The Great Alaskan Adventure
An all-encompassing ALASKA PHOTOGRAPHY expedition
SEPTEMBER 3 - SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
SOLD OUT!
RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR NEXT YEAR!
ALASKA!
In this extremely unique and completely packed photographic adventure, we will chase the Aurora Borealis, experience an incredible overnight at a remote bear lodge accessed only by sea plane, take in the stunning golden light that glows on Alaskan glaciers, visit the visually remarkable fjords, experience fall colors in Denali National Park (Denali NP), search for bears, whales, eagles and so much more!
Not sure you'll make it to Alaska more than once in your lifetime?
This tour was made for you.
We plan to cover all of the parts of Alaska that stand for what it truly is, so you can return home feeling you experienced the beautiful land in its authentic entirety - with stunning, professional-level, once-in-a-lifetime photographs to prove it!
WHY THIS IS THE ONLY ALASKA ADVENTURE YOU wiLL EVER NEED
Here is what makes our Great Alaskan Adventure stand out from all of the rest:
This adventure is exclusively limited to eight participants!
With two photographer guides, including award-winning conservationist and Alaskan photographer, Carl Johnson, and eight participants, you will absolutely receive the one-on-one attention you and your photography efforts deserve!
Our local photographer guide knows this last frontier intimately and will be giving us the most authentic Alaskan experience - including a home-made Alaskan dinner at his stunning gallery!
Our expedition includes everything that is iconically Alaska: wildlife, like bears, eagles, whales, puffins, seals; gorgeous landscapes with silky waterfalls, dramatic mountains, fall colors in Denali NP, sweeping glaciers - not to mention our nightly hunt to capture the awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis in our lenses!
LIGHT! We know how golden hours have the ability to dramatically light up and alter our perspectives on a scene, so we chase many sights when the light is right! Why have a regular photograph when you can have one that appears to glow?
Our expedition is a mixture of photography opportunities and experiences. We hunt these beautiful landscapes, and we also aim to experience Alaska by offering engaging activities like trekking on glaciers and enjoying authentic fine-dining amongst the setting of remote bear lodges.
our mission:
solving a major photography tour problem...
opening your eyes (and lenses) to a new way...
We strategically organized this expedition so that it includes a mixture of beautiful photography opportunities and engaging moments. Because we believe the most stunning images are the ones that have special moments attached to them and messages dripping through them.
We think the most empty photography tours are the ones where you get plopped on a bus and shuffled from one spot to the next, given only "15 minutes in this spot!" to take your photos. How can you connect to your landscape, garner a feeling that you want to capture through your lens and translate into your photographs like that!?
So, to solve this unfortunate issue we see all around us with other photography tours, our Alaskan guide, Carl, and I have challenged ourselves to strategically pick a mixture of authentic and downright breath-taking Alaska landscapes, and experiences that snap our photographer participants out of their normal routines in order to open their eyes and lenses to seeing and capturing in a new way.
We do this through making a concerted effort to take you all the way from the visuals of Anchorage to a complete season-change of fall in Denali, and activate new sensations within you by truly engaging with our photography subject, Alaska, such as trekking on glaciers and dining incredibly at a remote lodge in the setting of bears.
We will not just plop you on a bus. We will chase moments. :)
Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
ITINERARY
September 3
Arrive in Anchorage, located on the edge of Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains. After settling in to our Anchorage hotel accommodations, we will join our local Alaskan guide at his Anchorage hillside home and gallery for a welcome dinner and preview of the days ahead.
September 4
We proceed north to Denali National Park and spend the evening exploring the entrance to the park to the Savage River. Along the way, we will photograph autumn colors and the rugged mountain landscapes of the Alaska Range, and look for moose, caribou and other wildlife that frequent this part of the park in the autumn. At night, we will look for the aurora borealis.
September 5
We will take a morning drive through the opening stretch of Denali National Park before heading south to Talkeetna. We will stop along the way to photograph the Alaska Range in Broad Pass. After checking in to our lodging in Talkeetna, we will explore the iconic small town, said to be a model for the fictional town of Cicely in “Northern Exposure.” We will photograph evening light at the convergence of the Chulitna, Susitna and Talkeetna Rivers. After dinner, we will head back out in hopes of capturing the Aurora Borealis.
September 6
After breakfast, we will continue south to the Matanuska Valley and explore this vast landscape that divides the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains. As part of the day, we will take a 3-hour guided hike out onto the Matanuska Glacier, to explore the ice formations and photograph them up close. We will continue south and explore the coastal landscape and waterfalls of the Turnagain Arm. We will overnight in the isolated coastal town of Whittier.
September 7
We will spend most of the day out on a boat in Prince William Sound, exploring this network of islands, coves, bays and glaciers to capture this iconic landscape and look for marine mammals and sea birds along the way. We will explore the small boat harbor in Whittier in evening light and at sunset.
