Photograph the Wild Heart of Alaska's Pribilof Islands

Saint Paul Island is the largest of the four volcanic Pribilof Islands rising from the middle of the Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia. Remote, windswept and extraordinarily wild, it is one of those increasingly rare places where you can sit quietly at the edge of the Bering Sea, surrounded by thousands of seabirds, and watch them stream past for hours with virtually no sign of the outside world.

For a wildlife photographer, it is an extraordinary place.

The towering sea cliffs of Saint Paul support immense colonies of nesting seabirds. Horned and Tufted Puffins, Least, Crested and Parakeet Auklets, Red-faced Cormorants, Red-legged and Black-legged Kittiwakes, Northern Fulmars, Thick-billed and Common Murres, and Glaucous-winged Gulls are among the species we will seek and photograph.

Away from the cliffs, the tundra offers an entirely different range of photographic opportunities. Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, Ruddy Turnstones, Rock Sandpipers and the island's distinctive Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches are among the breeding birds we may encounter, while Saint Paul's isolated location in the middle of the Bering Sea gives us the exciting possibility of unexpected migrants and rarities.

And then there are the mammals.

Saint Paul is home to one of the world's great concentrations of Northern Fur Seals, and we will have opportunities for safe, responsible photography from designated viewing areas and blinds. Arctic foxes — including Saint Paul's distinctive blue colour morph — and reindeer add still more possibilities to an already remarkable wildlife experience.

Seven Full Days in the Field

This is first and foremost a photography tour.

We have travelled far too far to Saint Paul Island to spend our days sitting indoors watching presentations or working on computers. Our classroom is the island itself.

Our seven full days will be long, flexible and centred around photography. We will divide our time among seabird cliffs, auklet colonies, tundra, shorebirds, songbirds and Northern Fur Seals, continually adapting to the weather, light and wildlife activity.

Rather than following a rigid photographic schedule, we go where the best opportunities are.

Our dedicated transportation, world-class bird guide and permitted access are important parts of that flexibility. If the light changes, the wind shifts, a rarity appears or a particular location suddenly becomes productive, we can respond. That freedom is especially valuable on an island where Bering Sea weather and photographic conditions can change remarkably quickly.

Experience Matters on Saint Paul

I have visited and led photography groups on Saint Paul Island more than 35 times, photographing the island from spring through summer and learning how dramatically its opportunities change with the season, weather, wind and light.

That experience matters.

Knowing where to go is only part of it. Knowing when to be there — where the light will fall, how the wind will affect birds in flight, where particular species are most productive and when conditions suggest moving to another location — can make the difference between simply seeing a bird and creating an exceptional photograph of it.

The July 1–8 dates have been deliberately selected from that experience. Early July consistently offers an outstanding combination of nesting activity, species diversity and birds in beautiful breeding plumage.

Personalized Instruction — Right Beside You

My teaching happens where it matters most: in the field, with your camera in your hands and the subject in front of you.

I will be there to help with camera setup, autofocus, exposure, composition, anticipating behaviour, flight photography, working with changing backgrounds and light, and developing the ability to recognize an opportunity before it disappears.

There are no secrets and nothing held back. I share the same techniques, thought processes and field strategies that I use every day in my own professional wildlife photography.

And instruction is never one-size-fits-all.

If you're relatively new to wildlife photography, I'll help you understand your equipment and build the fundamentals that lead to consistent results. If you're already an accomplished photographer, we can concentrate on the subtleties — light, backgrounds, behaviour, timing, composition and refining your personal style.

Photographers of every experience level and every camera brand are welcome.

My 40+ years as a professional photographer include extensive real-world experience with Sony, Canon, Nikon, OM System, Leica and Hasselblad cameras and lenses. Whatever system you bring to Saint Paul Island, the brand on the front of your camera isn't important. What matters is helping you understand your equipment, get the most from it and consistently make better photographs.

Small Group. Extraordinary Access.

The group is strictly limited to 10 photographers.

Keeping the group small gives everyone room to work, minimizes our impact on the wildlife and, most importantly, allows me to spend meaningful one-on-one time with each photographer.

