Coastal Brown (Grizzly) Bears Mother and Cubs

In Katmai National Park, Alaskan brown bear mothers exhibit extraordinary vigilance, especially when raising twin cubs. Facing threats from larger males and the park's challenging environment, these mothers are perpetually on guard, their focus unwavering whether fishing or navigating dense vegetation. Remarkably, the cubs themselves mirror this vigilance, often standing on their hind legs to scan for danger. The powerful bond between mother and cubs is evident in these displays of maternal protectiveness, highlighting the harsh realities of survival and the lengths to which a mother bear will go to ensure her offspring's safety within the park's wild expanse.

Coastal Brown (Grizzly) Bears Mother & Cubs (Ursus arctos) Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska. From my Ultimate Alaska Bear Boat Trip. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 1.4X Teleconverter @560mm ISO 320, f/4 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full Frame. Join me in Alaska for the Ultimate Brown Bears Galore Workshop Adventure. LEARN MORE HERE.

Katmai's Coastal Giants: An Unforgettable Bear Photography Expedition

Capture the Majesty of Alaska's Brown Bears with Christopher Dodds

Imagine yourself immersed in the breathtaking wilderness of Katmai National Park, Alaska, the world's premier destination for photographing Coastal Brown Bears. Join world-renowned Canadian nature photographer, Sony ambassador, and X-rite Master Coloratti, Christopher Dodds, on an exclusive 8-day expedition designed to capture the raw beauty and untamed spirit of these magnificent creatures.

Why Katmai?

• World's Highest Concentration: Witness and photograph an unparalleled density of Coastal Brown Bears in their natural habitat.

• Unrivalled Beauty: Experience the stunning landscapes of Katmai National Park, a photographer's dream with dramatic mountains, glaciers, and pristine coastlines.

• Intimate Encounters: With a maximum of only seven participants, enjoy personalized instruction from Chris and maximize your time behind the lens, free from the distractions of large groups.

• Diverse Wildlife: Beyond bears, capture stunning images of bald eagles, sea otters, seals, and other incredible Alaskan wildlife.

Your All-Inclusive Adventure:

• Seamless Travel: Begin your journey with a breathtaking floatplane flight from Kodiak, Alaska, over the majestic landscapes of Kenai Fjords and Katmai National Park.

• Expert Guidance: Benefit from Christopher Dodds' extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of bear behavior and photography.

• Prime Photography Opportunities: Spend your days immersed in the field, capturing unforgettable moments of bears in their natural environment.

• Comfort and Convenience: Enjoy comfortable shared accommodations, delicious meals, and expert guiding aboard our privately chartered vessel.

• Tailored Instruction: Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, Chris will provide personalized guidance to help you elevate your photography.

Choose Your Experience:

• June (8 Days/7 Nights): Mothers & Cubs Focus: Witness the heartwarming interactions of mother bears and their cubs, capturing tender moments of play, nursing, and exploration.

• September (8 Days/7 Nights): Bears Fishing Focus: Capture the power and grace of bears as they fish for salmon, bathed in the golden light of the Alaskan autumn.

Who Should Join?

This expedition is perfect for photographers of all skill levels who are passionate about wildlife and adventure. A moderate level of physical fitness is required, as participants should be comfortable walking over uneven terrain and wading through shallow streams.

What's Included:

• Roundtrip floatplane flight from Kodiak, AK, to Katmai National Park.

• 8 days of expert photographic instruction with Christopher Dodds.

• 8 days of expert bear guiding.

• All meals and snacks.

• Shared accommodations on a Coast Guard certified vessel.

• Experienced captain and crew.

What's Not Included:

• Transportation to Kodiak, AK (ADK).

• Hotel accommodations before or after the expedition.

• Personal items and souvenirs.

• Suggested crew tips (US$500.00).

Your Journey Begins in Kodiak:

Our adventure starts in Kodiak, Alaska. Upon booking, you'll receive a detailed itinerary, hotel recommendations, gear suggestions, and a comprehensive clothing checklist.

Limited to Seven Participants:

Ensure an intimate and personalized experience with a small group of fellow photographers.

