2022 Churchill Polar Bears - Workshop Information Packet Contents: Art of Seeing Photography ...
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2022 Churchill Polar Bears
Workshop Information Packet
Contents:
I. General Information
II. To Do Checklist
III. Daily Itinerary
IV. FAQ’s
Page 1 of 132022 Churchill Polar Bears Workshop
General Information
Welcome!
Thanks again for joining our 2022 Churchill Polar Bears Photography
Workshop. I know you are as excited for our adventure as we are! This
document contains important information to help you prepare for your travels.
Please take some time to read it carefully.
Workshop Dates & Leaders:
Session 1: Oct 26 – Nov 1, 2022 Ken Lee instructor/leader
Session 2: Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2022 Leighton Lum instructor/leader
Session 3: Nov 5 – Nov 11, 2022 Ken Lee instructor/leader
Itinerary & FAQ’s
A copy of our Daily Itinerary and trip FAQ’s are included in this package for
your convenience (also available at the bottom of the workshop page). These
documents contain important information. Please read them.
Balance of Fees
The balance of your workshop fees as follows:
$2500 – due June 1, 2022
Remaining Balance – due Aug 15
Page 2 of 13You will receive invoices by email approximately 30 days before each due date.
Payment can be made online by credit card. Please contact us if you wish to use
another form of payment. Your prompt payment is much appreciated.
Health/Medical
Prescription Medications – remember to pack an adequate supply of
any prescription medications (also supplements, sleep aids, non-
prescription pain relievers, etc.) you take, as they may not be available in
Churchill.
Allergies – please let us know about any allergies you have AND the
severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate
medications (e.g. Epi Pen) in case of accidental exposure.
COVID-19 – see the next section, Travel Logistics & Documents, for
COVID specific requirements.
Travel Logistics & Documents
Passport/Visas –if you are not a Canadian or American citizen, you will
need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada. Most
applications are approved within minutes and the cost is only $7.
Americans do not need an eTA, but a valid passport is required.
International Flights –
Arrival – book your flights to arrive in Winnipeg (Airport code: YWG)
no later than ~1pm on Day 1 of your session (our first group activity
is at 3pm).
Departure – The workshop ends upon our arrival at Winnipeg
airport on Day 7. Our flight from Churchill to Winnipeg normally
arrives in the late afternoon. However, since the pandemic, Calm
Air (our airline for Winnipeg-Churchill flights) has changed flight
schedules multiple times. It is also fairly common for these flights
to be delayed due to weather or other factors. We highly
recommend spending the night in Winnipeg and traveling home the
following day.
Page 3 of 13COVID-related requirements – Canada currently requires all
international travelers to provide proof of COVID vaccination via
the ArriveCAN app. Travelers must also obtain a negative
molecular (a.k.a. PCR) COVID test within 72 hours of the
scheduled departure of your flight to Canada. Rapid (a.k.a. antigen)
tests are NOT accepted.
These requirements may change – click here for complete and
up-to-date information. Try searching “PCR Covid test for travel”
to find a local provider who can provide test results in the required
72 hour window.
Churchill-Winnipeg Flights – are included in the workshop fee and will
be booked on your behalf. If the name you used to register for this
workshop is not exactly as it appears on your passport, please let us
know ASAP.
Winnipeg Hotel – all group activities on Day 1 will take place at the Grand
Winnipeg Airport Hotel located directly across from Baggage Claim at the
Winnipeg airport. Staying at the Grand is convenient but not required. We
have negotiated a nightly rate of $145 CAD + taxes (~$115 USD) for our
group – please let the Grand know you are part of the Art of Seeing group
when booking your reservations. Another walking distance option is the
Courtyard by Marriott Winnipeg Airport. Note: hotels & meals in Winnipeg
are NOT included in the workshop fee. You must book your own hotel
reservations for your nights in Winnipeg.
Travel Insurance – is highly recommended. Policies that cover medical
evacuation as well as many other things like trip cancellation, lost luggage,
theft/loss, etc. are very affordable.
Notify Banks & Credit Cards – notify your financial institutions about
your travel plans to prevent problems using credit cards or ATM’s while
traveling.
Mobile Phone Carrier – look into your phone carrier’s international
roaming policies and rates BEFORE leaving home or you may return to an
extremely expensive bill. You may want to pre-purchase a data plan from
your carrier or limit your mobile phone data usage to Wi-Fi only.
Page 4 of 13What to Pack
Weather Note – obviously the primary consideration is staying warm. Historical
high/low temperatures for October and November are below, but the low
temperature for any given day could dip well below these averages:
October 43˚F (6˚C)/30˚F (-1˚ C)
November 26˚F (-3˚C)/13˚F (-11˚ C)
Clothing – the following are key items to help you stay warm and comfortable in
very cold temperatures. It is not intended to be a complete packing list. Based
purely on performance (weight to warmth), I prefer wool and down for insulation.
