Tom and Cree just returned from the Utah Desert for their Arches and Canyonlands Photo Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They joined a group of 10 photographers to photograph landscapes with stunning red rock formations. The variable weather, night sky shoot and morning light at Mesa Arch were all favorites of the tour.
To see photos from our Arches and Canyonlands Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s Next:
Cree and Tom are taking a few weeks off to photograph eagles in Haines, Alaska. They will be driving over and looking for moose and northern lights along the way. Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for updates. We will do our best to answer your emails as soon as possible.
Any upcoming openings?
Two spaces just became available for our popular Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop – March 22-29, 2025. Photograph sloths, Scarlet Macaws and four types of monkeys. Read More
Tom and Cree just finished their Monument Valley Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They joined 10 photographers on a 4 day exploration of Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation. The variety of photography and inspiring vistas were highlights for everyone.
To see photos from our Monument Valley Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s new:
We will be heading to Africa for the great migration next. Our tent camp is located right on the Mara River where all of the action is. After leaving Kenya, Cree is headed to Scotland to hike the highlands with family. Tom is headed back to Alaska to capture fall aurora in his favorite places.
We will be in remote places for the next few weeks and it may be a bit harder to contact us. We will do our best to respond as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience!
Any upcoming openings?
Route 66 Albuquerque to Winslow: Oct 23-27, 2024 Read more Photograph iconic locations like the WigWam Motel, Route 66 Diner, and Petrified Forest National Park. Learn more about using a speed light to add color and creativity to your images.
We are starting to fill our 2026 Workshops. If something is full and you want to join the waitlist, just send us a message from our Contact Page
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For August we chose an image taken on our Katmai Bears Workshop. The image was taken by William Janssen while photographing brown bears in a remote part of Katmai National Park in Alaska. William is a wildlife photographer from Canada and has a strong fondness for bears.
Congratulations to July 2024 ‘s featured photographer – William Janssen
Photographer William Janssen
The Story…
We were all watching the mother with her cubs fishing. She lifted up her head and noticed something in the water. I knew she saw something. I anticipated that she was going to go after a fish. I was on Nikon 3D auto focus mode and decided to stay with that.
Photo of the Month – August 2024
As she brought up her left paw I made the decision to follow her with animal detect mode turned on. She went into a full trot right towards us in the stream. I took 30 images of her going after the salmon. She ended up catching it and I also got a few frames with the sockeye in her mouth ( image below).
Brown Bear with Sockeye Salmon
We all had slightly different angles. Annette caught the bear in full pounce. We were all shooting at 20 frames a second but have different final results.
I chose this image from the series because the tail fin of the sockeye really shows up. I also liked the splashing in the water and the catch light in her eye. I found that in the images where she is diving into the water the amount of splash dominated the scene. In this image there was just enough splash and the fish stands out.
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: Nikon Z series 100-400 mm with 1.4 teleconverter
Aperture: f8
Shutter: 1/4000 second
ISO: 1250
Mode: Manual with Auto ISO
In the image below I really wanted to capture a bear from a lower angle. I had the camera’s collar turned around and the live view screen puled out and turned on. I could look down at the screen and hold the lens about six inches from water level. I was sitting in the water right next to the dead salmon. I was shooting with the auto focus mode in animal detection mode. Fortunately the image was really level. You can see the blood on its mouth, where it had just finished eating a fish.
About Photographing in Katmai National Park
This was exhilarating to be so close to the bears. We were very deliberate about our approach. We observed them and saw which way they were traveling and then the guide decided where we would position and sit down. This method helped us be around the bears without impacting their behaviour.
Brooks Camp felt awfully commercial with boardwalks and viewing platforms. It seemed more like a tourist attraction. When we were in remote Katmai National Park all of that was gone. You land on a lake and walk a few kilometers to a bluff.
On the way we saw ptarmigan and bears lying on the tundra. As Tom says, “Katmai is the land of the happy bears”. They do not see the people as a threat because of the way that the groups approach them. I would not be on the trip if I didn’t feel it was safe.
This was a very bear oriented trip. Some of my other bear photography trips involved many other species like marine mammals, Bald Eagles, sealions, harbor seals. We focused just on brown bears.
It far exceeded any expectations I had.
William’s Tips for Bear Photography
Tip 1
I am used to being in close proximity to animals. Trust your workshop leaders. Try to pick up as many tips as possible and try new techniques. On this workshop, I switched to manual mode from always shooting in aperture priorty. I practiced at home with red fox kits. Using manual mode gave me better control of the ISO
Tip 2
Use your exposure compensation button even when shooting in manual with auto ISO. I started using it more on the second day of the workshop and it helps with correct water exposure and backlighting.
Tip 3
Try to stay calm. I get excited every time. Maintain focus. Check your settings and review images even if you are excited.
Tip 4
I ended up with over 15 thousand images because I shot at a frame rate of 20 frames per second for the whole trip. Don’t be afraid to fill your cards.
