Experience the Wild Through Your Lens
Adventures Northwest Alaska Fjords Photography Workshop with Bear Viewing – Round Trip Juneau
Embark on an unforgettable journey aboard the M/V David B with our exclusive Alaska photography workshop cruise. This adventure offers more than just scenic views. Dive deep into Alaska’s breathtaking fjords. Experience the unique opportunity to observe and photograph coastal brown bears in their natural habitat at the Pack Creek Wilderness Area, an exclusive location with entry limited to no more than 24 people per day. Designed specifically for photography enthusiasts, this workshop aims to capture the untamed beauty of Alaska’s wildlife and landscapes.
In this hands-on workshop, you will have an opportunity to make and edit photographs with two knowledgeable instructors, John D’Onofrio and Alan Sanders. During the day, you will be exploring and photographing from the boat, skiff, and on land, while at night, you will receive customized Adobe Lightroom Classic instruction to bring your artistic vision to life.
Workshop Highlights:
- Professional Photography Instruction: Improve your skills with workshops on landscape, wildlife, and nature photography tailored to all experience levels.
- Hands-on Learning: Practice your newfound knowledge in the field with real-time feedback from our professional photography instructors.
- Alaskan Wilderness Immersion: Explore the pristine environments of the Tracy Arm / Fords Terror Wilderness area and the Kootznoowoo Wilderness Area’s Pack Creek Bear Viewing, where you will capture stunning images of towering glaciers, serene waters, and majestic wildlife.
- Small Group: Maximum of 8 participants.
Why Choose Us For Your Photography Workshop?
- Expert Guidance: Learn from seasoned photographers who specialize in nature and wildlife photography, and a professional boat crew who knows where the best locations are and how to get you there.
- Intimate Setting: With a small group size, you’ll receive personalized attention, ensuring you capture those perfect shots.
- Majestic Wildlife: Get up close with Alaska’s iconic bears in their natural habitat – an unparalleled photographic opportunity.
Join us for a dynamic, hands-on photography workshop aboard the M/V David B, where we’ll immerse ourselves in capturing breathtaking photographs from the boat, skiff, and on land. This journey will take you through iconic Alaskan landscapes, including the majestic Tracy Arm/Fords Terror Wilderness famous for its awe-inspiring tidewater glaciers and the remote and humbling towering granite canyons or Fords Terror. In addition to the beauty of Tracy Arm and Fords Terror, this workshop takes you to the rich wilderness of Admiralty Island (Kootznoowoo or Fortress of the Bears) where you will get to visit Pack Creek where brown bears roam free and the opportunity to encounter these incredible animals in their own environment.
This workshop presents abundant opportunities to photograph stunning scenery and witness epic wildlife encounters. Imagine capturing whales, brown and black bears, porpoises, moose, sea lions, otters, mountain goats, eagles, wolves, and more in their natural habitats. Our voyage navigates the intricate waterways of Alaska’s Inside Passage, offering a unique, intimate exploration far removed from the experience of larger cruise ships. We’ll delve into both the grand spectacle and the delicate intricacies of this world-renowned landscape, ensuring you leave with memorable images and a deepened appreciation for Alaska’s wild beauty.
Click here to see our current schedule and rates.
To Book Your Alaska Fjords and Pack Creek Bears Photography Workshop Call 360-474-7218 or Email.
About the David B: Your Floating Classroom for Photography and Adventure
Embark on an unparalleled journey aboard the M/V David B, a 65-foot wooden vessel built in 1929 and beautifully restored to modern luxury. It features private staterooms with ensuite bathrooms, showers, a cozy fireplace, and a wood-fired cookstove. Enjoy gourmet meals renowned along the Alaska coast, complemented by a selection of microbrews and fine wines, ensuring a lavish adventure at sea.
Daily shore excursions offer boundless opportunities to capture the majestic Alaskan wilderness—from the deck, the skiff, or ashore. With a workshop aboard the David B, you’ll receive personalized instruction and enjoy ample downtime to immerse yourself in this extraordinary setting. Limited to just eight passengers, this ensures a tailored and intimate learning experience.
Besides the David B, our skiff, dubbed the Skiffyasaurus, is designed and engineered for photographers. It’s spacious, and stable, and provides exceptional access to glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife for unforgettable photo ops.
In addition to daytime activities, the evenings onboard are enriched with photography instruction in the David B’s saloon, which is equipped with a ceiling-mounted LCD projector and screen. Here you’ll learn to master Adobe’s Lightroom Classic, by enhancing your photos to their fullest potential. You’ll also enjoy our light-hearted group critiques, designed for sharing insights and gaining a deeper knowledge of the art of photography and post-processing your photos. The workshop culminates in producing a gallery-quality print of your work that is ready for framing.
