Category: Photo of the Month

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June 2026: Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For June we chose an image from our Bears of Lake Clark. The image was taken by Tom McDonald in Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. Tom is a wildlife photographer from the great state of Wisconsin. You can view his other work here.

Congratulations to June 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Tom McDonald

Tom McDonald – our June 2026 Photographer of the Month

The Story… 

This was a bear that passed within 10 feet of me. Rob was behind me. Being with bears previously, I knew that these bears were very conditioned to humans. Rob kept saying “You’re okay, you’re okay.” I was not frightened at all and just kept on shooting.

My last shot is of the bears legs. They were so close they were going out of focus. The minimum focus distance on the lens is 8 ft. I was close. It was somewhere between 10 and 5 feet. When it started happening I did not get the blond bear that went by first. They were both female bears. I captured focus on the second, darker bear. I could see drool coming out of her mouth. It looked like she was shaking. It was pretty amazing.

I think she was fully aware that we were there. I think the blond bear was using us as a tree blind. She used us so that the chasing bear could not cut her off.

I knew it happened that people got so close there. But having it happen to me!

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 400mm 2.8

Aperture: f5.6

Shutter: 1/4000th second

ISO: 450

Manual Mode, auto ISO

Exposure Comp: -.7

Two second year cubs play in the meadow

About Photographing in Lake Clark National Park

I had thought about going to Brooks Camp. I don’t think you would ever have that kind of experience that we had at Lake Clark. It was the best bear shooting that I have ever seen. I’ve shot bears in Wisconsin, the Tetons, Yellowstone, Canada, and Glacier. It is just not comparable. Lake Clark is magical.

The hosts and guides at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge were terrific. I have had guides all over the world. Our guides were thinking like a photographer. They got us in position for great photography. It was just amazing.

I couldn’t believe it, There were so many good opportunities there. I was looking for one good image each day and there were multiple.

I sent some of my images off to BayPhoto right away.

Bald Eagle flying over the tidal flats

Tom’s Tips for Photographing Bears

1) Backgrounds. A clean background makes a big difference.

2) Keep shooting. There is so much action going on. You never know when the bears are going to turn around and look at you.

3) Try different angles. Move to the left or the right. Get low.

4) Try adjusting your settings for high key images out on the mud flats.

5) Shoot wide for environmental images. I liked the ones with Slope Mountain in it.

6) Try shooting some video too.

Stretching in the meadow

On Tom’s Horizon:

Pantanal in Brazil

Churchill for Polar Bears

Patagonia for Cougars

Australia

Bears of Lake Clark 2028

Zambia

Tom in the grass for a low perspective

Workshop Openings:

Just 1 Space Left: Patagonia Photo Tour November 29-December 10, 2026

Space Available Northern Lights in Alaska February 23-28, 2027. Our easiest Northern Lights Workshop!

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Have a great summer!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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May 2026: Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For May we chose an image from our Texas Birds Workshop. The image was taken by Brian Kennedy at the Laguna Seca Ranch near McAllen, Texas. Brian is a bird and landscape photographer from Fayateville, Georgia.

Congratulations to May 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Brian Kennedy

Brian Kennedy – our May 2026 Photographer of the Month

The Story… 

I like photographing birds in flight, but I really like portrait shots of different species. On this particular trip I brought the big glass to make better portraits. I shot everything wide open and thought the backgrounds turned out beautifully. Like butter, as Tom would say.

I purchased the 600mm f4 lens from Nikon. I am shooting Nikon now. It is a beautiful piece of glass. I plan on using it for my astrophotorgaphy as well. It will give me some beautiful images when mounted. For birds in flight I used the Nikon 100-400mm.

When I first started bird photography 20 years ago, it was all about getting the classic bird portrait. I had the 600 6.3 lens but it is not the f 4. The auto-focus flicks on and stays put. I love being able to switch the converter on and off. It was perfect for when the Painted Buntings came in and I could snap from 600 to 840mm. The Black-crested Titmouse also looked great at 840mm.

I liked the sharpness of the Green Jay image. The body pose and head placement both appealed to me because it is a classic portrait pose. There is eye contact but also an interesting shape to the body. Those are the two elements I always look for.

When I sit there with my hand on the shutter, I am waiting for the perfect pose. This is just what I wanted. The eye contact is key. I am not a fan of birds starring out to space.

I only see Green Jays in Texas. I am coming back in February 2028. I love the bird workshops, Texas Birds, Bosque. I also like landscapes, Monument Valley, Death Valley.

The perches add so much to the images at Laguna Seca. Gene sets up perfect perches. He really knows what he is doing. The perches have to be interesting to compliment the birds.

They cannot just be twigs. I am trying to create the same kind of perches in my own yard. I have some property in Fayateville. I am thinking about getting a kiddie pool, creating a drip and then setting up some perches. I’ll use local perches, probably from flowering trees.