September 8
We depart Whittier early to head back to Anchorage and catch our small plane flight with incredible views of volcanoes and mud flats out to an exclusive lodge in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve. There, we will have the assistance of a lodge guide to take us out to view and photograph the Alaskan coastal brown bear. In the evening, we will retire to the lodge for a gourmet dinner, wine and photo review.
September 9
We take a small plane flight in the morning back to Anchorage and complete our amazing voyage in Alaska!
PRICE: SOLD OUT!
Per person in double occupancy room
Single room accommodation is available for an additional fee of $600 per person (Please note that accommodation at our lodge in Lake Clark National Park is very exclusive and limited. Therefore, this one night usually includes double accommodation. In special circumstances, single accommodation may be possible at at the lodge, based on availability, at an additional cost on top of regular single accommodation supplement. Please contact us directly to discuss what options are available.)
price includes
All accommodations as per itinerary
All meals
Transport to and from airport in Anchorage
Private-to-our-group transportation to all locations in Alaska
Flight to and from remote bear lodge
Expert guides and bear biologists take us through the areas in Lake Clark National Park for exclusive bear viewings
Two expert photographers' guidance
Expert local Alaskan photographer guide
price does not include
Airfare to and from Alaska
Activity fee (hiking on Matanuska Glacier): $89
Alcoholic beverages
Guide tips
Travel insurance
What is not mentioned as included
Indulge yourself!
take your adventure further
with these add-ons:
Matanuska Glacier 3-hour guided hike on Day 4: $89 per person (*this add-on is extremely encouraged, as the two photographer guides will be participating in this!)
Denali Flightseeing from Talkeetna on Evening 3: $285 per person
GEAR LIST
HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO BRING TO ALASKA
DSLR camera
At least two camera batteries
At least two memory cards
Your favorite lens (We recommend bringing at least a wide-angle, mid-range and telephoto lens so you are able to seize all photographic opportunities in Alaska.)
Tripod
Shutter release cable
Laptop (If you would like to follow along with us during our post-processing instructions, we recommend that you bring a laptop to be able to participate and edit your photographs while with us.)
Headlamp (We recommend something like this because it can switch between a regular and a red, night vision light. While having a regular light will be important for hiking or seeing paths, having red lights are important for night photographers because this type of light preserves your night vision and does not negatively impact other photographer's exposures in the way that regular light does.)
Camera bag (At certain places we will be walking distances from parking areas to the viewpoints, and therefore you will need to have a bag that can hold the gear you'd like to shoot with. Keep in mind that this usually includes your tripod. You will also want to have some extra room for a water bottle and a packed meal on the days we take our meals to-go.)
An overnight bag (For our trip to Lake Clark National Park, our flight luggage is limited to 30 lbs per person including camera gear. Carl will be staying behind in Anchorage this night, so he will hold all of our extra gear safe and sound.)
TAKE YOUR alaska PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH THIS GEAR:
Cable release
A cable release will allow you to take exposures longer than 30 seconds and multiple successive exposures (for star trails), help prevent camera shake, and more.
(These can be purchased on Amazon for approximately $9 and arrive within two days. Make sure you are getting the one that is appropriate for your particular camera. This one is for a Canon Rebel t6i. You can search Amazon or Google for the terms "remote cable release" + [your camera name and model].)
Neutral density filter for your wide-angle / landscape lens
An ND filter will allow you to take longer exposures when you normally wouldn't be able to because the scene is too bright. This is the key to nice soft clouds in landscapes, milky waterfalls, etc.
(I recommend anywhere from a 3-stop to 10-stop ND filter, but make sure it is of decent quality. I use B+W brand, but HOYA also makes great filters. LEE square filters are good too.)
Graduated neutral density filter for your wide-angle / landscape lens
A graduated ND filter serves the same purpose as the ND filter described above, however the darkening effect takes place only on the top half of the filter, which allows your lighter sky to be exposed more similarly to your darker foreground. A 2-stop GND is a good start.
Polarizing filter for your wide-angle / landscape lens
A polarizing filter will help deepen colors.
Hand warmers (approximately $7 on Amazon or $5 at your local Walmart) and rubber bands
As your camera is brought from warm interiors to cooler settings, dew can accumulate on your lens glass and completely fog up your images! Photographers have come up with the ingenious solution of securing a couple of hand warmers onto the lens with a rubber band, which keeps the lens temperature regulated enough that it prevents the condensation from occurring!
CLOTHING:
We recommend you take a look at historical and current weather for the areas we’ll visit in Alaska since you know your body and comfort levels best. Last year, our weather ranged from highs of 65 degrees to lows of 45 degrees in Anchorage, which is one of the most southern areas we visit. In the more northern areas of Alaska, like Denali, last year our weather ranged from highs of 65 degrees to lows of 37 degrees.
