Grizzlies Of The Last Frontier

In mid-June, I was fortunate enough to visit a destination that had long been on my bucket list – Alaska. In my opinion, Alaska is a truly world-class wildlife photography location. I had been trying to secure dates for a recce visit for many years; however, the popularity of this destination means that lodges are often booked up years in advance. Persistence does pay off though, and this summer I was finally able to experience the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness.

My time in Alaska was spent exploring the coastline of Lake Clark National Park. Each summer, brown bears gather along the coastal areas of the park—particularly around Chinitna Bay—to feed on clams and salmon. It is one of the few places where you can see dozens of these massive bears at once, sometimes just a few hundred feet away, all set against a stunning backdrop of volcanoes, glaciers, and turquoise lakes.

This truly is one of the last great frontiers. Thanks to its remote beauty, the park is not accessible by road; it can only be reached by plane or boat. My journey to Lake Clark began in Anchorage, where I boarded a small bush plane for the one-hour flight south, passing over vast wilderness and volcanic glaciers. The flight itself is an adventure of a lifetime—almost like a scene from Jurassic Park, a visit to a long-lost land. From the air, I was lucky enough to spot whales, and as we approached Lake Clark, a large male black bear came into view below. As we made our final descent onto the coastline of Lake Clark, my journey to the bears had officially begun…

"An unforgettable morning commute into the heart of Lake Clark National Park."

Soon after my arrival in the national park, I was met by the local guides and made the short journey to my basecamp. This camp was originally built to support the fishing industry; however, when the park was established in the 1970s, the owners recognised a unique opportunity to offer bear-watching experiences.

The bears in this part of Alaska are truly remarkable, allowing for exceptionally close encounters. Hunting is strictly forbidden within the park, and over the years the bears have learned to trust people, making this a genuine safe haven for wildlife. At times, it’s almost as if the bears don’t even acknowledge your presence, strolling past just metres away.

To navigate the wild landscape, we used ATVs, which allowed us to travel safely and efficiently across large areas and cross numerous creeks and streams—terrain that would otherwise be very difficult to access on foot.

Soon after dropping my luggage at basecamp, it was straight into the field to begin tracking bears…

"Our basecamp for the trip was a stunning lodge, tucked beneath snow-capped mountains and enveloped by the vast, untouched wilderness of Lake Clark National Park."

My arrival in Lake Clark happened to coincide perfectly with low tide—an ideal time when the bears descend onto the tidal flats to feed on clams, a vital, protein-rich food source during the summer months. As we headed towards the beach, I immediately spotted two young bears feeding far out on the flats. It’s incredible how far the tide recedes, revealing an expansive plain teeming with tasty treats for the bears.

Parking the ATV on the sandy beach, we continued on foot towards the bears. By this time it was midday, and the bright sunlight made conditions challenging—particularly with the shimmering heat haze rising from the ground, which made photography difficult unless you were close enough to the bears to cut through the distortion.

It was truly remarkable to observe these bears at such close range as they foraged for clams. At times, they appeared almost robotic—methodically locating the molluscs beneath the sand, using their powerful sense of smell and brute strength to dig them out. During this time of year, the salmon have yet to begin their spawning run, so the bears’ diet consists mostly of sedge grasses. These low-tide feeding windows are therefore an important opportunity to access a richer source of protein and fat—a kind of natural appetiser before the main salmon feast begins.

Before long, the tide was slowly lapping at our ankles, signalling that it was time to retreat to the shoreline and watch where the bears would head next.

The harsh midday light did present some challenging conditions; however, by shooting low and into the light, I was able to capture these dramatic silhouettes. The shimmering tidal flats added to the effect, creating a beautiful bokeh.

By this point, the light had softened considerably, and as we moved into the meadows, we left the heat haze behind, making photography much easier. For a bear, gaining weight is crucial, so typically, when they’re not sleeping, they’re feeding. This makes tracking them relatively straightforward—it’s usually a case of them either being on the beach digging for clams or in the meadows grazing on sedge grasses.