May 2026 Photo of the Month

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 600mm f4

Aperture: f5.6

Shutter: 1/1600th second

ISO: 250

Manual Mode, auto ISO

Exposure Comp: -.3

About Photographing at Laguna Seca Ranch

Absolutely go to Laguna Seca Ranch. It is an incredible experience. The amount of birds you will see at the ranch sitting in the blinds, you would never catch that variety on your own. Being in the blind is really advantageous. They come in so close. They are constantly coming back and forth into the blinds.

With someone like me with bad knees, it is the perfect thing for me. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. It is easy. The longest walk you are going to do is from your car to the blind.

Summer Tanager in the shade

The Summer Tanager was elusive at first. He was in the trees to the left and would not come out. The background was perfect from where I was sitting. He came down to take a bath in the water. He was not interested in landing on the perches, I switched to 840mm with the TC and tried to capture different head positions. I liked the head tilt in this one.

I kept missing the Caracara and the Scissortail Flycatcher on the first raptor shoot. On the second shoot I was in the blind with Gene Gwin. I stood up with my 100-400 mm and saw some movement on the left by the tree. I swung my lens around and the auto-focus just locked right on him. I was using the Wide-Area large pattern with bird eye detect.

Crested Caracara with a Scissortail Flycatcher riding on it’s back

Brian’s Tips for Bird Blind Photography

1) Bring water. It’s hot.

2) Keep your eyes open and look around. Don’t just stare through the viewfinder because you’ll miss a lot. You will not see things coming in from the left and right side. It is easy to get wrapped up in a single bird

3) Try to listen to what’s coming in. The bird calls would clue me into whether I was looking for a big bird or a little bird.

4) The bird activity comes in waves. Be patient. You cannot expect to see everything in a day. It is a matter of time. Be ready

5) I found myself taking a lot of images that I probably should not have taken. You just cannot take your finger off the trigger. Those are the reddest cardinals I have ever seen in my life. I probably took 15 thousand images over 4 days.

6) If have 2 slots in your camera, use both slots. You will fill them up pretty quickly. Don’t be in the position where you miss a shot looking for a card.

Long-billed Thrasher

On Brian’s Horizon:

Texas again in 2028

Bears in Lake Clark

Bosque & White Sands

Greece

Africa

Brian and Wayne in the raptor blind

Workshop Openings:

Just 1 Space Left: Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula July 7-12, 2026

Just 1 Space Left: Patagonia Photo Tour November 29-December 10, 2026

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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April 2026: Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For April we chose an image from our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop. The image was taken by Melissa Stanton at the Perica Sloth Garden on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Melissa is a wildlife and travel photographer from Chardon, Ohio.

Congratulations to April 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Melissa Stanton

Melissa using her macro lens to photograph a Poisonous Dart Frog

The Story… 

So we were at the Sloth Garden and we had been there for a little while seeing the different sloths. We thought there was a baby in there but had only seen the paw so far.

It started moving and I really hoped it would stick it’s face out. It did! He had his tongue sticking out and he gave us a big yawn. Then he just sat there staring art us.

I shot it at 20 frames a second because it was dark back there. I was hoping to get something in focus. The image I chose was one of the few that were in focus.

I was shooting at 1/60th second on a 600mm lens. I was at 6400 ISO and that was the highest I could get for shutter speed. I had capped my ISO at 6400. I tried to stay as still as I could. It was exciting because it was a cute little critter.

Tom was standing right next to me. I was saying, “Oh my gosh, there’s the paw, there’s the face. Oh, it’s yawning.” I have photographed a baby Two-Toed Sloth a total of one time.

April 2026 Photo of the Month

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 600mm

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/60th second

ISO: 6400

Aperture Mode, auto ISO

About Photographing on the Osa Peninsula

It is just so beautiful. There are animals everywhere. You can hear them from your room. You feel like you are in nature, becasue you are.

The guides are amazing. They can spot the tiniest birds 8 miles away in dense jungle. They tell us all about the behavious of the animals. They know all the calls they make. Sometimes the guides will imitate the Howler Monkeys call, which is a bit shocking at first. I am sure the Howler Monkeys appreciate that.

Squirrel Monkey mother and baby

Photographing in the rainforest had a learning curve for me. I think I got way better images on the second trip than on my first. I would absolutely encourage people to go back to Costa Rica a second time. I saw a lot of things on the second trip that I did not see on the first. With technology advancing and better cameras, it made it easier to get what I wanted.

I did not see the anteater on my first trip. I did not photograph a scorpion. On the first trip I did not get what I’d consider a usable photo of a Spider Monkey. Now I have the whole monkey collection.

My favorite outing of the trip is between the Sloth Garden and the Macro Day. They are both interesting experiences with very different wildlife. I would never encounter venomous animals on my own. It is nice to be able to photography them with someone who is experienced and do it safely. I am not about to photograph venomous snakes on my own. It is just not happening.

