We run two distinct photography trips in Alaska, each targeting different species in different environments. Taken individually, both are strong. Taken together — one immediately after the other — they cover a range of Alaskan wildlife that would be very difficult to match on any single trip.
The first, our Sea Otters & Bald Eagles of Alaska photography holiday, is based around the Kenai Peninsula. The second, the Bubble-Netting Whales of Alaska photography holiday, works the waters off Sitka in Southeast Alaska. Running them back-to-back creates a winter wildlife photography experience that spans coastal mammals, raptors, & marine megafauna.
Sea Otters & Bald Eagles – Kenai Peninsula
The Sea Otters & Bald Eagles trip is based around Kachemak Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. Sea otters here are habituated to boats & regularly haul out on ice, giving you close-range opportunities for portraits & behavioural images. They are endlessly watchable subjects — feeding, grooming, rolling — & the ice-&-water backgrounds produce clean, graphic compositions.
Bald eagles are the other headline subject. They concentrate along the coast in winter, & the combination of snow-capped mountains, frozen waterfalls, & icy blue water creates backdrops that elevate standard flight photography into something more distinctive. The eagles are active, territorial, & photogenic — you’ll photograph them in flight, perched, feeding, & interacting.
Bubble-Netting Whales – Sitka
The whale trip moves to the waters around Sitka, where humpback whales engage in bubble-net feeding — a cooperative hunting technique in which a group of whales corrals herring with a tightening ring of bubbles, then lunges through the surface together. It is explosive, unpredictable, & produces some of the most dramatic wildlife images you can capture from a boat.
Six full days on the water give you repeated opportunities to photograph the feeding sequences, along with individual behaviours — breaching, fluke dives, & surface interactions. Experienced guides who know the local pods help anticipate where the next lunge will occur, giving you those critical extra seconds to frame the shot.
Why the Combination Works?
Running these two trips together creates a winter portfolio that covers very different photographic disciplines. The sea otter & eagle sessions reward patience, careful composition, & working with natural light against dramatic backdrops. The whale work demands fast reactions, high frame rates, & the ability to read developing situations on the water. The contrast in pace & technique keeps the photography fresh across the full duration.
Alaska’s winter landscapes also provide a consistent visual thread. Snow, ice, & cold coastal light tie the images together — whether you’re photographing an eagle against a frozen waterfall or a pod of whales erupting through dark water with mountains behind.
Both trips can be booked individually or combined. Full details are on the trip pages.
- NaturesLens wildlife photography holidays are structured around photographic opportunity — every schedule decision is made around light, behaviour, & access.
- Small groups of 4–8 photographers ensure unhurried positions & individual guidance.
- Single occupancy accommodation is included as standard across the majority of our trips.