Ready to Capture the Wild?

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to photograph the magnificent Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai National Park with Christopher Dodds. Secure your spot today and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Coastal Brown Bear Fishing Workshop Update

Ultimate Brown Bears of Alaska Adventure Last Minute Openings:

A Coastal Brown Bear Sow (female) slams salmon during my Ultimate Brown Bear Fishing Adventure in Katmai, Alaska. I love the out-of-focus cub in the background, as it tells the story of who mom is fishing for :)

I still have a couple of spots open for the Ultimate Brown Bears of Katmai Fishing Bear adventure from September 17-24. Join me for the ultimate 8-day/7-night adventure along the Katmai Coast with loads of close-up fishing bears!

Coastal Brown (Grizzly) Bear Sow Fishing for Jr. (Ursus arctos, ours brun) from my recent Ultimate Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai adventure workshop in Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony 2X Tele extender @1,200mm. ISO 3,200, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full-frame image.

Coastal Brown Grizzly Bear Mother and Yearling Cub in heavy fog

We had some fantastic moments with this mother and her yearling in Halo Bay along the Katmai Coast during my Ultimate Brown Bear Adventure. The fog was incredibly dense, but it gradually lifted, offering different views and special images.

In Katmai National Park, brown bear cubs stay with their mothers for 2.5 years. During a cub’s first year of life, they are considered cubs-of-the-year (COYs) or spring cubs. In their second year, they are generally called yearlings and will den with their mother for at least one more winter.

Coastal Brown Grizzly Bear mother and yearling cub in heavy fog (Coastal brown bear, Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos, ours brun) from my June Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai workshop in Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony 200-600mm Lens (@600mm) ISO 8,000, f/6.3 @ 1/2,500s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Coastal Brown Bear mother and cubs

Here is a Coastal Brown Bear mother and her twin cubs from my 2018 Ultimate Brown Bear Workshop in Katmai, Alaska. Katmai National Park is home to some of the most beautiful brown bears! These are exactly the same species as Grizzly Bears which live inland and way from the rich, plentiful and diverse food available on the coast.

Harp Seal mother and pup HOWL

Dr. Jack Terhune studied seal communication at the University of New Brunswick and has measured the amplitude of seal calls. His research has shown that harp seals, often living in groups of up to 150, can alter the pitch of their calls so that each seal can be heard. Off the coast of Newfoundland, there are between 5.5 and 6.5 million harp seals in regular migration up and down the eastern seaboard. One seal’s call could be heard by 10,000 other seals at a range of two to four kilometers away, so the changes of pitch and frequency are important to avoid overlap.

Coastal Brown Bear Mother with cub

At the end of a very long day hiking around Katmai National Park (Alaska) in the rain knee-deep in mud this mother and cub seemed to look as wet and muddy as I felt - smile. As always in Katmai, we respect the bears from a distance, but they usually tend to gravitate to my group as a trusted shield from the roaming adult males (called boars) and move closer to us. I can see from the timestamps on the images that we spent 44 minutes waiting for both of them to look our way at the same time; we were lucky to have the added bonus of the cub touching mom :)

Since the sky is much brighter than the bears, it was extremely bright and washed-out in the image, so I replaced the background sky to make the scene resemble more closely what my eyes saw.

Sea Otter Mother Nursing Pup

Sea Otters are trending here, so I’ll continue with this image of a mother nursing her pup. The hardest part of making this image in the Homer harbor (Alaska) was getting an image without a reflection of the many colorful boats. I started lying on the dock, but didn’t like the split horizon that the ice floating in the background caused. I slowly stood-up and was lucky they drifted closer to me while both looking at me - smile!

Stay safe!

Sea Otter Mother and Pup KISS

Here’s a special moment between a mother Sea Otter and her Pup. What appears to be a kiss, is really the baby trying to take food from it’s mother’s mouth ;) If you missed it, and are looking for something to do, here is a link to my recent Vistek Live Stream that was sponsored by Sony of Canada. We had our share of technical difficulties, but that often happens live.

In this episode we discuss what it takes to get world class wildlife images and how any nature enthusiast can immediately start taking better photos of their...