Eyelash Viper on a heliconia stem

Melissa’s Tips for Macro Photography with Reptiles and Amphibians

1) The macro lens was awesome for the tiny frogs. I could get closer to them and let their body fill the frame. I would not have wanted to be that close to the snakes.

2) I used the 100-400mm for the snakes. I recommend that you just keep shooting at 20 frames a second. They keep moving and flickering their tongues.

3) For the frog on the leaf you have to hunt therough the jungle and wait for the sun to come out at just the right angle…..ha ha.

The elusive frog on a leaf shot

On Melissa’s Horizon:

Alaska – Kenai Peninsula

South Africa

Antarctica

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Melissa and Brian at the Perica Sloth Garden

Upcoming Online Events:

Happy Hour – Spring Image Celebration: Join us to celebrate images created by our community of photographers. Send in 3 of your best images from this spring and see what others have created. Tuesday May 19, 2026 at 6 pm Denver time. Everyone welcome! Send a note for the link.

Workshop Openings:

Just 1 Space Left: Alaska Black Bears August 8-14, 2026 Photograph huge Black Bears in Alaska’s coastal rainforest near the town of Wrangell. Cruise the pristine waters in a small boat and photograph whales, sea otters, calving glaciers and flaming sunsets. Read more

Just 1 Space Left: Iceland Puffins and Waterfalls July 23-31, 2026 Walk right up to puffins on the cliffs of Iceland. Photograph some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Read more

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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March 2026: Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For March we chose an image from our Iditarod Photo Workshop. The image was taken by Richard Epter at the official re- start of the Iditarod in WIllow, Alaska. Richard is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Augusta, Georgia.

Congratulations to March 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Richard Epter

Richard and Wendy mushing at the Dallas Seavey Kennel

The Story… 

There had already been a handful of mushers through the starting chute. Jessie Holmes was number 7. We had all talked about who would win this year. He won last year and was a likely candidate for this year as well. When I saw him coming around the curve and at me I started taking frame after frame.

I saw him lifting both of his hands into the air closer to the chute and banner. Then he started getting close to the crowd as he was coming down the hill. He touched one person’s hand and that was the frame I captured.

It was an emotional second. I was thinking, here he is at the beginning of a 1000 mile journey and he is making a connection with the crowd. The dogs were just raring to go. It was electric energy at the beginning of the race in Willow.

March 2026 Photo of the Month

Photographing the Iditarod was a life changer for me. Five years ago I did not even know what the Iditarod was. After we signed up for the workshop, I listened to a book on tape about the race with Wendy. It was all very intense: the challenging trail conditions, the worry for the dogs, possibly going over a cliff or running the dogs into open water. It really changed my idea of the race.

In Anchorage, it was a magical day with the snow. We used high shutter speeds to photograph the teams in falling snow. Taking photos in the snow with fast shutter speed. It was amazing being so close to the sleds in Anchorage. We were down very low to the ground to get eye level shots when they ran past us.

These dogs and mushers who do this race are like Olympians. They train for years. They breed the dogs and live with them. They are like family. Seeing that special bond was one of the coolest things ever.

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 100-400mm at 210 mm

Aperture: f5.6

Shutter: 1/3200

ISO: 1250

Manual Mode, auto ISO

About Photographing at the Rainy Pass Checkpoint

That was amazing. We took a bush plane into Rainy Pass. I did not know what to expect. I had never been to a remote checkpoint before.

As we were flying there, I was looking at Denali on my right. I was looking down and I could see the tiny teams below us. The sleds were surrounded by white snow and magnificent scenery. Everything looked so small within the context of the vast Alaskan Range in winter.

When we landed it was breath-taking. It was a large frozen lake with cabins and outhouses. The planes coming in and taking off were very photogenic as well. Getting to ride on a snow machine was very cool.

It was a tranquil environment. The teams were magnificent coming into the checkpoint. You can read about it, but you have to be there to really understand it.

When they check in they have to show they have all the mandatory gear. The dogs are checked to make sure they are healthy and don’t have snow on their paws. I was relieved to see how much care there was for the dogs at the checkpoints.

Dogs resting at the Rainy Pass Checkpoint

We had gone in front of the officials to get a bit ahead so we could lay down on the ground. There was a person in a blue jacket taking pictures of three teams coming in at once. I wondered if it was normal to see three teams at once. I was laying down a little bit off the trail.. I wanted to make sure I got all three in the frame. It was an unbelievable site. It was lucky to be were I was. I’ll never forget that photo.

Three teams arrive at once in Rainy Pass

Richard’s Tips for Photographing Dog Sledding

1) Shoot wide open with your aperture. Use a telephoto lens. You only have fractions of a second to capture the perfect moments. Shoot at 20 frames a second. You have to be ready with your finger on the shutter, even in cold temps.