On William’s Horizon:
Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in Canada
Gray Wolves on Vancouver Island
Alaska Black Bears
Great Bear Rainforest Komode Bear
Katmai Brown Bears – Rafting
William at Lake Iliamna, Alaska
Want to join us in Katmai National Park for Bear Photography in 2026? We will be rafting to where the bears are. August 28-Sept 2, 2026 Read more
Ready to join us before then? We have space on one of our most popular stretches of Route 66. Use speed lights to illuminate classic cars, sleep in a WigWam and join us “standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.”
Route 66: Albuquerque to Winslow, Arizona from Oct 23-27, 2024 Learn more
Tom and Cree just finished their Katmai Bears Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They joined 9 photographers on daily flights in small planes to locations all over Katmai National Park in Alaska. Photographing multiple sets of triplet cubs was a highlight for everyone.
To see photos from our Katmai Bears Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s new:
Interested in seeing images from our workshops this Summer? Join us for a free online Summer Image Celebration on Sunday, August 25 at 6 pm MDT Denver time. We will be showing images from photographers on our workshops to Lake Clark NP, Badlands NP, Katmai NP, Nome and the Pantanal. Click here and request a link if interested in viewing or participating.
Any upcoming openings?
Route 66 Albuquerque to Winslow: Oct 23-27, 2024 Read more Photograph iconic locations like the WigWam Motel, Route 66 Diner, and Petrified Forest National Park. Learn more about using a speed light to add color and creativity to your images.
Arches and Canyonlands: Nov 3-7, 2024 Read more An all time classic. Photograph brilliant red rock arches on crystalline blue skies.
Bosque and White Sands National Park: Dec 8-12, 2024 Read more Perfect workshop for photographers who want to improve their birds in flight photography. Photograph the dazzling white gypsum dunes at White Sands National Park.
Tom and Cree just finished their Brown Bears of Lake Clark Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. Their group of 10 photographers flew down the remote Alaskan coastline to Lake Clark National Park. Numerous opportunities to photograph bears on the beach digging for clams were a highlight for everyone.
To see photos from our Brown Bears of Lake Clark, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s new:
Our address is new! Please add our new address to your contact list for future mail:
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For July we chose an image taken on our Pantanal Workshop for Strabo Tours. The image was taken by Melissa Stanton while photographing jaguars in the wetlands of Brazil. Melissa is a travel and wildlife photographer and has a strong fondness for felines.
Congratulations to July 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Melissa Stanton
Photographer Melissa Stanton
The Story…
We came around the corner and the jaguar was walking down a log. Tom was yelling and dancing around. He is always so excited about cats. I figured I better get ready to take a photo.
It looked like the cat was thinking about jumping into the water. I turned up the shutter speed a bit so I could get it in focus, Then the cat jumped.
It was fun to watch him swim. Cats do not normally like water. To see cats swimming was really kind of cool. Everyone was so impressed with watching the jaguar jump. The jaguar was pretty close to us when it happened. It was definitely cool to see.
I didn’t know that I had such a good picture until I got home and looked at in on the bigger screen.
Photo of the Month – July 2024
EXIF Data:
Camera: Nikon Z9
Lens: Nikon Z series 600 mm PF
Aperture: f6.3
Shutter: 1/5000 second
ISO: 1600
Mode: Manual with Auto ISO
About Photographing in the Pantanal
It was great. It was relaxing to be in the boats, riding around on little rivers. Everywhere you looked there were capybaras or caimans or something else.
The drivers were very good at getting us close to the wildlife. We were close but we did not disrupt them.
We were ridiculously close to some of the birds and they did not seem to care. They knew they could just fly away. They also knew that we were not going to bother them so they just went about their business.
The birds were easy to capture. Many of them were perched right near the river. There was a lot of variety between the huge storks and the tiny kingfishers.
I was going through my photos and landed on the Road-side Hawk. I thought he looked so cute. He’s on one foot and is looking right at the camera. This created a connection which I really liked.
Roadside Hawk
The Capybaras looked so chill. They sit around on the banks. Lucas, our guide, said they are stressed because of the jaguars but to us they seemed like the Chill Dudes of the river. The caiman would lie right next to them without a worry. They just look like fun animals.
It was a great trip, fun leaders and companions. I was glad I was able to do it!
Melissa’s Tips for Wildlife Photography
Tip 1
Try to be aware of everything. There were so many birds and animals that I needed to watch my shutter speed. I didn’t want to miss the shutter speed and end up with soft photos.
Tip 2
Shoot in manual with auto ISO. The light conditions changed all the time and using these settings made it easier for me to get it right.