To sum it up, this exclusive 8-day photography workshop, led by professional photographers John D’Onofrio and Alan Sanders, offers a blend of awe, wonder, and creativity. Dive deep into outdoor photography, capturing dramatic landscapes and iconic wildlife in locations like Tracy Arm/Fords Terror Wilderness Area, Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area, and Baird Glacier Nature Site. Enhance your skills with Adobe Lightroom Classic, benefit from personalized tips, and engage in constructive photo critiques.
Join us aboard the David B for a memorable week of photography, learning, and adventure in Alaska’s breathtaking wilderness. For more information on the David B, visit our FAQs page.
Image Gallery from Previous Workshops
Meet Your Instructors:
Alan Sanders
Alan Sanders has been making photographs since the 70’s and teaching photography since the 80’s. He has taught at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
As a recovering commercial photographer specializing in advertising and public relations, Alan now concentrates on his own fine art photography. His photographs have been in many group and one person shows over the years. He has work in the permanent collections of several museums as well as many private collections. Alan has also spent many years doing custom printing, both analog and digital, and still loves to see a good quality print.
Currently, he teaches workshops at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham as well as at location workshops, mostly in Alaska onboard the David B.
To see Alan’s work visit his website.
John D’Onofrio
John D’Onofrio’s photography has been exhibited widely in museums and galleries around the United States and utilized by the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, the National Parks Foundation, the North Cascades Institute, and Defenders of Wildlife, and the NBC and ABC television networks.
His images have been published in numerous calendars and magazines, including National Geographic Adventure, Trail Runner, Washington Trails, Tracks and Trails, and coffee table books including The Wild Nearby: Finding Beauty and Renewal in the North Cascades (Mountaineers Books) and The Salish Sea (Sasquatch Press). His film, Cascadia Dreams, a multi-media collaboration with photographer Lance Ekhart and Native American Flute Master Gary Stroutsos was featured as part of the San Juan Islands Film Festival.
He is the publisher/editor of Adventures Northwest Magazine and the author of Hiking Mt. Baker & the North Cascades (Hancock House) and co-author of Images of America: Mount Baker (Arcadia Publishing).
A life-long wilderness traveler, he is inspired by the luminous landscapes of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and has made it his life’s work to share these deep connections through photography, literature, and film. Committed to helping others capture both the grandeur and intimate details of our diverse landscapes, he has led photography workshops for the past eight years aboard the M/V David B and at the North Cascades Institute and loves nothing more than a good adventure. Check out his website.
To learn more about John and Alan, listen to our Northwest Navigation Podcast where we talk with them about their philosophies, photography, wilderness, and being in the moment. Listen here…
For more information on photography workshops hosted by Adventures Northwest Magazine click here…
Class Details:
First, we’ll have an opportunity to make photographs in beautiful Glacier Bay. Then, we’ll use Adobe Lightroom Classic to bring out the best in your images. We’ll also discuss the use of Photoshop as well as other plug-ins that can be used in conjunction with Lightroom. Once the images are optimized, we will share and discuss the work as a group. Finally, we’ll spend time learning to print our work. Everyone will go home with at least one print – ready for framing – from the workshop.
What to Bring:
- Digital camera
- Shooting from the boat will be enhanced by lenses with built-in stabilization (optional)
- Tripod (suggested)
- Laptop with Adobe Lightroom Classic (required) installed and Photoshop (suggested)
- Lots of Memory Cards
- Extra Batteries & Battery Charger
- Lens hoods for shooting in the rain
- Mouse – because laptop touchpads just don’t work as well
- Cable release or remote shutter release
For more photography workshops on the M/V David B click here.
Curious to see what it’s like on one of our Photography Workshops? Check out our Zoom Live Event Recording featuring our crew and instructors.
Click here to see our current schedule and rates.
To Book Your Alaska Fjords and Pack Creek Bears Photography Workshop Call 360-474-7218 or Email.
Comments from Previous Workshop Attendees:
“In seven days this workshop can transform your eye, focus your attention to detail, and restore your soul.”
– Alison S., Eldorado Springs, CO
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“Honestly, it was the best trip of my life…I learned a lot and gained a level of confidence that translated to better pictures. You are very good teachers. I am grateful to you both, for your professionalism, patience, kindness, and your humor!”
– Laurie C., Sandy, OR
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“The best outcome has been a change in the way I’m seeing. I can’t quantify what I mean but it is very exciting!”
– Dave F., Australia
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” The whole experience was unbelievable…my perspective about photography was blown out of the water!”
– Shannon. F., Stanwood, WA
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“An awesome experience…with excellent instructors.”
– Marian R., Spokane, WA
Click here to see our current schedule and rates.
To Book Your Alaska Fjords and Pack Creek Bears Photography Workshop Call 877-670-7863 or Email.
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| May 2026 | ||||||||||
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