Planning a trip to Alaska in August and could use some help

7 years 1 month ago #520889 by Amy Porter
I've never been to Alaska and would love to photograph some of the bears, salmon, eagles, northern lights and the moose.  

I started planning my trip in August, but want to make sure this is best season for photographing as many of the above as I can.  

Will August be the best month for that?  

Please post some hot spots worth visiting too.  Thank you!!

Amy


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7 years 1 month ago #520926 by effron
Find a guide service, and pack plenty of bug repellant....

Why so serious?
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7 years 1 month ago #520942 by Bill Murphy
July though September I want to say.


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7 years 1 month ago #521095 by Don Granger
Are you going with a tour or workshop?  If not, I would strongly suggest you look into one.  These people are up there all the time and most always will land your camera in front of the action each time.  

Otherwise you are searching all day to find the good shots.  

www.expeditionsalaska.com/phototours/fal...zlies/grizzlies.html

and these guys  naturalexposures.com/wildife-photo-tours...-photography-tour-1/


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7 years 1 month ago #521123 by Roblane
+1 agree


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7 years 1 month ago #521124 by WhiteCranePhoto
In the northern parts of Alaska, like up in the Brooks Range (Gates of the Arctic NP, ANWR for example) you'll probably find the most wildlife, since there aren't a lot of people there... though getting into that region is a bit of a challenge, since Gates of the Arctic has no roads or even ranger stations. And the tussocks, which resemble squishy bowling balls, are a bit of a bear to walk on, especially if you're carrying a loaded pack. :)

You're right between the caribou migrations, but they do herd; I believe that in mid-summer the caribou are up north in ANWR and migrate down through the Brooks Range in fall. I was up at the Alatna headwaters on Labor day a few years ago, and we were seeing quite a few stragglers wandering through the valley heading southward, but we missed the great herds apparently by just a week or two.

There was bear scat everywhere, but we weren't fortunate enough to catch sightings of them. There were also wolf howls echoing across the valley every night, but we weren't lucky enough to see those, either, unfortunately.

From what I understand, there are quite a few grizzlies in Denali, and the goat populations are doing a lot better now that the national park service has reintroduced wolves there.


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7 years 1 month ago #521151 by tCampbell
Good post!! 


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7 years 1 month ago #521252 by Uplander
July and August are good months


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7 years 1 month ago #521359 by Soccer Mom
Hi Amy, how funny my husband and I will be up in Alaska in August for a wedding.  I was just looking online last week to see what is possible for seeing that month too!  

I just sent you a PM.  

Canon 7D, 18-55mm, 55-250mm, 70-200mm L f/2.8, 100mm and 17-55mm f/2.8
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7 years 4 weeks ago #521499 by One Wish
You've gotten some great advice already, your going to have fun on this trip.  Be sure to post up some photos from it! 

We were on the fence between Alaska and Iceland and we decided to book trip to Iceland in Sept 2017.  13 days and honestly, can't wait!  


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7 years 4 weeks ago #521512 by tejbon
Are you renting a car while up there? 


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