Tip 3
The Nikon 600mm pf lens was amazing. It was very sharp and very light. For 70% of the shots on this trip it was the perfect focal length. A few times I was a little too tight and ended up focusing on just a part. of the animal
On Melissa’s Horizon:
Route 66
Greenland
Moving to Spain in 2025
Antarctica
Melissa photographing hummingbirds in Ecuador
Join us on a workshop this fall! Spaces Open in 2024:
Route 66: Albuquerque to Winslow, Arizona from Oct 23-27, 2024 Learn more
Route 66: Oklahoma City to Amarillo from Oct 18-22, 2024 Learn more
Bosque and White Sands National Park Workshop from Dec 8-12, 2024 Learn more
Tom and Cree just finished their Nome Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with a small group of 5 to remote Nome, Alaska to photograph arctic birds and primitive muskox. Several of the photographers in the group commented on how special it was to photograph animals in the wild that they had never seen before.
To see photos from our Nome Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s new:
Tom and Cree have settled into their new home in Palmer, Alaska and have their offices up and running. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about workshops.
Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For May we chose an image taken on our Badlands Workshop. The image was taken by Jim Seward while photographing bison in Badlands National Park. Jim is a travel and landscape photographer from the Chicago area.
Congratulations to May 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Jim Seward
Photographer Jim Seward
The Story…
I do not have a lot of experience shooting wildlife. First I got some of the iconic shoots of bison but I wanted to get something different as well.
We were on the long road with a fence line. I didn’t like the fence line in the background. On the left side of the road there were a pair of bison standing up but they were not doing much. I saw a little head pop up in the yellow flowers. He was lying down with just his head up. I got down low and shot at eye level.
It was all the things I have learned from taking pictures over the years. I wanted my mid ground to be sharp with interesting bokeh in both the foreground and background. I shot through the flowers to get the effect.
If somebody puts me in the right spot and I have decent equipment, I can take a decent picture.
Photo of the Month – May 2024
EXIF Data:
Camera: Canon EOS 6D Mark II
Lens: Sigma 150-600 mm with 1.4 extender
Aperture: f6.3
Shutter: 1/400 second
ISO: 500
Mode: Manual
About Photographing in the Badlands
I was completely surprised at how much color variation there was. This was especially in the rocks. The yellows and the reds blew me away. Before the trip I had looked at several sites to see what we would be shooting. None of those images did justice to what we actually shot in the park.
It was like shooting sunsets in Patagonia. The colors are so good right out of the camera that you barely need to do anything in post. I just let the colors speak for themselves.
The timing for the green grass in Spring was important. The green grass, yellow rocks and blue sky were tremendous. It is the right time to go to the Badlands if you like color.
These is also a great variety of wildlife. I got a couple shots of the Burrowing Owls. I had never seen them before in my life. I was amazed by their habitat. Just to see it was terrific.
Goin to the abandoned town was as fun as anything in the park. I have used ND filters before in New Zealand, Utah and in North Dakota. The sky was perfect for Cottonwood. With an ND filter I like spending a little more time. It is a more relaxed pace.
With the silo I kept repeating the process over and over to get the right sky. I wanted the clouds moving over my head. I like it when the clouds are moving into the background.
Abandoned Silo in Cottonwood
Jim’s Tips for Landscape Photography
Tip 1
When you are in the field and you think you might be done, wait another five or ten minutes. You might be surprised with a piece of light that breaks through or a change of color. Things can change just when you think it is time to leave.
Tip 2
Don’t be afraid of unusual light situations. On the last morning we had fog roll in. We thought the fog would obliterate everything. However, as the fog moved through the scene it created some interesting photos.
On Jim’s Horizon:
Namibia
Greenland
Oregon Coast and Redwoods
Harris and Skye in the Hebrides
Jim photographing Big Horn Sheep
Interested in joining us in a national park this year? We have space on our Bosque and White Sands National Park Workshop from Dec 8-12, 2024 Learn more
Tom and Cree just finished their Badlands Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to the prairies of South Dakota to photograph stunning rock formations and wildlife. The highlight of the workshop was photographing in a variety of weather and seeing so many bison, prairie dogs and burrowing owls.
To see photos from our Badlands Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s new:
Tom and Cree are making the final drive to Palmer, Alaska this week. Keep an eye on social media to see what we find along the way. We will be checking email once a day, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about workshops.
Tom and Cree just finished their Texas Birds in Spring Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to the South Texas Plains of the Rio Grand Valley. They spent 4 days photographing songbirds and raptors from bird blinds. The group was delighted to photograph abundant Painted Buntings, several types or warblers and several types of orioles.
To see photos from our Texas Birds in Spring Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here
What’s new:
Tom and Cree sold their house in Colorado and will be moving back to Palmer, Alaska during the first week of June. They are driving all the way up the Alcan over a period of 6 days. Expect us to have more limited communication during that time. Our new address will be:
Tom Bol Photo Workshops
6342 N Mountain Meadow Trail
Palmer, Alaska. 99645
Any upcoming openings?
Yes! Our schedule was full before but due to a few cancellations, we have 4 workshops with space available this year. Check out our Upcoming Openings Page
We also added some new workshops for 2026 including:
Tom and Cree are headed to Badlands National Park in South Dakota for landscape and wildlife photography. They are hoping for stormy skies in order to photograph lightning using the new Pre-Release technology.
