Tom and Cree just returned from their Kenai Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. Our group was excited to watch a Humpback Whale breach twelve times in a row right in front of us. We also enjoyed getting so close to Sea Otters in Homer on the docks.
What’s Next: We are headed to Iceland next to photograph puffin and beautiful waterfalls. In August we will be leading two different bear workshops and fishing for halibut in between.
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.
Tom and Cree just returned from theirBears of Lake Clark Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. Our group was excited about the mother bear with cubs in the area. We followed Long Nose through the meadows and tidal flats hoping to catch her cubs at play.
What’s Next: We will be leading a new workshop in Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula next week. Our photographers are hoping for close up photos of sea otters and a chance to photograph breaching whales. We are headed to Iceland at the end of July to photograph puffin and some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world.
Interested in Bear Photography? We have a few openings:
Tom and Cree just returned from theirTexas BIrds Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. We maximized our time to work on birds in flight this year with two raptor sessions and a new flight perch set-up. Northern Bobwhites were very common this year and everyone was able to photograph Painted Buntings and Greater Roadrunners.
What’s Next: Tom and Cree will be leading workshops in Alaska for most of the summer: three bear workshops and a jump across the pond for puffins in Iceland. We have 2 spaces on our workshop on the Kenai Peninsula. We are hoping to head up the Dalton Highway in early June on our own to look for Musk Ox and Eiders.
Interested in Bird Photography? We have a few openings:
Tom and Cree just returned from theirCosta Rica Photo Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. We had terrific mammal sightings this year. We photographed two species of sloths, two species of Dolpins, a mother Northern Tamadua Anteater with a baby and 4 species of monkeys. This is a great location for animal lovers.
What’s Next: Tom and Cree are headed to Louisiana and then South Texas next. We have one space available on our Texas Birds in Spring Workshop if you would like to join us on May 11-16, 2026. Great way to improve your bird photography skills.
FREE EVENT: Join us for our free online Spring Image Celebration: May 19 at 6 pm Denver time. Send in three of your best images from this spring and see what everyone else has been photographing. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.
Tom and Cree just returned from Arctic Alaska on their Arctic Lights Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. We were delighted to have aurora for three nights of the workshop. In addition to the Northern Lights, our group photographed the Enchanted Forest, landscapes in the Brooks Range, reindeer, dog mushing and ice sculptures.
To see photos of the Arctic Lights Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Tom and Cree will be at home in Alaska looking for aurora and photographing the Last Great Race for our Iditarod Workshop at the beginning of March.
FREE EVENT: Join us for our free online presentation on Aurora Photography: March 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Tom and Cree will share our favorite tips for shooting and editing aurora images with the TBPW community. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.
Openings on a photo expedition on the opposite side of the world. We have a special Antarctica Workshop that will travel below the Antarctica Circle, a place so remote that few boats go there. When: December 2027.
Want to visit Alaska in the summer when all the animals are out and the flowers are blooming? Alaska Kenai Explorer. Whales, Sea Otters, wildflowers, calving glaciers and beautiful mountain scenery. July 7-12, 2026
Tom and Cree just returned from Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands and are sharing the highlights with you. We were delighted to have calm seas and weather for this workshop. Our group photographed penguins, whales, seals and icy landscapes over a period of 17 days at sea. We will be returning to Antarctica again in 2028 (more below)!
To see photos of the Antarctica and South Georgia Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Tom and I will be at home in Alaska looking for aurora and winter wildlife for the next 5 weeks. We will be heading out for our Arctic Lights Workshop and the Iditarod Workshop at the end of February.
FREE EVENT: Join us for our free Winter Image Celebration: February 18 at 6 pm Denver time. Submit 3 of your best photographs from this winter to share with the TBPW community. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.
Tom and Cree just returned from Botswana and are sharing the highlights with you. We were very excited to have had terrific opportunities to photograph hippos on the Chobe and lions at the Okavango Delta. The early rains this year gave us the chance to photograph animals splashing and leaping though water for the first time in Botswana.
To see photos of the Botswana Photo Workshop, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Tom and I have been out photographing aurora in Arctic Alaska for the last week. This week we are photographing a few local events in Alaska and then hope to make it to the Kenai Penninsula before Christmas. On Christmas Day we fly to the tip of South America to start our 21 day Antarctica & South Georgia Photo Tour
FREE EVENT: Join us for our free Bol Holiday Gift Guide: October 10 at 6 pm Denver time. For this annual event we share our top gift ideas for photographers. Everyone is invited! Send us a note here for the invite, or leave a comment below requesting the link.
Tom and Cree just returned from their Bears of Lake Clark Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. Nine photographers joined us in Lake Clark National Park in Alaska to photograph Brown Bears in their natural habitat. Highlights of the workshop were photographing bears courting in the meadows and clamming on the tidal flats
To see photos from our Bears of Lake ClarkWorkshop, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Cree and Tom are traveling with a workshop group to Redwoods National Park in California to photograph their favorite forest in the world. They just returned from the “Top of the World” Utqiavik (or Barrow) where they photographed eiders and other arctic birds in the midnight sun.
Our new workshop Alaska Kenai Explorer has space available: July 7-12, 2026 Calving glaciers, whales, snow capped mountains, eagles and more. Read details
Our Iditarod Workshop for 2026 is starting to fill up. Photograph Northern Lights and the Last Great Race during the best month for winter photography in Alaska. Read more
Tom and Cree just returned from their Tetons Photo Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. Nine photographers joined us in Grand Teton National Park to photograph rugged, snow capped peaks and surrounding fields of flowers. Highlights of the workshop were photographing a mother moose and her calf and going to the Jackson Rodeo.
To see photos from our Tetons PhotoWorkshop, check out the trip report by clicking here
What’s Next: Cree and Tom are traveling to Lake Clark National Park to photograph lBrown Bears in Alaska. This continues to be one of our most popular workshops. We hope to find spring cubs this year and watch a rematch of ping pong between Tom and David the lodge owner!
Our new workshop Alaska Kenai Explorer has space available! July 7-12, 2026 Calving glaciers, whales, snow capped mountains, eagles and more. Read details
Our Iditarod Workshop for 2026 is starting to fill up. Photograph Northern Lights and the Last Great Race during the best month for winter photography in Alaska. Read more