Synthetics and synthetic/wool blends are an option, but don’t perform nearly as
well in my experience, regardless of any manufacturers’ claims.
• Heavyweight base layers (top & bottom) – in my opinion, great base
layers are the key to staying warm in extreme cold temperatures and
well worth the cost. I favor merino wool for my base layers (not itchy at
all). Smartwool & Ice Breaker are some well-known (i.e. expensive)
brands in this space. Minus 33 offers high quality alternatives at slightly
lower (but still not cheap) price points. Investing in a set of
expedition/heavy weight merino wool base layers for this trip will pay off if
temps drop below normal.
• Mid Layers – thin down jackets/vests, wool sweaters or fleece should
make up your mid layer tops. Lined pants made for cold weather or
heavyweight corduroy on top of your base layer are the best option to
keep your legs warm. Jeans are NOT a good choice.
• Outer Layer – a well-insulated parka and ski pants (or similar). Rain is a
possibility so waterproof materials or a separate rain jacket are
recommended.
• Warm socks – merino wool again is my preferred material. I’ve found a
very thin pair next to the skin with a thicker second pair on top work best.
• Insulated boots – something like a pair of Sorel winter boots with a
temperature rating well below zero are what you want. Non-insulated
hiking boots are NOT a good option
• Gloves and/or mittens – you need a pair of thin gloves that will let you
work camera controls without removing them. This is all I typically need in
Churchill – I put my hands in my pockets (with handwarmers) when not
shooting, but for those who tend to get cold easily, a second pair of gloves
Page 5 of 13or mittens attached to your wrists by lanyards are a good option to keep
your hands toasty.
• Warm hat or beanie - essential
• Balaclava, scarf or buff – to protect your face & neck during extreme cold.
• Sunglasses – polarized lenses work much better than non-polarized
sunglasses to cut glare off snow and ice
• Hand & Toe warmers – cheap, long lasting and very effective, especially
for those whose extremities get cold easily.
Photo Gear – it’s tempting to bring everything you own, but that usually works
against you. The following are what I consider to be the essentials. I’m happy to
give more specific brand/model recommendations for specific items. Just ask.
• Camera Body(s) – dSLR or mirrorless (full frame or crop sensor). ‘Bridge’
cameras with a long zoom (400mm+) are also an option.
• Lenses – I favor zoom lenses for their flexibility in composing images, but
prime lenses tend to be ‘faster’ (larger maximum aperture) which is an
advantage in low light, but you give up flexibility and primes are also
usually bigger, heavier, and more expensive. In my opinion, modern zoom
lenses are so good that the difference in image quality (vs primes) is
negligible.
Your longest lens should reach at least 400mm, preferably 500mm+
before adding teleconverters. Polar bears are large animals and we will be
as close as we can safely get, but you simply cannot have too much
‘reach’. You will also want 1 or 2 shorter focal length lenses. As an
example, lens-wise, my kit will consist of a 12-24mm, 24–105-mm and a
200–600mm. If you prefer prime lenses, one lens from each of the three
zoom ranges would be ideal.
• Filters – A polarizing filter is highly recommended for cutting glare off
snow, ice and even fur. Clear/UV filters are helpful to protect expensive
lenses but also provide more surfaces for condensation to form – it’s your
call.
• Batteries and Memory cards – you will be shooting a lot, maybe more
than you ever have, easily in the thousands of images and hundreds of
gigabytes total. Bring PLENTY of extra cards and batteries. You should
NOT erase/overwrite any memory cards until you get home, even if you
have downloaded the images to your laptop or hard drive.
Page 6 of 13• Camera Battery Charger – do not forget! As a backup, you might
consider purchasing USB powered battery charger. They are cheap and
let you charge your camera batteries without a wall outlet. Google “(your
camera model) USB charger”. Note: Canada uses the same electrical
sockets as the US, so adapters are not necessary.
• Tripod – sturdy, but light with a ballhead or gimbal and a quick release
mount is the way to go. Make sure your tripod can solidly support your
longest lens and that you don’t have to bend over uncomfortably
WITHOUT extending the center column. Hand holding extreme telephoto
lenses is not ideal for best results
Also, don’t forget your quick release tripod plates–in fact, I strongly
recommend purchasing an extra plate to leave permanently attached to
your long lens.
• Headlamp – MUCH better than a flashlight because it leaves both hands
free.
• Remote release (optional) - nice to have when working with very long
lenses to help prevent camera shake
Flying with Camera Gear – Nobody even wants to think about putting their
precious photo equipment in checked luggage, so here is the lowdown on how to
avoid any issues:
Size is more important than weight. Calm Air’s official policy carry-on is 20lbs
max, but nobody is actually weighing bags at the gate. As long as your bag(s) is
reasonable in size, meaning it will fit into the overhead bins or under the seat,
you should not have a problem. DO NOT bring an enormous bag that won’t fit
where it should. Calm Air sees a lot of photographers headed to Churchill and
our groups in previous years have not had any issues, but that’s not a 100%
guarantee that we won’t run into an agent that starts quoting official policy. If
you’re brining that huge 600mm prime lens, consider packing the lens shade
separately. Again, the real key is not to attract attention by bringing a huge
bag that won’t fit where carry-ons belong!