The meadows offer another unique opportunity to photograph the bears. The vast openness allows you to easily isolate them against distant backgrounds, creating clean and striking compositions. The two bears we had previously observed clamming on the beach were now in the meadow. At times, they were incredibly playful—engaging in mock fights and rolling around, providing some wonderfully comical encounters.

I was on location in Lake Clark National Park for seven days, and each day followed a similar routine: wake at 06:00 for a dawn session in the field, return to base for breakfast at 08:00, then head back out, tracking the bears until noon. After lunch, it was back into the field for an afternoon session, typically working until around 22:00. These are certainly long hours, but the days are so action-packed that the time simply flies by.

One of the great advantages of working in this area is the solitude—you’re alone with the bears, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the landscape. As a photographer, that’s exactly what you need. Often, we would spend hours with the same bear, patiently waiting for interesting behaviour or ideal lighting conditions.

Compared to Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park—located roughly 50 miles (80 kilometres) from the boundary of Lake Clark—this truly is an intimate and unmatched experience. While Brooks offers an incredible opportunity to photograph bears fishing for salmon, the viewing platforms can feel a bit like a circus. In fact, visitors are often issued time slots by park rangers, limiting how long you’re allowed on the platform—not ideal for photographers.

Working without those restrictions means we can spend time with the bears during the best light of the day. Often, the late evening light would cast a beautiful backlit glow across the meadows, offering perfect conditions for capturing magical moments.

Shooting into the setting sun, with the shaded forest as a background would produce these beautfuil backlit conditions.

Alaska is truly a Mecca for wildlife, and it isn’t just bears that inhabit these areas. One species I was particularly excited to see and photograph was the Bald eagle — such impressive birds, their sheer size and power are mesmerising. During my stay at Lake Clark, I had a couple of excellent opportunities to photograph this magnificent bird — both times from the same perch. A large piece of driftwood along the shore of the beach provided an ideal lookout for this particular eagle. The Bald eagle’s eyesight is one of its greatest traits; in fact, it is believed to be eight times sharper than that of humans, allowing them to spot prey from over two miles away. The bird was so relaxed that it allowed us to capture some amazing close-up portraits. These types of images would normally only be possible with captive birds, but to get this close to a truly wild eagle was simply incredible!

Only a few feet away, it was a real privilege to photograph this completely wild Bald eagle, staring straight down the barrel of the lens.

Throughout my time in this wildlife paradise, you quickly lose count of the number of bear sightings, as they are so frequent, but some encounters become etched in your memory. This particular encounter stood out, stirring many mixed feelings as the behaviour unfolded.

It was early evening when we watched a solitary female peacefully searching along the shoreline. But the calm was soon shattered. An aggressive, testosterone-fuelled male bear, having caught her scent, made a sudden beeline across the flats with fierce determination. His presence immediately shifted the scene — placing both the female and us in a tense and vulnerable position.

Within moments, a brutal mating sequence erupted — violent, unchosen, and entirely one-sided. The sheer dominance and physical force of the male left the female powerless. For nearly an hour, they remained locked together, while the tide steadily crept higher, threatening to engulf them both. Just as the cold water reached her shoulders and waves began crashing against her face, she finally broke free.

At times, it was a very intense encounter to witness; the female was clearly in distress but had no means to defend herself against this massive male. Although difficult to watch, it was a fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes in nature — these types of behaviours are rarely observed!

The beauty of this unique location lies in the harmony between humans and bears. As mentioned earlier, hunting has been strictly prohibited in this part of Alaska since the 1970s, and over generations, the bears have inherently learned that this is a safe haven. Put simply, they do not see humans as a threat and simply pay no attention to us, going about their daily business as if we are just part of the landscape. This does sometimes mean the bears approach very closely, as the following two iPhone recordings show…

Throughout my stay at Lake Clark, it is difficult to single out my favourite moments, as the time was so action-packed with numerous unforgettable encounters. Below is a gallery showcasing just a small selection of my favourite images from the week.

We will be returning to this amazing location in June 2027 and have been fortunate enough to secure some dates for a new BearPhoto tour. If you’re interested in joining me on this wonderful adventure, please drop me an email and I will respond with the tour itinerary.