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 Recognized as one of the world's greatest wildlife spectacles,
the polar bears of Hudson Bay will, literally, take your breath away.
No other place exists where large numbers of these
great carnivores
can be seen and photographed with such relative ease and
safety. By mid-October the bears’ unique congregation on the western
shores of Hudson Bay, around the area of Churchill, is well under
way. There they wait for the advancing winter to freeze the bay waters. During freezing
and thereafter, tidal movements create pressure, cracking and shifting the
ice, which opens leads and channels over large areas. This creates prime
seal habitat, especially within ten to fifty miles of shore. The bears
test the ice until around the third week in November when the bay freezes
sufficiently to hold their weight and they disappear almost overnight—heading for the rich
seal-hunting areas on the pack ice. It is while the bears are waiting for
the ice to freeze that makes this a prime time to photograph them.
Mark Lissick/Wildlight Photography
is thrilled to offer a unique and special photography
expedition designed
to provide the very best polar bear photo opportunities available.
The most rewarding way to experience Canada's polar bears is to immerse
yourself in their environment; from the moment you wake up, throughout the
day and into the endless winter nights. Located about 45 kilometers north
of Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay near the inlet of the Seal River, the
Seal River Lodge allows us this opportunity.
As our main base for this trip, it is situated in a remote area that
provides the most breathtaking and exciting polar bear photography
available, anywhere. There are no roads, no trails and no tourist traffic. Imagine the thrill of getting up in the morning and
walking out to witness polar bears
emerging from snow blankets created during the night's snow fall.
Our group will have exclusive use of the Seal River Lodge and the wilderness setting
that surrounds it. Far away from
the bright lights of Churchill, the lodge offers luxury accommodations in a pristine
environment accessible only by helicopter or bush plane. Spectacular
wildlife viewing and photography, northern lights, gourmet cuisine, and
great company is what you can look forward to. Combined with the opportunity to improve your photographic
skills through profession instruction, field-mentoring and tech talks
make this a trip not to be missed.
This is an intensive seven day excursion with five days spent in the field
with the bears. It is intended for those interested in the ultimate bear
photographic expedition. You'll spend the time in the field accompanied by professional photographer Mark
Lissick and a naturalist/guide. Without interference from other
vehicles based out of Churchill we will be able to explore the land, coast
and ice around the lodge to achieve the best bear photo opportunities.
We will work with the bears at breathtakingly
close range and may also see other arctic species including
snowy owl, caribou, willow ptarmigan, arctic fox and arctic hare.
We will also take photographic advantage of the wildlife's close proximity
to the lodge with scheduled guide-escorted hikes.
What makes this trip truly unique is that while in the field we will be
able to photograph the bears from ground
level. (This will allow you to achieve
images from a perspective not attainable from the window of a tundra
buggy.) Should the bears come too close (they are curious after
all) we have guides equipped with bear bangers and shotgun to make sure
they stay at a safe distance.
Hone your photographic skills with the guidance of professional nature and
wildlife photographer Mark Lissick
as you spend seven days with a enthusiastic and dedicated group of fellow photographers
shooting these magnificent creatures.
As in all Mark's workshops and trips, emphasis is placed
on improving your image making abilities and providing you with helpful
techniques with regard to wildlife and arctic photography. This is
achieved via hands-on mentoring during the numerous field shoots combined
with informative lectures, tech talks, and, for those shooting digitally, reviews of field work.
To maximize bear viewing opportunities on this one-of-a-kind expedition
space is extremely limited; reserve
your place early.
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VIEW IMAGES
FROM RECENT TRIPS
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I T I N E R A R Y |
| Day 1 |
Arrive in
Winnipeg. Kick off dinner and orientation in the evening. |
| Day 2 |
Fly to
Churchill and transfer to Seal River Heritage Lodge around noon. Bear
safety orientation and field shoots rest of day. |
| Day 3 - 5 |
Daily field
trips to photograph bears and other wildlife. |
| Day 6 |
Morning
departure from lodge back to Churchill. Transfer to our own chartered 26 passenger Tundra Buggy photographing
the bears near Churchill through late afternoon. Early evening return
flight from Churchill to overnight in Winnipeg. |
| Day 7 |
Depart for
home. |
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THE LODGE
Accessible only by plane or helicopter from Churchill, 45 km to the
south, the lodge is comprised of central eating and meeting
area with a closed off wing for sleeping and has
a 24 bed capacity. Some of the beds are bunk beds and all come with
a cozy down-filled comforter. The group will be quartered in the
newly upgraded facility which will serve as both meeting
area for the group as well as sleeping quarters. The building is heated by
wood-burning stoves and have bathrooms that include showers, sinks
and flush toilets. A generator provides electricity 24 hours a day
to charge batteries and laptops. The lodge is also equipped with a
Wi-Fi internet access.
