Why our ‘Grizzly Bears of Canada Tour’ is such a great location to photograph Grizzly Bears
We are often asked by guests ‘”Isn’t a week photographing grizzly bears in one location a bit monotonous and are bears all that we see’” Well, the short answer to this questions is no!
So let me explain for me Andy, why Canada is at the top of my favourite locations and a great place to photograph grizzly bears in their natural habitat. Sarah and I are both very fortunate to have travelled to some of the world’s top wildlife locations over the last 20-years.
All have their special place in our hearts. All the locations we visit on our photo tours offer different species, landscapes and of course the all-important light that can be presented to us at certain times of the day.
I have always loved the evergreen forests of British Columbia with the huge Douglas firs and sweet scent of the Western red cedars that fill the air. With September being the start of the fall, the lovely autumnal colours of the deciduous trees glow as they turn for winter. The sight that we are greeted as we descend to land of the stunning snow-capped mountains of the Coast Mountain range part of the Cordillera Mountain system.
I first visited the location of our ‘Grizzly Bears of Canada’ photo tour back in 2014. My first impression of this location was that its stunning both for the landscape and for the large number of grizzly bears with their beautiful mixed colour fur coats. Colours ranging from brown, chocolate and blond all making for stunning photography. The following year I took Sarah with me, and she was awestruck by how amazing this location is. One season we counted 40 grizzly bears feeding along the river, a sight we will never forget!
The location attracts many adult bears and cubs to feed on the salmon from the surrounding region. We have visited the location many times since and felt this was one of the best locations in North America to see and photography grizzly bears feeding on the salmon. The beauty of this location is not only the spectacular mountains surrounding the lake and river but that it also it offers exceptional lighting options for photography.
Light that offers both high and low-key photography, rim lit bears and the lovely back light images too. Not forgetting those action and front light images of the bears with the automanual colours of the riverbank reflecting in the water. In addition, this location is also easier to reach then other North American locations, such as Alaska, that also offer bear viewing.
With all this in mind we knew this would be a perfect location for a photography tour and we put in place our Grizzly bears Of Canada Photo Tour.
Our tour starts from Vancouver, and we take an early morning private charted flight for approximately one hour north across the stunning Coast Mountains into a small airstrip in the Chilcotin region of BC. We then travel by road and gravel tracks through stunning landscape of Aspen forests and plateau terrain with beautiful sights of the Coast Mountain all the way. As we descend down the gravel track towards the river and to the location of our Grizzly Bears of Canada photo tour wilderness lodge. We are greeted with the river system where we will be photographing the bears as they feed on the salmon and beautiful mountains surrounding the valley.
Pulling into our wilderness lodge we are greeted with lovely rancher style log cabins and a beautiful lodge with a roaring fire to warm us from the autumn nip that’s in the air.
All the staff and guides that take care of us over our week are amazing at catering to our dietary requirements and of course our photographic needs. The food the lodge prepares for us is home style and is amazing so be prepared to gain a few pounds on this tour!
The photography during this tour is from ‘skiff style’ boats with outboard motors and the added advantage of electric out boards if needed for that extra need for vibration free photography. The guides also have the option to row when we are in areas along the river with larger pools and when bears are feeding. We have 3 guests/guide to each boat and rotate seating through the photo tour. The beauty of being on the boats is that we are eye level with the grizzly bears as they feed giving you that great connection with your subject.
We time the tour perfectly for the sockeye salmon run and the autumnal colours reflecting in the water giving those lovely golden colours surrounding the bears as they feed. As I said earlier, one of the great advantages of our location is the mountain and hill terrain along the river.
This lends well to the light with the sun lighting parts of the river at different times of the day. What this offers is the light will be falling on the bears as they feed in the river and the bank behind the bears will be in the shade. This is perfect for low-key photography when the grizzly bears feed or scan the river for salmon. Also perfect for lovely rim lit bears and with the added advantage of water cascading off their fur as they emerge from the river. The sun light just catches the water droplets beautifully. Of course, not forgetting early morning backlight and the option of high-key photography during the day.
When bears feed especially the more inexperienced bears and cub, you may be lucky to have them chase the salmon in the water. This can be very dramatic with the water bursting in to the air as the bear chases the salmon. One of my passions is what I call ’slow panning’ meaning the use of a very slow shutter speed and panning with the bear as it patrols the shoreline. This technique is especially great when we have those lovely misty mornings with the mist rising from the river creating the ghostly feel to the image. Slow panning also emphasises the movement of the bear and the key to achieving a keeper image is to maintain a level of acceptable sharpness of the subject’s head.
The location offers lovely bird photography with bald eagles, osprey and if we are lucky golden eagles can be seen on occasions. Not forgetting waterfowl along the river which can lend them self again to low-key photography.
I hope I have whetted your appetite in what this tour can offer both for photography and the wildlife viewer that loves being out in the wildness and absorbing the beauty of British Columbia.
Do check out our link if you wish to find out more about our Grizzly Bears of Canada Photo Tour.