Keep in mind that as photographers, we spend more time outside than the average person, so while one may think that a night temperature of 50 degrees is comfortable with just a light jacket on, a photographer stands in that weather for longer than the average person. Always good to pack an extra layer — you don’t want to miss an amazing shot because you’re too cold to stay out! Many Floridians come on this trip and manage quite fine!
Hiking boots or sneakers with good grips on the soles
A high quality base layer (pants and top) like one from brand Hot Chillys (try their Micro Elite Chamois or Micro Elite XT) — we’d say this is one of the most important pieces as they do wonders to keep you warm
A mid layer fleece type of sweater
A good outer layer jacket. Marisa uses a Northface jacket that has a rainproof shell, and there is a light down layer than she can zip in and out of it. The jacket goes to the waste — yours doesn’t have to be longer
A few pairs of warm socks
A beanie cap or something to keep your head warm
If your ears are sensitive, bring ear warmers
Gloves
In the daytime, we tend to gradually take these layers off. With great base layers, you may find yourself taking off your jacket and wrapping it around your waste as we’re walking around.
THIS TRIP IS FOR
*All* levels of photographers
Those looking for a nature photography *experience*
Those looking to translate their connection with nature into their images
DATES
September 3 - September 9, 2019
Price
SOLD OUT
LOCATION
Alaska
Denali National Park
Anchorage
Talkeetna
Susitna River
Matanuska Glacier
Turnagain Arm
Whittier
Price William Sound
Lake Clark National Park
Education
Field instruction
Class instruction
One-on-one critiques
photographic themes
Landscapes
Natural light
Nature
Wildlife (Bears, eagles, whales, puffins, seals, salmon, etc.)
Astrophotography (Aurora Borealis!)
Fall Colors
“Marisa Marulli is the person who took my love for photography and pushed it over the edge. Prior to her explanation I didn't know anything about shutter speed and aperture. Not only did she take the time to explain it to me but she spent the time to show me how to do it in the field. She put everything in terms that I could understand and I am forever grateful.”
— FRANK DINARDI, HADDAM, CT
Photography guide: Carl Johnson
“Carl Johnson... One of the best aurora photographers anywhere.”
—STEVE FRENO
We are CPR First Aid AED trained and certified.
What makes our great Alaskan adventure stand out from all the rest:
Exclusivity: Limited to eight lucky photography participants!
One-on-one attention: Two photographer guides for eight participants promises the help you deserve!
Expert local knowledge: Award-winning conservationist and Alaskan photographer, Carl Johnson, offers us an intimate experience of the land he calls home!
Everything iconically Alaska: We make sure to bring it all to you in one expedition: wildlife, gorgeous landscapes, our nightly hunt for the Aurora Borealis, and more!
Light: We chase many sights when the light is golden and right!
Experience: Our expedition is a mixture of photography opportunities and engaging experiences.
RESERVE WITH A 30% DEPOSIT
GETTING TO ALASKA
Plan to arrive at the Anchorage (ANC) airport around 2 p.m. on September 3. Some prefer to come in a day early not only for scheduling reasons but also to take in the beautiful experience of the world’s busiest float plane base on Lake Hood at our hotel. Our hotel, The Lakefront Anchorage, will provide free shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day.
The shuttle pick up location is where the other buses and taxis are. The shuttle is a silver Mercedes Sprinter with The Lakefront Anchorage logo on the side. You can always call the Lakefront if you have questions.
Plan to arrive to the hotel by 3 p.m. to check in and get settled.
At 5 p.m., we will all meet in the couch area of the lobby (first floor, across from the restaurants) of The Lakefront Anchorage. We will chat for a bit and get to know each other before Carl takes us to his gallery for a private orientation, dinner, and perhaps a chance at the Aurora!
departure from alaska
Carl will take us back to the airport in Anchorage on September 9. We should arrive to the airport around 2 p.m., so plan departure flights accordingly. Any participants departing after this time on September 9th will need to arrange for their own transportation to the airport. Some tend to stay an extra night in the Lakefront Anchorage and then take the shuttle to the airport at their convenience the next day.
100% of Marisa's students rate her teaching as "EXCEPTIONAL."
* * * * *
100%
of Marisa's students
feel that Marisa provides
"above-and-
beyond"
effort helping them
and their projects.
* * * * *
100%
of Marisa's students
feel they understand the subject
"very well" after her lesson.
DISCLAIMER
This itinerary is subject to change. The opportunity for photography and astrophotography is based on proper weather conditions. If the weather conditions are in any way hazardous or unfavorable, the photography guides reserve the right to cancel in-the-field instruction for affected days.