©2024 Juan A. Pons

Arctic Wildlife and Landscapes

September 26 – 30, 2022 (Sold Out)

October 5 – 9, 2022 (Sold Out)

Dates:

September 26 - 30, 2022 October 5 - 9, 2022

Your Pros:

Juan Pons

Tuition:

$3,195 USD

Location:

Alaska, USA

Fitness Level:

Moderate

Availability:

Sold Out

Dates:

September 26 - 30, 2022 October 5 - 9, 2022

Your Pros:

Juan Pons

Tuition:

$3,195 USD

Location:

Alaska, USA

Fitness Level:

Moderate

Availability:

Sold Out

“The Dalton Highway”

Designed as an extension to our Polar Bear Photo Workshop, this 4-day adventure will take you deep into the remote Arctic environment, where we’ll photograph wildlife, fall colors, Northern Lights, and stunning mountain landscapes.

Photo Adventure Highlights

• Venture high above the Arctic Circle on an epic excursion to encounter some of the best wildlife and landscapes of the far north.

• Wildlife sightings may include musk oxen, red fox, caribou, dall sheep, and much more!

• Immerse yourself in the grandeur of the mighty Brooks Range, surrounded by high mountain peaks.

• We hope to find everything from fall colors to dancing Aurora Borealis in the skies above us. We’ll cover lots of ground and have many different photo ops planned.

• This workshop is designed to accompany our Polar Bear Photo Adventure Photo Workshop and is all-inclusive with lodging, meals, and transportation included.

What Sets my workshops apart

I believe that in order to truly enjoy your experience, and receive the most out of an adventure photography workshop, you need to have small groups and a very high ratio of instructors to participants. That is why we’ve decided to limit this workshop to a maximum of just 6 participants and 2 instructors.

This is a unique educational excursion, and by capping the number of attendees, despite immense interest in the excursion, we’re ensuring each participant receives the dedicated attention and one-on-one instruction they need to make once in a lifetime images.

We will utilize 2 vehicles and 2 instructors on this trip. Therefore, every participant will have access to a
window seat and ample room for their gear. This is imperative to our successful outing, as we aim to respond quickly when we spot wildlife.

What you will learn

You will be accompanied by Juan Pons, an accomplished professional photographer and photographic educator who has a deep passion for the outdoors. Juan believes the best way to teach is by demonstrating, and to this end, he will be shooting alongside you, demonstrating his vision, technique, and sharing his love and knowledge of this remote region.

Juan’s priority is always YOU, and assisting you to get the best images YOU possibly can.

The biggest advantage of having small groups is the flexibility they provide in customizing our schedule to accommodate both to the unpredictable Alaskan weather and the interests of the group as a whole. This allows us to cover only those topics that you are all interested in, including:

• How to create aesthetically pleasing wildlife and landscape photographs

• Instruction on best use of equipment

• Digital darkroom editing demos

• Image presentations and critiques

What to expect

My workshops are fairly intensive experiences, and as such, you should not expect this to be a leisurely vacation. My goal is to capture the best images we can during our time together. This means there will be days we begin very early, typically at dawn, and end after sunset. However, we will always have breaks and lunch rest hours to recuperate.

 

Due to climate change, the weather can be highly variable. It is possible we could see warmer temps and beautiful fall colors, or cold temps with an early snow blanketing the landscape. No matter what Mother Nature brings our way, we’ll ensure you get the best shots as per the conditions. Temperatures can range from 5°F to as high as 40°F.

If conditions are right, we’ll be watching for the Northern Lights at night. If we do see them, we’ll lead the group out for a demo on photographing the Aurora! Being located this far north, we can often see the Aurora even with low Kp activity.

This workshop requires a moderate ability level since will be doing some short hikes from the vehicles over rough terrain, however, we will walk no more than 1-2 miles per day. 

It’s important to ensure you are comfortable carrying your own photo gear, and have streamlined your kit to keep you light, quick, and nimble.


We expect to encounter lots of wildlife during our journey. We’ve been able to photograph musk oxen and caribou every year we’ve visited.  Other species such as moose, red foxes, grizzly bear, dall sheep, otters, swans, snowy owls, and ptarmigan can occasionally be seen. We will be stopping along the way for wildlife and landscape shots. I recommend bringing 2 camera bodies to keep you from having to change lenses all the time.