2) Decide whether you want the focus to be on dogs in the front, the whole team or the musher.

3) When choosing the best images in post, look for images that are sharp and have great dog expressions. Look for paws that are in the air. The bacon tongues just crack me up.

Bacon tongues on Jessie Holmes’ dogs in Anchorage

On Richard’s Horizon:

Katmai National Park in Alaska

Kenya

Northern Lights in Alaska

Iceland

Richard and Cathy Ahles at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod in Anchorage

Upcoming Online Events:

Happy Hour – Spring Image Celebration: Join us to celebrate images created by our community of photographers. Send in 3 of your best images from this spring and see what others have created. Tuesday May 19, 2026 at 6 pm Denver time. Everyone welcome! Send a note for the link.

Workshop Openings:

Just 1 Space Left: Alaska Black Bears August 8-14, 2026 Photograph huge Black Bears in Alaska’s coastal rainforest near the town of Wrangell. Cruise the pristine waters in a small boat and photograph whales, sea otters, calving glaciers and flaming sunsets. Read more

Northern Lights in Alaska – February 23-28, 2027. Join Tom and Cree at the Chena Hot Springs Resort for aurora photography at the top of a mountain dome. Read more

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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February 2026: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For February we chose an image from our Arctic Lights Photo Workshop. The image was taken by Laura DeSimone in the town of Wiseman, Alaska. Laura is from Fernley, Nevada and is known for her photos of flowers and rodeos. You can see her work here.

Congratulations to February 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Laura DeSimone

Laura on the Middle Fork of the Koyokuk in Alaska

The Story… 

Tom was outside and he told us through What’sAp that the sky was blowing up with aurora. We grabbed our gear and ran outside.

It was amazing. The full moon was so cool because it just shown through the aurora. It illuminated the foreground and everything around us.

We set up our tripods next to the rest of the group. We were waiting for the evening aurora tour. We were on the road in front of the lodge. Off to the side there were all sorts of trucks. I shot to the north to avoid the trucks. The remove tool and auto were my friends in editing. I also added a little bit of texture to the entire image.

When we see aurora in Nevada it is faint, like a cloud. You really can’t see it without a cell phone. In Alaska you could see the shapes of it with the naked eye. I could see the shapes in the sky.

My glasses frosted up. So I just put them in my pocket and I was shooting blind.

I really appreciate Tom letting me use his jacket. That really saved me. I had my good down parka with me but it would not have kept me warm at -40. Tom loaned me his big yellow Feathered Friends jacket. I had 2 down parkas on, a fleece jacket, two long underwear tops and a t-shirt. With all that on I felt like the Michelin Man. I stayed warm the whole time.

February 2026 Photo of the Month

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z8

Lens: Nikon 14-24mm at 14 mm

Aperture: f2.8

Shutter: 5 seconds

ISO: 640

Manual Mode

Texture in new snow on the Dalton Highway

About Photographing in Arctic Alaska

It was so much fun! The snow, the shapes of the frozen trees. The textures in the snow. I have never experienced cold like that, but I didn’t feel cold.

It was a great adventure. We were in an extreme environment. I had boots on that felt like Frankenstein boots. They worked.

I totally got into the frozen forest. The shapes were interesting. I wondered how the trees live when they are covered with so much snow and in such extreme temperatures. I loved the textures in the snow and how the wind created lines on the snow. The blue sky and the white of the trees made me in awe. I already want to go back

Historic cabins under the aurora in Wiseman, Alaska

Laura’s’ s Tips for Aurora Photography

1) Point and shoot. It is like shooting the Milky Way. You’ll be shooting long exposures. WIth aurora you want to try to stop the activity in the display by using just enough shutter speed but not too much.

2) Shoot a ton. You want to have a choice of foregrounds and displays.

3) Good luck if you have glasses on. They are kind of useless when covered with frost. I would bring contacts next time.

On Laura’s Horizon:

Iceland

Svalbard

Death Valley – Superbloom & Milky Way

Laura shooting from the dog sled

Free Event: Aurora Photography: an online presentation with Tom and Cree. Learn everything you need to know to photograph and edit the aurora on Zoom. Wednesday, March 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Send us a note to get the link.

Workshop Openings:

Tom Bol Photo Workshops is headed back to Antarctica in 2028. We will be navigating below the Antarctica Circle with Polar Latitudes – a place where few boats go. Penguins, whales and stunning icy landscapes. Just a few spaces left!

Explore Alaska this summer with Tom and Cree. Daily boat rides keep the walking to a minimum. July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. Learn more about our Alaska Kenai Explorer Workshop

Thanks for reading our trip reports!

