Focus On Feathers Group Tours

Offered by Alaska Photo Treks In Anchorage, Alaska

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About us

Alaska Photo Treks (dba of Through The Lens Alaska, LLC) was founded in 2013 by a trio of professional photographers who had a mission to share this amazing state with others through the lens of their cameras. Today, we are a group of Alaska photography guides and associates. With extensive and unique backcountry photography experience, each of us is also a professional photographer in our own right, with many diverse clients and assignments when not instructing or guiding. We are well-versed in Alaska’s natural history and have much to share about our lives in the 49th state.

Our fun, photo-centric tours, workshops, classes, and guide services cater to all levels of photographers (and non-photographers on some of the day tours). Technical, creative, and regional expertise in Alaska’s most scenic locations is our specialty. We know where to be and when, and have a pretty good track record at finding wildlife too! Services are tailored to fit every skill set and level of interest. Whether you’re a serious shooter or dabbling in photography with a smartphone camera, we aim to help you take home the best scenes and memories Alaska has to offer.

What we'll do

Explore local birding opportunities in Anchorage!

Anchorage has a wonderful mix of migratory and resident birds that provides year-round opportunities for bird photography enthusiasts. For this year-round tour, we are selecting the best locations to find birds in any season you visit. You will be transported to various locations in Anchorage, where your guide will provide naturalist information, guide you to the prime locations, and provide photographic tips on how to photograph birds if needed. Focus on Feathers is photographic fun for the dedicated bird photographer who wants to capture songbirds, corvids, raptors, shorebirds, and more in the diverse habitat present in the Anchorage area. Departure times are based on the time of year when birds are active and when. Throughout the tour, your Alaska Photo Treks guide will offer creative and technical support. If you are traveling to Alaska to photograph birds, this is a great tour to start your Alaska birding trip!

What to expect / what's provided

*Duration: 4 hours

*Price is $300 for a solo tour or $175 per person in a group size of 2 to 5 people. Group size is limited out of a desire to not disturb birds in some sensitive habitat areas.

*Age Limit: 12 years and older

*This is a moderate activity that involves varying levels of walking on mostly even terrain, sometimes in wet or boggy areas. Carrying your camera gear over this distance adds to the physical activity. Weather conditions may range from rain, snow, wind, and sun, and temperatures from 0°F [-18 °C] to 70°F [21°C]. This Anchorage photo tour departs in all weather (barring a weather advisory). Some of the best photo ops happen during rain, snow, or fog, and birds can be active in all sorts of weather (except typically very windy conditions).

*What's Included
- Creative and technical photography instruction is offered by your professional, local guide.
- Natural history narrative en route.
- Tripods are available for loan.
- Light snacks and hot drinks, cold water to refill your own bottle.

*What to Bring
CAMERA GEAR [recommended]:
- Camera with manual settings
- Lens[es] ranging in focal length from at least 200mm to 500mm
- Fully charged battery [preferably at least 2]
- At least 16GB memory card
- Sturdy Tripod or monopod [we have a limited number of tripods to loan]
- Remote shutter release or cable shutter release [optional]

PERSONAL GEAR:
- Layers including long-sleeve thermal shirt, fleece or sweater, and insulated outer shell jacket
- Hat and gloves
- Mud boots at least knee-height or water-proof hiking boots

Please reach out to Voyij customer service to inquire about availability!

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 24-hours in advance if your plans change and we will provide a full refund. If you are not available for the night you reserved and the tour runs, you will be charged for your seat if it was too late to fill with another guest.

For those who book a four-day pass, that does not guarantee that the tour will run each of the four nights. It allows you to participate in the tour as many times as the tour runs during those four days. The four days must be consecutive. The only time we will provide a full refund is if the tour does not proceed at all during your four-day pass period. If the tour proceeds only one day, you are refunded your booking amount minus the rate for a single-day pass. If the tour proceeds only two days out of four, then no refund is provided (as the price for a four-day pass is slightly less than the cost of two single-day passes).

You will be notified if the tour is canceled due to cloudy, rainy, or snowy conditions. You will be fully refunded in such a case.

A 2-person minimum is required to run this tour. If the minimum is not met, you may be given the option to purchase a second seat, reschedule, or cancel.

Payment is confirmation of your acknowledgment of the risk inherent in this natural phenomenon; once it’s received and the tour departs, no refund will be issued if auroras do not appear as expected. However, if you do not see the northern lights during your tour, you can join us on another booked tour for free. Simply contact us to see if there is another booked tour during your visit, and we will reschedule you.

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