Guided Photography Tours with Carl

I've spent 25 years in Alaska's backcountry. Guiding, photographing, learning the land. That experience shapes everything about how I run photo tours.

This isn't about checking boxes or collecting snapshots. It's about putting serious photographers in front of extraordinary subjects in places most people will never see. Small groups. Wild locations. The kind of access that only comes from decades of working these landscapes and building relationships with the people and permits that make it possible.

I started Expeditions Alaska back in 2002. What began as wilderness guiding evolved into something more focused as my own photography developed. The photo tours grew out of a simple realization: the places I was taking people were some of the most photogenic on earth, and most photographers had no realistic way to access them on their own. Float planes, bear safety, remote camps, logistics in genuinely wild country. That's where I come in.

What I Bring to the Table

Experience matters. Not as a marketing line, but as the thing that separates a good trip from a great one. I know where the bears fish in September. I know which beaches the polar bears patrol and when. I've watched the aurora from enough remote camps to understand the difference between a forecast and what actually happens when you're standing outside at 2 AM in 30 below.

Every year that knowledge base grows. I'm still learning. That's part of what keeps this interesting after all this time.

On these trips, I'm not just driving the boat or setting up camp. I'm shooting alongside you. We'll talk about light, composition, animal behavior, camera settings. The teaching happens naturally, in the field, when it's relevant. You'll come home with better images and a better understanding of how to make them.

The Tours

Brown Bears

Alaska's brown bears are the main draw for most wildlife photographers, and for good reason. I run trips to Katmai and the Alaska Peninsula where bear densities are among the highest anywhere. Fall is prime time. The salmon runs concentrate the bears, their coats fill out, and they pack on weight at an almost unbelievable rate. Some males gain 500 pounds in a few months.

We're not talking about viewing platforms with crowds of tourists. These are remote camps where you wake up to bears outside your tent and spend long days photographing everything from thousand-pound boars to spring cubs learning to fish. The fall color in the transitional boreal forest doesn't hurt either.

The numbers vary year to year, but we regularly see 50 or more bears in the area, sometimes over 70. Bears walking, running, fishing, fighting, playing, swimming. The variety of behavior is what makes these trips so productive.

Polar Bears

The Arctic coast offers something entirely different. Polar bears on the sea ice and along the shore, in a landscape that feels like another planet. These trips require patience and flexibility. Polar bears don't concentrate the way brown bears do around salmon streams. You cover ground, watch the coastline, and wait for opportunities.

When those opportunities come, they're unlike anything else. A male polar bear surfacing near the boat, locking eyes with you. A sow with cubs picking her way across the tundra. The light up here, especially in shoulder seasons, is extraordinary.

Humpback Whales

Southeast Alaska's inside passage hosts one of the world's great concentrations of humpback whales. We work from small boats, positioning for breaches, bubble-net feeding, and the kind of close encounters that make whale photography so compelling. The backdrop of glaciers, rainforest, and coastal mountains doesn't hurt.

Aurora and Northern Lights

I've been running aurora photo tours for years now, and the demand keeps growing. There's something about photographing the northern lights that hooks people. We base out of locations with minimal light pollution and maximum flexibility to chase clear skies. I'll teach you the camera settings, timing, and composition techniques that make the difference between a snapshot and a portfolio image.

These trips happen in winter and early spring when the aurora activity peaks and the nights are long. Dress warm. Bring a tripod. Leave room on your memory cards.

Bald Eagles

Alaska's bald eagle concentrations, particularly during salmon runs and winter gatherings, offer some of the best raptor photography anywhere. We time these trips to coincide with peak activity and work the locations that produce year after year.

Coming Soon: Patagonia Pumas

I'm expanding beyond Alaska for the first time with photo tours to Patagonia targeting wild pumas. The tracking and photography methods down there are well-developed, and the opportunities to photograph these cats in dramatic mountain landscapes are genuinely world-class. Details coming soon.

What Past Clients Say

One recent participant described the trip as everything an adventurous photographer could want. Float planes, remote tent camps, meals by headlamp, and incredible opportunities to photograph grizzlies in truly wild country. That's the idea. Strip away the unnecessary and focus on what matters: putting you in position to make great images.

The Approach

I keep groups small. That's not negotiable. Big groups mean compromised shooting positions, more noise, and less flexibility. Small groups mean everyone gets the shot.

I handle the logistics so you can focus on photography. Bush plane charters, permits, food, camping gear, bear safety. All you need to bring is your camera equipment and the willingness to work for the images.

These trips aren't luxury lodges with guided excursions. They're working photography expeditions in remote country. The accommodations are comfortable but basic. The days are long. The rewards are images you simply cannot get any other way.

Let's Talk

If you're serious about wildlife and landscape photography and you want to work with someone who knows these places deeply, get in touch. I'm booking now for 2026 and some trips fill early.

Call me or send an email. I'd rather have a conversation than trade form submissions. Let's figure out which trip fits what you're after and go from there.

You can check out my website Expeditions Alaska for info.

I'll have more info added to the site here as we go.