Katovik when a whale was killed and dragged into town. As you can see from the photo below, the villagers harvest the majority of the whales and leave a large chunk for the polar bears. These whale remains are consumed by the bears and provide essential sustenance. However “helpful” it is for the bears, in my opinion this practice needs to end. It brings bears to the village where they are shot and makes bears dependent upon humans.
Moreover, over the past few decades, the villagers have piled the whale bones on a small area out of town. This has created a dangerous whale bone playground for bears. Had I known in advance about the whale killing, I probably would not have gone to Katovik. Whaling is a subject the locals do not want made public and tourists were not allowed to go anywhere near the dead whale or witness the harvesting of the whale. My photograph was taken on a boat as we passed by. We were told by our captain not to photograph the whale carcass.
If you can get past the whaling, polar bears are the most amazing animals. They play together, snuggle, interact and are awesome. I could watch the polar bears in the damp cold weather for hours on end. The photographs of the polar bears that I took in Alaska are some of my favorite pictures.
What you need to know before going to Barter Island:
1) Pre-book a tour well in advance. Many people fly in and stay one night. If you are going for photography, I think this is a mistake as the weather can be uncooperative. Try to stay 2 or 3 nights.
2) There is no guaranty of seeing polar bears. There were dozens there during my trip, however I was told if I was there two weeks earlier I may not have seen a bear.
3) The Waldo Arms Hotel is not what you would expect from the name and price. It is a bunch of trailers put together with a communal dining area and shared bathroom / showers (see pictures). The people who run the property are very friendly and accommodating. It is fine for a few nights, but maybe not the best choice for a romantic vacation spot.
4) Understand that there may be a dead whale carcass in the town. I was not prepared for this mentally.
5) Arrange for a guide with a boat that has a heated cabin. You will definitely thank me.