Sea Otter Mother eating a crab

This is the mother of the baby Sea Otter (from my last post HERE in case you missed it) eating a crab while the snow was gently falling. We usually get Sea Otters (mothers and babies) in Homer Harbor each year during my Eagles Galore Photography Workshops, this year was unusual; all of the Sea Otters in Katchemak Bay seemed to seek the protection from the unusually cold weather in the protected harbor.

ioSafe Solo Hawk Bearproof SSD mini-review

Coastal Brown Bear Sow and Spring Cub clamming (Ursus arctos) Geographic Harbor, Katmai National Park, Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 G Master OSS Lens  with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @800mm ISO 640, f/5.6 @ 1/1,000s. Manual exposure. Full frame image.

ioSafe Solo Hawk bearproof SSD mini-review

I am constantly on the go and do take the utmost care of my cameras, laptop, and other electronics while travelling, but that doesn't guarantee that my valuable images are safe from disaster. My friends over at ioSafe sent over an (almost) indestructible and waterproof external ioSafe Solo Hawk SSD drive, and I thought I would share a mini-review of it for you. I'm calling this one bearproof!

Accidents happen all the time; The ioSafe Solo Hawk is as comfortable in the desert being pelted with blowing sand, as it is on the bed of a truck in heavy freezing rain. . . . . in my case (literally), it will likely stay safe, warm and dry in my laptop case, but it will handle any hell thrown its way in an accidental emergency; If I forget to zip my laptop case closed, accidentally drop it on the floor or in the toilet (or in the ocean while boarding a boat), spill coffee, or accidentally back my truck over it my images will be safe! It is my insurance policy for my images.

The ioSafe Solo Hawk is an external solid-state storage drive that can withstand total submersion in freshwater or saltwater for 72 hours (diesel fuel, oils, hydraulic fluids, aircraft fuels, 12′ depth for 1 hour). It can be dropped from ten feet, works at up to 30,000 feet and is crush-resistant up to 2,500 pounds.

The Solo Hawk SSD, available in 500GB or 1TB capacities, combines this military-class toughness with 550 MBps data transfer rates, the fastest read/write speeds available in the industry today via the waterproof USB C (USB 3 Gen 2) port. My 1TB version tested a write speed of 494.4 MB/s and a read speed of 519.6 MB/s using Black magic designs Disk Speed Test utility. These are the fastest results I have achieved with an external SSD.

MIL-STD-810G Specs:

Crush Protection Technology: Crush resistant up to 2500 lbs.

Full Suspension Drive™ Technology: Full suspension in all six axes of motion. Optimized for data loss protection from drop and shock of 10′ per MIL-STD-810G Method 516.5.

HydroSafe™ Technology: Waterproof yet heat-conducting barrier to protect against data loss in up to 10′ for 3 days in freshwater or saltwater per IP68. Protects data even when USB plug is in. No requirement for a connector cap to retain data protection.

ChemSafe™ Technology: Full immersion in diesel fuel, oils, hydraulic fluids, aircraft fuels, 12′ depth for 1 hour with no data loss per MIL-STD-810G Method 504

EnviroSafe™ Technology: Continuous exposure to UV, blowing sand, blowing dust, rain, salt fog, icing or freezing rain, 24 hours with no data loss per MIL-STD-810G Methods 505.4, 506.4, 509.4 and 510.

AltiSafe™ Technology: High altitude operation. 15K ft. (Alum.) and 30K ft. (SSD and Ti.) rated altitudes per MIL-STD-810G Method 500.4

Theft Resistant Kensington® Lock compatible slot solid metal construction — theft protection

Caption me contest

Coastal Brown Bear Mother and Spring Cubs (Ursus arctos) Kukak Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE100-400 F4.5-5.6 G Master OSS with 2X Tele-extender @ 380mm. Full frame image. ISO 3,200, f/13 @ 1/640s Manual exposure mode.

Here's a fun image from my recent Katmai Bear Boat Workshop. Leave a comment with a caption or title and my favorite will win a free signed print of this image including postage to anywhere in the world.