Grizzly bear mother and cub running

We had a fabulous time with this mother and cub during my recently concluded ULTIMATE BROWN BEARS OF KATMAI WORKSHOP. Contrary to most assumptions about how aggressive a mother is when protecting her cubs, the mother bears of the Katmai coast seek us out as protection from the big boars (the male bears). We sat with his mother and cub for hours as they slept on the ground pointed away from us with their noses pointed into the wind and us as protection downwind. The moment she caught the scent of a big male, she ran for cover, and they ran past us, spraying mud as they escaped.

Tree swallow in flight

Here is a Tree swallow in flight from my recently concluded Ultimate Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai workshop in Alaska. Yes, there will be loads of bear images to follow, but I thought that I would start with something different - smile.

Atlantic Puffin in flight with fish on green

Deluxe Atlantic Puffin Workshop Update

Only two rooms are left for my recently added August 10-13, 2023, Deluxe Atlantic Puffins, and so much more workshops. If you want to master birds in flight photography and create a complete portfolio of Atlantic puffin images, this trip is for you. The trip is timed to maximize photographic opportunities of Puffins bringing loads of fish back to their babies.

“I want to thank you again for one of the best photo workshops I have ever attended. The trip to Northern Quebec to photo Puffins was truly an adventure. I was very impressed with the planning you put into ever aspect of the tour. Everything ran smoothly and the opportunity to photograph these amazing birds was an experience I will not soon forget. I also appreciate the time you spent with each of us to make sure we got the best possible result from whatever equipment we were using. Your technique for reducing noise while maximizing detail when shooting at high ISO’s was particularly helpful. No one had ever explained the science behind this and now it makes a lot of sense. This trip was everything I had hoped for and I look forward to joining you again in the future.”

— Chuck Raines Camarillo, California

Deluxe Atlantic Puffin Workshop in dream lighthouse accommodations

It’s not too late! Join me in Quebec, Canada, at the best location on the planet to photograph Atlantic Puffins while enjoying gourmet food and dreamlike accommodations in a newly restored lighthouse.

Loads of Puffins will frantically return to their nests with loads of fish to feed their growing babies.

Deluxe Atlantic Puffin Workshop in Quebec update

Join me in Quebec from August 10-13, 2023 for a dream Atlantic Puffin workshop a la Deluxe version. The adventure is based on a small island and we live in a renovated lighthouse - imagine! The food is gourmet and the photographic opportunities will be endless! Perfectly timed to get the Puffins bringing fish home to their babies.

Deluxe Atlantic Puffin Workshop Update

Learn more and sign-up here

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Learn more and sign-up here 🪶

Join me, Canadian Wildlife Photographer Christopher Dodds, for a  dream Puffin photography workshop/safari. This trip will be limited to 5-8 participants and will surely be the trip of a lifetime for anyone seeking to get close and personal (safely) to Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills. We will be the island's only inhabitants, sleeping within 50 feet of the nesting Puffins and Razorbills! Gourmet meals included! Dawn to dusk Puffin photography.

I have been searching for the ultimate destination for an Atlantic Puffin workshop/safari for a very long time.  The mandate was simple; find a location that is within reach, safe and easy to get to without a dangerous boat landing on slippery rocks and a place where we can get close to these comical little seabirds without hauling our gear up and over, huge distances or having to hang over towering cliffs; a place where anyone can comfortably reach, regardless of age or physical ability; a place with reliable, safe and easy boat landings. I have photographed Atlantic Puffins in Iceland, England, Scotland, Wales, Maine, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Quebec; All of these "known" places have their drawbacks. I can't imagine subjecting my clients to abuse.  Mission accomplished; I have found Puffin Paradise. This is the very best place in the world to photograph Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills fishing, with fish in their bills, in-flight and in golden light.

A dream location: The island is less than 100 meters (yards) by 330 meters (yards), or 1km (.6 miles) in circumference and is like a sloped golf green rising from sea level to only 12 meters (yards) high. This means you have Puffins at eye level, above and below you. There is no balancing of cliffs! There are many backgrounds to choose from sky, cliffs and green vegetation!

July 29 to August 13 is timed perfectly to coincide with the most Puffins bringing fish back to their babies: We have had incredible success on these dates every year.

Includes four days of professional instruction and guidance by Christopher Dodds, boat transportation to and from the island, three nights of single occupancy accommodation, gourmet meals, non-alcoholic beverages, and logistics management. Not included in the price is your transportation to Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada, hotels for any nights before or after your workshop, souvenirs or any other expenses of a personal nature like alcohol.

This is a dream deluxe photography tour: Dreamlike accommodations in a newly restored lighthouse just feet away from nesting Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills on a small island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Quebec, Canada, with gourmet food. We photograph the Puffins only 200 yards (meters) from our dining room and bedrooms.

Northern Gannet in flight with seaweed

A Northern Gannet landing with seaweed during my recent GANNETS GALORE WORKSHOP on Bonaventure Island in Quebec. The heavy fog during our first day became patchy, and I made this image while wandering between the main colony and the tower during a brief window of light fog at the end of the first day.