Within 2 working days of registering and placing a deposit for the workshop, you will receive a booking confirmation email from my team. About 3 months prior to the workshop start date, you should expect to receive important details regarding your flight arrangements to Fairbanks, AK via email.

Also around 3 months prior to our gathering, you will start hearing from me on a regular basis. I will provide you with a Workshop Participant Information Packet with all relevant trip details, and share resources to get you inspired and thinking about the images you want to capture during our workshop. At this time, you will also receive from me a tentative itinerary, a list of clothing and equipment recommendations, and even discounts for equipment you may want to acquire for this excursion.

Pre-departure group zoom conference

My assistant, Jaclyn, and I are always available to answer any questions you may have leading up to the workshop- simply call or email and we can help you as best we can.

Additionally, we will organize a Zoom meeting 4-6 weeks prior to the start of our workshop. There, you can meet your fellow workshop participants, ask any questions before traveling, receive insights and recommendations for reference books, and much more.

Tuition

Tuition for this workshop is $3,195 per person for the 2022 season.

When you complete the booking process, you will be given the option to either pay the full amount or put down a 50% deposit.  If you pay the deposit, the remaining balance will be invoiced 90 days prior to departure.

What is Included

• 1 night single-occupancy lodging in Fairbanks, AK.

• 2 nights semi-private lodging in Wiseman, AK.

• 1 night private lodging in Deadhorse, AK.

• All meals, snacks, and drinking water.

• All ground transportation in private SUVs. Each participant accesses a door and a window for easy exiting and entering.

• In-the-field photography instruction

• Post-processing and image reviews

• All permits & fees

• Creative inspiration

• Group camaraderie

• A great time

What is not included

• Transportation to/from your home to Fairbanks, AK.

• Hotel charges for additional nights in Kaktovik in the event of inclement weather and travel delays.

• Alcoholic Beverages.

The fine print

• You are responsible for making your own flight arrangements to and from Fairbanks, AK. Don’t worry, we will help you with flight arrival times and departures

• Deposit is fully refundable until May 1st, 2022 for the 2022 workshop

• No refunds after May 2nd, 2022 for the 2022 workshop

• Make sure to check the Terms and Conditions for all my workshops.

 We are an authorized permittee of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. 

I highly recommend Travel Insurance from a reputable insurance company. I have partnered with Squaremouth, a website that allows you to compare multiple travel policies from multiple providers to choose the best one for you based on your needs and costs. Check them out here: https://www.squaremouth.com/

Typical Travel Itinerary

DAY 1

Due to the unpredictability of weather in the high arctic, the itinerary below is subject to change. We will optimize our time and the conditions of each day to give you the best possible photography experience.

Day 1:

On our first morning together, we will meet in Fairbanks, Alaska to begin our long journey to the north. We will load up the private vehicles and photograph the fall colors and rivers along the way, stopping whenever we have good wildlife sightings. We will take a break for lunch at the Arctic Circle and lead some short hikes to nice viewpoints, for those interested. At sunset, we will photograph the ice floes along an impressive river and then check into our cabins for the night. In the event of cloudy conditions, we will lead some post-processing sessions together in the cabin to hone in on our gear and settings.

Day 2:

After a hearty breakfast from our gracious host, we will set out early to capture first light on the mountainous landscape before continuing up and over the mighty Brooks Range. Along the way, we will stop to photograph any dall sheep and caribou migrating over the landscape. As we descend the North Slope, the landscape gradually flattens out and we could find several herds of musk oxen to photograph. Close to sunset, we will capture some wonderful warm tones on our remote surroundings. We will then check in for the night at our accommodations near the Arctic Ocean.

Day 3:

On day 3, we are up early and begin our return journey towards Fairbanks, stopping for wildlife and landscape photos all along the way!  With clear conditions tonight, we venture out after dinner and watch for the aurora borealis.  The aurora begin to get active around 10PM, so we will stay out photographing until almost 2AM.  In the past, we are having so much fun that we don’t even feel the cold temperatures!

Day 4:

Today, we plan to sleep in since we were out so late the night before.  We will load up the vehicles after breakfast and finish the long journey back to Fairbanks with many more wildlife and landscape photo opportunities along the way!  Once in Fairbanks, we will enjoy our final group dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in town as we reminisce on the wonderful experiences we shared together.

Day 5:

On this final day, participants will continue on to the Polar Bear Photo Adventure Photo Workshop or be transported to the airport return home.

 

photos from previous trips

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