Bald Eagle Photography Workshop

Join us in capturing the majesty of America’s national bird at the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve during the largest bald eagle migration in the world. Shetzer’s Bald Eagle photography workshop takes place while the bald eagles in southeast Alaska travel from far and wide to gather at the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve to feast upon salmon during the last major run of the season, during early November.

The American Bald Eagle inhabits every bit of the 48,000 acre Chilkat Preserve. The Chilkat Preserve is strategically located at a convergence of three rivers, which creates a warm upwelling that prevents the water from freezing – making an easy meal for one of America’s largest birds of prey. This unique natural phenomenon attracts a breathtaking amount of birds to the picturesque landscape near Haines, Alaska in the early winter months. It is during this time that we will travel to Alaska to capture these majestic birds in their natural habitat.

During the Bald Eagle Photography workshop, professional photographer Matt Shetzer will assist photographers in capturing crystal clear pictures of eagles along the many scenic stretches of the Chilkat preserve. Here, illustrious birds with 7-foot wingspans perch on branches while waiting to dine on 15-pound chum salmon from the Chilkat River. Unlike other photography trips offered in Alaska, you will have the opportunity to view bald eagle’s natural behavior. There’s no need to bait or use captive birds during the workshop. Just natural and wild photos await.

Matt has led 23 bald eagle photography workshops in this area in the past 12 years, and spends the entire month of November scouting the best locations for getting one-of-a-kind images of bald eagles in their natural habitat. He will guide you to the best locations for photographing the eagles, using his experience and knowledge to show you the places with the best light, and will provide detailed instruction on how to capture your perfect shot.

The Bald Eagle Photography Workshop takes place at the height of the salmon run in Alaska – the peak time to view bald eagles. Every day, hundreds of eagles can be seen congregating along the snow-capped sandbars, perched upon snags emerging from the river and roosting in the branches of cottonwood trees.

Over the course of the photography workshop, some of the bald eagle pictures you can expect to take home include:

• Pictures of bald eagles in flight with salmon in their talons
• Pictures of bald eagles attacking each other in mid-air
• Pictures of bald eagles soaring and roosting in trees
• Close-up portraits of eagles enveloped in the soft purple hue of the mountains
• Eagle behaviors of screaming and chattering to one another along the banks of the Chilkat River
• Eagles soaring in front of majestic Alaskan mountain peaks

During daylight hours, you will have the opportunity to photograph these magnificent birds of prey in the field. Once the daylight fades, we will offer interactive photographic seminars and workshops in a classroom setting, discussing subjects such as camera settings, in-flight techniques, compositions, lighting, and Photoshop.

Full Itinerary and Details for the Bald Eagle Photography Workshop

 
The workshop size is limited to six photographers (three per group) so you can count on personalized attention throughout your journey.

Guests are transported in small groups (three guests to each guide) in four-wheel drive vehicles (no buses on this workshop). This allows photographers to move around easily and efficiently without disturbing the wildlife, and makes for a better and more natural wildlife photography experience.

Overall, the Bald Eagle Photography Workshop is a once-in-a lifetime experience which offers an unbeatable chance to observe and photograph more bald eagles than most people will ever see in their lifetimes.

We hope you will join us!