Our group will also be accompanied by a world-class bird guide with intimate knowledge of Saint Paul's birds, wildlife and natural history. Combining that expertise with my decades of photographic experience on the island gives us an enormous advantage: we can concentrate on finding the best subjects while putting ourselves in the best possible position to photograph them.

We are fully permitted for appropriate access to photograph and experience Saint Paul's extraordinary natural areas and wildlife, allowing us to make the most of the opportunities the island offers while respecting its regulations and protecting the birds, mammals and habitats that make it so special.

You Don't Need a Giant Lens

Saint Paul doesn't require everyone to arrive carrying an enormous 600mm prime.

The extraordinary proximity of many subjects means a surprisingly broad selection of lenses can be productive. 70–200mm, 100–400mm, 200–600mm and similar zooms are all extremely useful, while 500mm and 600mm lenses can be excellent for more distant subjects, portraits and flight photography.

Bring a wide-angle or standard zoom, too.

Saint Paul isn't only about filling the frame with birds. The Bering Sea, tundra, cliffs, dramatic weather and enormous colonies offer wonderful opportunities to create environmental wildlife images and photographs that tell the story of this remarkable place.

What's Included

Your 8-day / 7-night Saint Paul Island Photography Tour includes:

• 7 nights' accommodation on Saint Paul Island

• Meals while on Saint Paul Island

• Dedicated ground transportation for our group

• Seven full days of professional, personalized, in-the-field photography instruction with Christopher Dodds

• A world-class bird guide dedicated to our group

• Professional local birding, wildlife and natural-history expertise

• Permitted access to Saint Paul's extraordinary natural areas and wildlife photography opportunities

• Northern Fur Seal viewing and photography opportunities from authorized areas and blinds

• Complete on-island photographic logistics and tour management

• A reserved block of seats for our group on the flights between Anchorage and Saint Paul Island (airfare is not included)

Our combination of dedicated transportation, professional photographic instruction, expert bird guiding and permitted access means our days can revolve around one thing: making the most of the very best photographic opportunities Saint Paul Island gives us.

Anchorage–Saint Paul Flights

A block of seats has been reserved for our group on the flights between Anchorage (ANC) and Saint Paul Island (SNP).

This is an important part of the logistics for such a remote destination. Although your airfare is not included in the tour price, you will not simply be left on your own to figure out how to get to the island. Registered participants will receive the information and instructions needed to secure their seat from our reserved group allocation.

As with all travel to a remote Bering Sea island, flights remain subject to airline operations and weather conditions.

Transportation to and from Anchorage, airfare between Anchorage and Saint Paul Island, alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, gratuities and expenses of a personal nature are not included in the tour price.

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who loves birds, wildlife and photography.

You might be relatively new to wildlife photography and looking for hands-on help. You might be an experienced enthusiast wanting to improve your flight photography, exposure and ability to work with light. Or you might be a seasoned professional who simply wants the logistics, access and benefit of decades of Saint Paul Island experience handled for you.

The experienced photographer can concentrate entirely on photography while taking advantage of our access, logistics, bird guide, transportation and my extensive site and subject knowledge. The less-experienced photographer gets all of those advantages plus as much hands-on photographic instruction as needed.

You don't have to be an expert. You just need to love photography, wildlife and being outside with your camera.

Getting There

Our adventure begins at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) in Anchorage, Alaska.

Participants are responsible for travelling to Anchorage and for purchasing their round-trip flight between Anchorage and Saint Paul Island.

We have reserved a block of seats for our group on the Anchorage–Saint Paul flights, and registered participants will receive the information necessary to secure their seats.

Because travel to Saint Paul crosses hundreds of miles of the Bering Sea and can be affected by weather and airline operations, I strongly recommend allowing appropriate flexibility in your travel plans. Detailed recommendations for arrival and departure timing, along with Anchorage hotel suggestions, will be provided after registration.

Once You're Registered

You won't be left wondering what to bring or how to prepare.

Registered participants will receive detailed pre-tour information covering travel logistics, our reserved Saint Paul flight arrangements, recommended Anchorage accommodations, camera and lens suggestions, a field-tested clothing checklist, packing advice and everything else you need to arrive properly prepared for photography on Saint Paul Island.