Happy Spring

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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January 2026: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from photographers on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image from our Antarctica and South Georgia Workshop. The image was taken by Teri Manchen on a zodiac excursion to a Macaroni Penguin colony. Teri is a wildlife photographer who splits her time between Ohio and Florida.

Congratulations to January 2026 ‘s featured photographer – Teri Manchen

Teri and Chris Manchen on South Georgia Island

The Story… 

We were in Hercules Bay on South Georgia Island and we went around the corner to a small cove. None of the other zodiacs came over to that location. Both boats in our photography group made it over. It was towards the end of the photo session and we had not found many Macaroni Penguins to photograph yet. I really wanted to see them.

There were fur seals in the cove and Macaroni Penguins were everywhere we looked.

There was a whole group of them. The boat was rocking. I zeroed in on a group of penguins that were all clean and all walking in the same direction. I liked that the lichen on the rocks matched the crest on the penguins. This is the only photo I got where all of the penguins were looking up and facing the camera.

January 2026 Photo of the Month

When I was editing the photo I had to work on the eyeballs a bit. They have bright red eyes and they were originally pretty shaded.

My ISO was pretty high because it was dark and overcast in the cove. I used the denoise function in Lightroom to take care of that.

The Macaroni Penguins were pretty cute. I like the bright yellow color of their crest.

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 600mm 6.3

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter: 1/2000

ISO: 5000

Exposure Compensation: +1.0

Chinstrap Penguins in Antarctica

About Photographing in South Georgia and Antarctica

I love Antarctica. It is so pristine. It was amazing to be there. I probably missed a lot of the iceberg photos. We had just been in Greenland and saw a lot of icebergs. I felt like I had that piece and focused on the penguins instead.

South Georgia was quite amazing. Every turn you would take there was a new aspect. It was super fun because the penguins would create a mile long trail to the colony. I wondered if it was worth walking a mile. Then I walked to the end and said it was the most amazing thing I’ve seen in my life.

I wish I had taken more videos to show how it was. When we were on the water in South Georgia and we were seeing penguins all over, there was always a beautiful landscape right behind the penguins. If I was shooting penguins with my 600mm I missed the landscape.

Seeing so many Humpback Whales was crazy. The lunge feeding was incredible. I have also never seen so many flukes before.

The weather in the Drake was perfect for us. I was nervous and brought a bunch of different medications but did not need it. I have seen other people posting about the Drake Passage and was very happy that we had the weather that we did. There was no sea sickness on the trip.

It is definitely a bucket list trip. It was unbelievable.

King Penguins walking in the snow on South Georgia

Teri’ s Tips for Photographing Penguins

1) So happy I brought the 600mm lens. I used it 70% of the time. It focuses well and at 6.3 you can still create good bokeh.

2) Make sure there is a good background behind the penguins. I like blurry backgrounds or something that shows a mountain scene.

3) I shoot mostly in wide area large focus mode. The camera does the work and catches the eye for you.

4) I used the side lean to get low. We were not able to sit, squat or lie on the ground because of animal safety. I just leaned to the side and got as low as I could.

5) Shooting in the colonies was more difficult. I was always looking for good interaction between birds or for chicks.

Humpback Whale fluke in Charlotte Bay in Antarctica

On Teri’s Horizon:

Black Bears in Alaska

Patagonia in Spring

Bears of Lake Clark

Banff in Canada

Africa and Asia

Teri in a Chinstrap colony in Antarctica

Thank you for reading our Photo of the Month posts! We’d love to know what you think about them. Send us a note.

Workshop Openings:

Tom Bol Photo Workshops is headed back to Antarctica in 2028. We will be navigating below the Antarctica Circle with Polar Latitudes. Join the Interest List here.

Want to photograph wildlife from a boat in Alaska this summer? We have space available on our Kenai Fjords National Park Workshop July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. Learn more

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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October 2025: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For October we chose an image from our Acadia National Park Workshop. The image was taken by Karen Adair on a sunrise shoot at Otter Rocks. Karen is a graphic designer and photographer from Oregon. You can see more of her work here.

Congratulations to October 2025 ‘s featured photographer – Karen Adair

The Story… 

We were shooting the stars. It was beautiful. I felt like I got the shot and then I stopped. The light was changing and starting to dilute. It was loosing the more emotional part of the light. I thought I would just enjoy the sunrise

I turned and saw the rocks in front of me. There was a beautiful opening in the rocks. I turned my tripod 90 degrees and there it was. It was beautiful.

Tom started walking over and he was shooting next to me. I photographed him in front of the sun. Then he walked away.

I was so in love with the glow of the sun on the rocks and the little window that caught the sunbeams. The color was just glorious. It was a beautiful palette.

There was not a lot of color editing. That was all natural color that was there. I masked the rocks to bring the exposure up on the rocks but did very little else.