There are many ways of dealing with fog post-capture, including the dehaze tool, curves and levels adjustments, etc. I usually try to preserve the foggy scene but occasionally process a foggy image so the result negates any sign of the fog.

Common Murre (bridled) calling in flight

The opportunities were endless during the early morning boat cruise below the cliffs of BONAVENTURE ISLAND during my recent GANNETS GALORE and so much more workshop.

I love the white spectacles on this bridled common Murre. The key to success while working at 20,000 ISO is to pay particular attention to two things:

1. Ensure you have exposed the image correctly and pushed the whites all the way to the right of the histogram; correcting a poorly exposed image will always result in much more noise than getting it right in the camera.

2. Try to work full-frame; the more you crop an image, the more you magnify any noise that there may be.

Northern Gannet foggy landing

A Northern Gannet landing in the fog from my recent GANNETS GALORE AND SO MUCH MORE WORKSHOP on Bonaventure Island in Quebec. I always keep an eye open for unique backgrounds and love the foggy background here; I think this was the only bird that swung around and landed away from the gentle breeze.

Northern Gannet flying with seaweed

The early morning boat excursion under the cliffs of BONAVENTURE ISLAND during my Gannets Galore workshop offered so many different and unique opportunities. This Gannet had just collected the seaweed and flew right past us: I love the contrast between the dark water, shadows and subject here.

Northern Gannet landing with seaweed in fog

On the first day (June 5, 2023) of my Gannets Galore and so much more WORKSHOP, after our four hours along the cliffs under the colony in the Zodiac, we loaded our gear onto the specially arranged 4-wheeler for the park staff to transport for us, and we hiked up to the gannet colony. The fog was thick, and the gannets were plentiful. This image was made from the memorial platform that is a tribute to Gilbert, a friend, former long-time park employee and Gannet lover.

Northern Gannet landing with seaweed

A Northern Gannet brings home some seaweed to line its mud-bowl nest during my recently concluded GANNETS GALORE AND SO MUCH MORE Workshop on BONAVENTURE ISLAND.

After spending an incredible four hours on the Zodiac, we loaded our gear on the park’s four-wheeler (a special arrangement only available to my group) and made our way up to the fog-enshrouded Gannettry; it is always an impressive sight. The fog was heavy, but the rain was manageable. This image was made towards the end of the day as the fog let up a little.

Common Murre with baby food

I photographed this Common Murre (bringing fish home to feed its baby) against the out-of-focus cliffs of Bonaventure Island hand-held from a Zodiac Hurricane during my GANNETS GALORE WORKSHOP last June. I love my time on the daily Zodiac excursion photographing the other species that call Bonaventure Island home. The open boat trips are weather permitting, and there is some rain in our forecast, but my fingers are crossed that the current sunshine manifests and we start big on the Zodiac tomorrow morning.

Sea Wolf Howling or Grey Seal Calling

A Grey Seal (AKA Sea Wolf) howled under Bonaventure Island's cliffs in Percé, Quebec, Canada. I am returning to Percé to host my annual Gannets Galore (and so much more) workshop. Super excited to get back to one of my favourite places on Earth! Getting out in the 28-foot Zodiac Hurricane for four hours each morning is an absolute highlight - hearing the seals howl is pure magic to my ears - smile!

Bay-breasted Warbler

During my recent SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP, a Bay-breasted warbler pauses for a split second at eye level during migration at Point Pelee National Park.

Bay-breasted Warblers eat eastern spruce budworm, a native but often destructive insect. The two species are so closely tied that budworm outbreaks (or declines) affect the warbler's population. Bay-breasted Warbler's overall population has dropped about 74 percent since 1966, likely due in part to pesticide use to control the budworm.

Black-throated green warbler

A Black-throated Green Warbler pauses for a portrait during my recent SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP at Point Pelee National Park of Canada.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

A Golden-crowned kinglet took a brief pause from flitting restlessly from branch to branch as it plucked insects and their eggs and larvae from the foliage and crevices in the bark. Males have conspicuous orange crowns, so I expect this is a female with her yellow crown. The Kinglets are so fast and unpredictable that they annoyed everyone during my recent SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP.

Blue-headed Vireo

A Blue-headed Vireo from my recently concluded SONGBIRDS OF PELEE WORKSHOP. While everyone was distracted by the first Willow Ptarmigan ever to visit Point Pelee National Park, I decided that the crowds were too much and it was unlikely that I would get a decent image. This beauty showed up for a portrait - smile!

Marsh wren with nesting material

Here is a tiny Marsh wren with nesting material from my Sony-sponsored Gosselin Photo walk yesterday at Parc-nature du Bois de l’Île-Bizard. After many great discussions about camera settings, exposure and birds, and once the light got harsh, longtime Facebook friend and photo walk attendee Claude Gervais kindly pointed out this little gem to everyone: Merci, Claude!

Northern Harrier

A beautiful male Northern Harrier backlit by the setting sun and colourful clearing clouds was the final treat after a cold afternoon with a dozen short-eared owls during one of my Winter Owl Photography Workshops last winter.

Also known as the marsh hawk or ring-tailed hawk. The male is bluish-gray above with white underparts, a distinctive coloration that earns it the nickname among birders of "Gray Ghost."