The
food at the lodge is, in a word, amazing. Prepared by a gourmet chef
who has published a series of northern cookbooks, there is a
fantastic assortment of local fare with flair. Menu items can
include snow goose fillets, roast rack of caribou, northern pike
fish chowder, hearty homemade breads and cinnamon buns, and my
personal favorite - banana stuffed French toast. It is all delicious
and ample supply. Vegetarian diets can easily be accommodated with
advanced notice. |
Registration:
ON-LINE
REGISTRATION
Trip
Costs Include:
Lodging and meals as indicated. Air and ground transportation as indicated
above. Applicable entrance fees; taxes
and service charges.
Not Include:
Activities not indicated on itinerary;
travel/baggage/accident/cancellation insurance; gratuities; personal use
items such as phone, laundry, etc.; film.
Airfares:
Air fare costs for flights from participants home city to Winnipeg,
Manitoba are not included. Participant is responsible for making their own
arrangements to arrive in Winnipeg in time for the start of the trip.
A deposit of $500.00 is
required at the time of registration with the balance due in full one
hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the start of the trip.
Reservations: Due to the popularity of this trip, making an early reservation is recommended. You can reserve a place by
either
registering on-line or by calling
Wildlight Photography at (612) 804-7377 during the weekday office hours of 9:00 am-4:30 pm CST.
We accept credit cards, or we will hold your
reservation for seven days, while awaiting your personal check or money
order. Make checks payable to "Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography".
Payments can be mailed to Mark Lissick/Wildlight Nature Photography, 4501 Oak Drive, Edina, Minnesota 55424.
For international residents: Please contact Wildlight
Nature Photography to discuss payment arrangements.
Cancellation Policy: If you cancel 120 days or more prior to departure, a refund less a cancellation fee of 50% of your initial deposit will be made.
Per person charges for cancellations received 120 days or less from the
trip start date are as follows: 120-101 days - 35% of trip cost; 100-81
days - 50% of trip cost; 80-61 days - 65% of trip cost; 60 or fewer days
prior to departure - 100% of trip cost. We recommend that you purchase
cancellation insurance as this policy is strongly adhered to. Note: In
addition of cancellation fees, deposits required to guarantee hotel
rooms or local air transportation may be nonrefundable. The purchase of travel insurance
covering baggage, accident/life and trip cancellation is highly
recommended. Wildlight Nature Photography reserves the right to cancel
any group due to insufficient registration. In the even of such
cancellation, those with reservations shall be notified as soon as
possible and a full refund of trip payment will be given. Wildlight
Nature Photography is not responsible for additional expenses incurred
in preparation for a trip.
Payment of deposit represents an acceptance of the
following terms and conditions: Wildlight Nature Photography, its
affiliates and all cooperating airlines and agencies act only in the
capacity of agents in all matter of transportation and tour operation, and
their liability is limited to the terms of the airline tickets, boat, and land
accommodation contracts. They are not responsible for any delays,
inconveniences, accidents, expense or mishap of any kind whatsoever
resulting entirely, or in part, from the negligence of others or from
causes beyond their control. They can accept no responsibility for losses
or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services,
sickness, weather, strike, riot, war, quarantine or other causes. All such
losses or expenses must be born by the participants as program rates
provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved
to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make
any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes
in air schedules, weather or naturally occurring geological events.
Baggage is at owner's risk entirely. No refund can be made for unused
hotel rooms, meals, sightseeing trips or tours unless arrangements are
made at the time of booking. The right is reserved to decline to accept or
to retain any person as a program member for any reason which affects the
operation of the program or the rights, welfare, or enjoyment of the other
program members, and refund or the recoverable land program services is
the limit of the liability of Wildlight Nature Photography and its
affiliates.
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