October 2025 Photo of the Month

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon 7ii

Lens: 14-24mm at 17.5mm

Aperture: f16

Shutter: 1/80

ISO: 100

Exposure Compensation: -1

Sieur de Mont

About Photographing in Maine


Inspiring. The nature and the beauty are infinite.

There was such a calm watching the waters. Even watching and hearing the crashing waves was calming. The solitude and quiet of the woods was heart-filling.

The color is brilliant. They are mind-blowing. Even though we did not have the peak colors I recalled from being there before, they were still there. The seasons seem to be shifting anyway. It felt like the peak colors may have been earlier.

The coastal villages were familiar to me. It reminded me of spots on the Oregon Coast. It is a respectable culture. I was happy to watch the fisherman go in and out of the harbor. I did not know that the buoys were a signature to each fisherman. That was neat to learn about.

Karen’ s Tips for Photographing Landscapes

  • 1) Rather than trying to get a good photo, I connect with what I am seeing….what is grabbing my attention. Is it the red tree among all the golden and green ones? Is it the power of the wave crashing on the rock?

A lot of time it is emotion. What did I feel when I saw the sun come up in the rocks? Then I try to connect to that with my camera. I am not looking for a shot. I am trying to express what I see and feel in the scene. What moved me. How will the camera see that?

Landscapes are how nature inspires and moves you. Imagine how the camera will see that.

2) Post is such a great way to put the cherry on the top. It allows you to draw out the part of the image that captivated you in the first place. I am grateful for my 35 years of background using PhotoShop.

3) A lot of times when I am not feeling or seeing something, I just put my camera down and chill. I just take it in.

When we were at Jordan Pond I got the shot but I couldn’t see where I wanted to go next. I decided I would just find a spot along the lake and enjoy the view of the trees across the lake. The density of the trees was beautiful. The water in front of the trees was beautiful. I just wanted to stand along the shore and take it in.

I looked down and there were all these bubbles and brightly colored leaves. I thought, the bubbles would make a great background. I found a couple of beautiful leaves by the shore. I let them drop into the bubbles to give it an element of randomness.

Jordan Pond

On Karen’s Horizon:

Oregon Coast: King Tides at South Shores

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Smith River

Toketee Falls in

Our group at Otter Rocks

Workshop Openings:

Join us for more Coastal Photography on the Kenai Fjords National Park July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. 4 Spaces Available. Learn more

Check out other openings on our Upcoming Workshops Page

Thank you for taking the time to read our posts!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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September 2025: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For September we chose an image from our Greenland Photography Workshop. The image was taken by Eric Lacey in the Greenlandic town of Ilulissat. Eric is a landscape and travel photographer from Boston.

Congratulations to September 2025 ‘s featured photographer – Eric Lacey

Eric sharing his portraits with the locals

The Story… 


We were out walking the town of Ilulissat with Tom and Odd. We photographed whatever caught our eye. The colorful buildings were interesting and we tried to compress them. We came down to the bottom of the hill and we could see the water. There was a dog kennel nearby. I was looking at the puppies.

I heard the words, “Take Picture.” I turned around and there were two little girls behind me. I said “Oh, do you want me to take your picture?” and she said, “Yeah!”

So I started taking pictures of her and her friend. I went over and sat down to show them the photos. I started taking more photos and more children started coming out of the houses and they all wanted to have their pictures taken.

The girl who I first heard, was the only one who seemed to have any English skills. She understood me pretty well. I tried to get her name, but I couldn’t understand what she said.

I am very intimidated by taking pictures of adults. But it is very easy for me to interact with children. The interaction with the kids was very unexpected. It was spontaneous. I wouldn’t have asked them to pose, but since they raised it first, I was very willing.

The photo may not be my favorite photo of the trip, but it is the one I will remember the most. I really enjoyed the interaction.

I wasn’t exactly sure what reception we would get in Greenland. I learned that the Inuit are a very proud and open people. They were very respectful. We were in a taxi and the driver said, “We respect everyone who respects us.”

September 2025 Photo of the Month by Eric Lacey

EXIF Data:

Camera: Canon R5

Lens: 100-500mm at 100mm

Aperture: f10

Shutter: 1/1250

ISO: 400

Arches of Ice near Ilulissat, Greenland

About Photographing in Greenland


Greenland was never on my bucket list…..until I saw the photos that you and Tom got on your last trip.

The icebergs were phenomenal. The shapes of the iceberg were surprising and beautiful. We got one night of sunset, as opposed to dimer light. Most of my favorite photos came in the sunset. It was an unforgettable trip for us.

The landscape is beautiful but kind of sparse. The tundra is different for those of us who do not get up North regularly.

After showing my photos to other people, they all want to go there now. It is only 3.5 hours from Newark to get to Nuuk.

Fall colors in the tundra near Ilulissat

Eric’ s Tips for Photographing Icebergs

My #1 tip is to shoot wide. I did not own a super wide lens. I bought one two days before going on the trip. I did not think I would use it that much.

