Photo tour to shoot Polar Bears in Churchill, Manitoba

November 9th to November 14th, 2012
5 nights/6 days | Limited to 13 participants

$5,367 USD per person sharing | $5,944 USD per single person
See discounts for repeat clients, early enrollment, and 2 trips in 12 months etcetera

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This photography tour is FULL.
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Updated Wednesday the 22nd of February, 2012

Gateway airport: Winnipeg, Manitoba [YWG]

Arrival window: By 5 pm on day 1

Search Kayak or your preferred airline for a fare

For the cost, enrollment link other details go here

Also see the photography tour calendar for trips that precede or follow this one

PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR OVERVIEW: Churchill, Manitoba is considered to be the Polar Bear capital of the world, so why not join our photography tour and see for yourself. Two of our three and a half days in Churchill will be spent out on the tundra in Arctic Crawlers [tundra vehicle] in 'pursuit' of great images of the bears. Other wildlife in the immediate vicinity include the Red and Arctic Fox, the Arctic Hare and various wildfowl. We'll also set up tripods after dark to catch the Aurora Borealis [northern lights] as they may grace us with their appearance during your stay. You'll also have the opportunity to go dog sledding [or dog carting based on the amount of snow coverage], pictures of which I'll arrange for the best effects. Lastly, there's an optional helicopter ride that will take us to additional remote areas where Polar Bears forage in differing habitats than those we are able to access during our days on the Arctic Crawler.

Photo tour of Churchill, Manitoba to shoot Polar Bears
Polar Bear and cub on the tundra near Churchill

INCREASING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS: There isn’t a straightforward way to describe everything you will learn on one of our photography tours in just a few words, but I'll give it a try . . . I instruct, encourage, nurture, coach, nudge, help and guide clients etcetera, all day and every day. This includes one-on-ones and 'collective instruction', i.e. advice given to the whole group at each photo stop. Subjects and techniques discussed and demonstrated are composition strength, shutter speeds, exposure compensation, how aperture choice influences depth of field, lens choice, filter use, long exposure effects, deliberate blur, macro and so on. I also encourage you to 'see' an image when the opportunity presents itself, i.e. to be on the lookout for those less obvious shots that are no less stunning. Lastly, I conduct image critiques both on location - digital camera screens are ideal for this - and via the use of laptops. PhotoShop sessions are also included as time permits. For more details regarding what you'll learn go here.

TRAVEL TO THE GATEWAY AIRPORT
o It is recommended that clients arrive a day early to be fresh for the trip, and to also counteract possible flight delays.
o Early arrival also enables you to explore the gateway city should you wish to do so.
o When booking flights, add a day for overnight travel or two days if also crossing the Pacific Ocean/International Dateline.
o The last day of the trip is the date you should arrange your flight home unless you plan to stay on. Thank you!

The POLAR BEARS of CHURCHILL, MANITOBA, CANADA

DAY 1: Arrive Winnipeg by early evening. Dinner as a group is planned during which we will discuss the trip ahead of us, how we'll approach it photographically, plus a digital presentation by John.
WINNIPEG, 1 night

DAY 2: After breakfast we'll take a morning flight to Churchill. After hotel check-in and lunch we'll have a few options including dog sledding or helicopter ride. We'll spend three nights in Churchill which is a great spot to photograph the northern lights, i.e. the Aurora Borealis, and we'll have the choice of three nights on which to set up tripods and capture some stunning night skies. Several PhotoShop and critiquing sessions will be scheduled during our stay.
CHURCHILL, Lazy Bear Lodge, 3 nights

DAY 3: We'll shoot the first light on Hudson Bay, return for breakfast, then take a full day tundra tour. The prime objective will be Polar Bears, and our Arctic Crawler driver will maneuver us for the best possible shots of the bears throughout the day. Optional dog sledding in the evening.

DAY 4: Today will be split between a guided Cultural and Heritage Tour, and a van excursion guided by John. We'll explore nearby inlets for birds, bears and hopefully a foraging Red or Arctic Fox. The Arctic Hare is often seen in and around Churchill. An optional helicopter ride is also scheduled which will include the pursuit of Polar Bears in various habitats.

DAY 5: We'll pretty much duplicate day 2 inasmuch as we'll take another full day tundra tour followed by our evening flights back to Winnipeg.
WINNIPEG, 1 night

DAY 6: Flights home today. There will be a Winnipeg option for those that choose to stay on for an additional day.

Please note that the scheduled excursions above may be shuffled to take the best advantage of light and weather.

Photographer/Leader John Baker

The preceding itinerary is copyrighted by John T. Baker Photographer LLC, and Travel Images.com,
and authorization is NOT granted to business entities for professional use of said material.

Image provided by courtesy of Lazy Bear Lodge

PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR FEES, DETAILS + ENROLLMENT

TRIP COST: $5,367 USD per person, double occupancy

TRIP COST: $5,944 USD per person, single occupancy

The rate is completely all-inclusive except for two dinners.
A $1,500 USD deposit is required to hold a place on this trip.
As we are using a local supplier, room sharing discounts do not apply. All other discounts however still apply.
Our local Vendor has specific terms conditions in addition to our own, here.

INCLUDED IN THE TRIP COST: The following items are included in the trip cost: photography instruction throughout the trip by John; round trip airfare Winnipeg-Churchill-Winnipeg; services of the tundra vehicle driver and local guide; all accommodations with private facilities [ensuite], which includes 3 nights at Lazy Bear Lodge and 2 nights in Winnipeg; 2 full-day tundra vehicle tours; 15 passenger van excursions guided by John; Cultural and Heritage Tour; all breakfasts; all lunches; three dinners; on-vehicle snacks and bottled water; all ground transportation; Winnipeg and Churchill airport transfers; and following the trip, field notes describing the time, place and subject of each photo stop, and a disc containing images of clients 'in action' on the trip.

NOT INCLUDED IN THE TRIP COST: The costs for these items are the responsibility of each participant: airfare from your home airport to Winnipeg, Manitoba; travel costs between your home and the gateway airport and return; any transportation or travel costs incurred prior to or after the tour’s inclusive dates; pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodation; two dinners; alcoholic beverages; entrance fees or costs related to optional sites or activities not included in the itinerary or a part of the trip, dog sledding and helicopter rides; excess baggage charges; medical costs; personal items; incidental charges incurred at our accommodations such as internet access, phone calls or laundry; baggage and/or travel insurance; passport or visa expenses; and airport departure taxes.

OPTIONAL, AND NOT INCLUDED
Helicopter ride: Estimated at up to $515 CAD per person for a 60 minute excursion.
Dog sledding: Estimated at up to $100 CAD per person to traverse a one mile trail.
These and any additional rides, admissions or excursions are optional and not included.

Refer to Terms and Conditions for complete details.

IMPORTANT: As we are having a local supplier handle much of this trip, clients are asked to agree to the terms and and conditions of said supplier via an online link here.

ENROLLMENT