copyright Steve Metildi - photographed in Barrow, AK with Brian Zwiebel
Barrow, Alaska
Dates: June 13-19, 2010
Fee: $2,495 includes 6 days total shooting in the field, ground transportation, mid-afternoon slideshows and photoshop demonstrations during down time. It also pays for many hours of heavy tundra scouting immediately prior to the workshop in order to increase the productivity for the participants during the workshop.
Deposit: $750
Target Group Size: 6 participants
From: Barrow, Alaska
Leaders: Brian Zwiebel, Matthew Studebaker
Target group
size: 6 - Sold Out
Explore America's final frontier for bird photography. The only place in the world you can photograph all 4 species of Eiders, during the day of the never setting sun, and then return to modern luxuries like hotels and restaurants. Brian's experience shooting in Barrow, along with many other similar arctic locations, will prove invaluable for finding the birds and understanding their behaviors. We will meet the evening of Sunday, June 13 and shoot through the morning of June 19, 2010.
Not only will Matthew and Brian spend time if the field finding birds on territory to photograph during the workshop, but will also work with locals and scientists to get access to birds and locations probably never before photographed. Some extremely rare photo opportunities Matthew and Brian's research may be able to produce, include nesting Snowy Owls, Yellow-billed, Red-throated, and Pacific Loons, and all 4 species of Eiders.
But this workshop is about more than getting you close to these species. We will show you how to take a good photo to the next level, how to use light and backgrounds to portray our subjects in the most beautiful way possible, and how to control every aspect of each photo, from where the birds land to getting them to give you that perfect head turn. Brian also knows exactly where to set up and when, how to take advantage of the birds’ daily patterns and work with the light.
Travel considerations:
Fly into Barrow, AK
Equipment: I recommend bringing a digital SLR with matching lens. On this workshop, the longer your lens the
easier it will be to make outstanding photos. Anything less than a 500mm prime lens will probably not be enough.
Physical Activity Requirements: Strenuous activity. While Brian and Matthew will do some of the grunt work of finding nesting locations prior to the workshop, conditions often change daily, and walking through the wet tundra grass will be unavoidable. You don't have to be an athlete, but if you aren't in good physical condition this workshop is not for you. If you have knee or back problems, or have difficulty walking while carrying your equipment, this workshop is probably not for you.
Hiking short distances across the tundra can be tiring, but the never setting sun also presents a challenge. In order to take advantage of the best light, our shooting schedule will involve splitting up the day's sleep into a very short night's sleep, and then a longer mid-day's rest in the afternoon. While not easy, the results will be spectacular.
Likely Species on the Barrow Birds Workshop - species in bold are species we will spend more effort to photograph
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)
Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)
Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
Brant (Branta bernicla)
Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri)
Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)
American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)
White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)
Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus)
Parasitic Jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus – incl. Vegae subspecies)
Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea)
Hoary Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni)
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
Mammals we may happen across
Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)
Spotted Seal (Phoca hispida)
Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus)
Short-tailed Weasel (Mustela erminea)
Brown Lemming (Lemmus trimucronatus)
Tundra Vole (Microtus oeconomus)
Contact Matthew Studebaker
for your reservation today! Detailed Itinerary will be provided upon further request or upon confirming a reservation.
Once a participant commits to doing
the tour, a down payment is required right away to reserve the date.
Pay with personal check or via PayPal to matthewstudebaker@yahoo.com.
Unfortunately, refunds are impossible. Make Checks out to:
Matthew Studebaker 7325 Austin Powder Drive
Solon, Ohio 44139 matthewstudebaker@gmail.com