In the past I have been disappointed because it makes everything look so small. With the icebergs they are so big, and you can get so close that it works great. I am usually a big scene landscape photographer and use the 24mm range all of the time.

2) Shoot in high speed. Because we were on a moving boat we were shooting very fast. The foreground ice chunks in the scene would move by very quickly. I shot regularly at 10 frames per second. This helped me to position the foreground elements in my final selection.

3) Look for foreground icebergs with a submerged portion. The water is so clear that you can see the definition in the underwater icebergs. Tom brought up a photo during the image review with a beautiful submerged iceberg. This became one of my focuses for the rest of the trip.

4) Not about icebergs, but engage every child you see when walking by.

Iceberg Arch with Foreground Ice

On Eric’s Horizon:

South Georgia, Antarctica, Falklands

South Africa

Peru

Utah Landscapes

Japan

Eric and Kim close to a large iceberg

Workshop Openings:

Join us for more Coastal Photography on the Alaska Kenai Explorer July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. 4 Spaces Available. Learn more

Check out other openings on our Upcoming Workshops Page

Thank you for taking the time to read our posts!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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August 2025: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For August we chose an image from our Redwoods & Rocky Coastlines Workshop. The image was taken by Suzy Onysko at Lagoon Creek Beach. Suzy is a wildlife and fine art photographer from Ohio. You can see her work featured on Susan Onysko Photography.

Congratulations to August 2025 ‘s featured photographer – Suzy Onysko

Suzy photographing at slow shutter speeds on the beach in Crescent City, California

The Story… 


We went to Lagoon Creek in the afternoon and wow it was windy! I started out with a tripod, trying to capture the fast-moving waves and sea spray with the sea stacks in the background, but honestly, I wasn’t feeling it. Then I remembered something from a talk earlier that day: Tom Bol said he loves shooting water at 1 second because it keeps just enough texture to stay interesting. Normally, I go with much longer shutter speeds to get that dreamy, soft, gooey look in water, so this felt totally new to me. And that’s exactly why I’ve traveled with the Bols for 15+ years – there’s always something new to learn!

So I switched my camera to manual, cranked up the f-stop, lowered the ISO, and set my shutter speed to 1 second. Loved it instantly! And best of all – no need for that 10-stop ND filter I lugged along. 🙂 I set a 2-second delay so I didn’t need the cable release, parked myself in one spot, and just played with the waves all evening, timing the shutter to see how different wave patterns would transform the image.

At first, for about half an hour, everything came out in these gorgeous midtone grays – perfect for black and white. Then as the sun dropped, the mood shifted. Suddenly, beautiful golden highlights lit up my moody blue water, and the whole scene just glowed. In this photo, what I really loved was the reflection of the sun shimmering in the sand – such a beautiful combo!

I knew I was onto something when I looked up an hour later and realized I was facing the opposite direction of everyone else. Usually I’m the queen of FOMO, but I was so entranced I didn’t even notice!

Processing was easy in Lightroom. I hit that magical AUTO button, used the Adobe Landscape profile, set a Cloudy WB, and then spent some quality time zapping about a zillion dust spots. Lightroom has really come a long way! My little secret trick was using the Adaptive Sky – Blue Hour Preset. Lightroom thought my waves were clouds (ha!), so by lowering the opacity I ended up with these gorgeous, rich blue tones in the water.

August 2025 Photo of the Month by Susan Onysko

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens:100-400mm at 100mm

Aperture: f32

Shutter: 1 second

ISO: 64

About Photographing in the Redwoods


This was my second time on the Redwoods Photo Workshop with TBPW and I can honestly say that it’s one of the most challenging places I’ve ever photographed. The first time you go, you’re just overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of the trees. Figuring out how to photograph them so that the images actually capture their scale and power. That’s the tricky part. I don’t think you really understand how hard it is until you’re standing right there in front of them.

Most of the spots we photograph in the Redwoods are low light, which means a tripod is a must if you want clean, sharp files. If you’re not used to shooting with a tripod – practice! 🙂 For me, it’s especially frustrating because most of my photography is handheld or with a beanbag from a safari vehicle in Africa. Switching gears to “tripod mode” definitely takes patience.

The coast in California and Oregon is absolutely lovely. Of course, I always dream of those gorgeous, cloudy, colorful sunsets (and even stayed extra days in Oregon hoping for one!), but alas… Mother Nature had other plans. Oregon was socked in, and other days I had completely clear skies. So, I went the black-and-white route instead. I ended up thrilled with my slow-water images from this trip. The best part is that the photos from my second trip look completely different from my first. That’s the beauty of returning to a place – you never know what magic you’ll find.

Surfline at Lagoon Creek

Suzy’ s Tips for Photographing at the Coast

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of tripods. But… in my opinion, they often make the difference between a snapshot and a wall-hanger. 🙂 At the coast, a tripod really helps when you want to play with different shutter speeds to capture the mood of the waves – whether that’s silky and soft or crashing and powerful.

One of the highlights of this trip was when Cree found some AMAZING starfish for us to photograph. It was so much fun to see during the image showcase at the end how many variations people captured: starfish with soft waves, starfish with crashing waves, starfish close-up, starfish with big sweeping scenes. The creativity was endless!


As for me, the moment I had pulled out my trusty infrared camera and a polarizer I was completely absorbed in photographing tidal pools. I loved the way the kelp and sea plants transformed in infrared – they had this wonderful, otherworldly texture. I guess that means I’ll just have to go back another time for those starfish… not the worst problem to have! 😉

Tidepool in Infrared

On Suzy’s Horizon:

Grand Teton National Park

Ouray with TBPW

Australia

Botswana

Falklands, Antarctica and South Georgia with TBPW

Workshop Openings:

Join us for more Coastal Photography on the Alaska Kenai Explorer July 7-12, 2026. Calving glaciers, Sea Otters, Whales, and beautiful scenery near Seward and Homer, Alaska. 4 Spaces Available. Learn more

Check out other openings on our Upcoming Workshops Page

Thank you for taking the time to read our posts!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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July 2025: Photographer of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great photos from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For July we chose an image from our Iceland: Puffins and Waterfalls Workshop. The image was taken by Stuart Litoff on Grimsey Island. Stuart is a landscape and fine art photographer who also photographs wildlife. You can see his work featured here.

Congratulations to our featured photographer for July 2025 – Stuart Litoff

The Story… 


This was the second day of shooting puffins. I knew I had gotten some okay shots the day before. But I hadn’t gotten any good shots with the fish in their beaks. That was my goal for the second day.

Before the shoot Tom had talked about soft backgrounds and soft foregrounds. I had that on my mind. When I saw this cliff area with the cloud behind it, I kept my eye on the bird that was there. At first it was standing with it’s head in profile, then he slowly turned his head towards me. I was shooting at 30 frames per second so I had a lot to choose from. I liked the way this one looked the best.

I also really wanted a flying puffin with fish. I haven’t found one yet that I like in the images I have reviewed so far.

I enjoy wildlife photography. I don’t like doing it for an entire trip. I can be overwhelmed by too many photos to sort through. I took 3000-4000 pictures of puffins. That was a lot for me. But this was one of the latter shots of the day, so maybe I would have missed this if I had quit earlier.

I use Photo Mechanic to sort images. But I want to see them all. I want to see what I shot. I find that there are surprises in all directions. A photo that I did not think would be good, could turn out to be really good. For this photo I was able to go through a range of images with slightly different head positions.

July 2025 Photo of the Month by Stuart Litoff

EXIF Data:

Camera: Fuji X-H2S

Lens: Fuji 100-400mm lens at 400mm

Aperture: f6.4

Shutter: 1/2000

ISO: 3200 (auto)

Shutter Priority

About Photographing in Iceland

I love Iceland. This is my third trip there. I went there for the first time 10 years ago with Tom on a Strabo trip.

I love the landscape. I love that there aren’t a lot of people there. It is different than a lot of other places. The people are also really nice.

It was great to explore the north, the Highlands and the West Fjords on this trip. That was all new to me.

Sun Voyager Statue on the Coastal Walkway

I had a late flight out on the last day and decided to grab my camera and go out for a walk on the Coastal Walkway. I had seen images of the Sun Voyager sculpture before but did not know where to find it. Just as I arrived at the sculpture I was getting some breaks in the cloud layer. I had my super-wide lens on 6-12mm.

I found the composition to be challenging. I couldn’t get the entire sculpture in, so I focused on including more of the sky instead.

I exposed for the sky instead of the sculpture. I was pleased how the sculpture turned out in post processing.

Icelandic Foals

Stuart’ s Tips for Photographing Wildlife

Tip 1

For me, I have to work at being patient and forgiving. If birds are moving a lot or flying it is hard to get a good photo. I have to try not to get frustrated with the results and just keep working at it.

Tip 2

When there are multiple animals close to each other, I really look for interaction between animals. Those are the best shots. This is when you can capture emotion.

When we arrived at the field with the foals in it, there was a group of seven horses, including a stallion. The Icelandic horses are very friendly and came right over to us. I focused on the connection between the two foals.

On Stuart’s Horizon:

Greece

India, Nepal and Bhutan

Scandinavia

Peru

Scotland

London

Workshop Openings:

Join us for Iceland: Puffins and Waterfalls in July 2026…. 1 Space Available More details

Also going back to Iceland in 2028. Join the Interest List

Check out other openings on our Upcoming Workshops Page

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com