Other Things to Pack
• Laptop or tablet – highly recommended. Your photography will improve if
you review your images daily. Doing preliminary selects and ratings also
makes the mountain of images more manageable when you get home.
We will also have several sessions on post processing and image
management
Page 7 of 13• Portable hard drive - for image storage and/or backup. If you are
considering purchasing one, look for a “bus powered” model – a drive
that gets its power from the computer and does not require a separate
power cord.
• Chargers and cables for your mobile phone and other electronics
• Power bank – extremely handy for traveling
A Word About Gratuities - Like many service businesses, our local guides
rely on gratuities for a substantial portion of their total income. I think you will
find them to be outstanding at what they do. If you feel you received good
service, a token of your appreciation would be greatly appreciated. People
always ask me for guidance on amounts and I always feel uncomfortable
answering – what I can say is that the typical range I see is anywhere
between $100 and $200 USD.
If I’ve missed anything or you have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch by
phone, text or email. Thanks again, we look forward to seeing you in
Winnipeg!
Ken Lee
Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
949-282-9660
ken@artofseeing.com
Page 8 of 13Churchill Polar Bears Workshop 2022
To Do Checklist
___ Book Inbound/Outbound flights to/from Winnipeg (YWG) and forward
a copy of flight itinerary to Ken.
___ Book Winnipeg hotel
___ Purchase Travel Insurance
___ Notify Banks & Credit Cards of your travel plans
___ Check mobile phone carrier’s international roaming policies and
plans
___ Make a personal packing checklist. Click here for a downloadable
Photo Trip Packing List template you can customize to your own
needs
Page 9 of 132022 Churchill Polar Bears Workshop
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1 Winnipeg – our adventure begins at 3pm with Introductions and a
Workshop Overview followed by a session on Wildlife Photography
Fundamentals & Advanced Techniques. We want to hit the ground running in
Churchill, so we use this day to make sure everyone’s camera settings are dialed
in, answer questions and let you know what to expect for the coming week.
Day 2 Winnipeg – Churchill – we board our morning flight to Churchill after an
early breakfast. We’ll transport you to our accommodations upon arrival to drop
off our bags and change. We’ll have lunch in town and head out into the field until
sunset, exploring the shores of the Hudson looking for polar bears and other
wildlife.
Dining options in Churchill are limited, but surprisingly good. After our meal, we’ll
head back to our home base where your workshop leader will go over tips and
best practices for managing images in the field and at home.
Days 3–6 Churchill – Starting before sunrise each day, we venture out along 15
miles of coastline in private vehicles piloted by our professional bear guides(s),
tracking polar bears and trying to anticipate their behavior to be in the best
positions for eye-level photography. Whenever a photo opportunity arises, we’ll
maneuver our vehicles as close to our target as the situation safely allows before
getting out to begin shooting. Solo bears, sparring males and mothers with cubs
are common sights. Other species such as arctic fox, red fox, arctic hares,
gyrfalcon, rough-legged hawks, caribou, snowy owl and wolves may be spotted
as well. Shooting opportunities can last from anywhere from less than a minute to
an hour or more. Once the opportunity is over or we’ve had our fill, we get back
in our vehicle to continue the hunt.
We break for lunch in the afternoon to recharge and warm up at the log cabin
style Lazy Bear Lodge in Churchill before heading back into the field for more
wildlife hunting with our lenses until twilight.
Our post dinner schedule will be dictated mostly by the weather. If conditions
look favorable, we may head out to hopefully photograph the Northern Lights.
Otherwise, Ken or Leighton will demonstrate some of their favorite post
processing techniques, offer comments on participants’ images or work with you
individually as time allows.
Page 10 of 13Day 7 Churchill–Winnipeg – one more day of photography – the number of
shooting hours toady depends on Calm air’s flight schedule which varies from
year to year. Then, we will head to the airport to catch our flight to Winnipeg.
Sadly, our adventure is over upon arrival at Winnipeg airport.
Page 11 of 13Churchill Polar Bears 2022 Workshop
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Q: How is this trip different than other polar bear tours?
A: Every aspect of this workshop is specifically designed for passionate
(but not necessarily expert) photographers who are looking for the best
opportunities to bring home portfolio-worthy images of polar bears and other
arctic wildlife and landscapes. We are not confined to a tundra buggy or attached
to a large group of non-photographers. Finally, this trip is meant to be a learning
experience about the art and craft of wildlife photography as much as an
opportunity to photograph polar bears.
Q: How should I book my travel?
A: You should arrive in Winnipeg (YWG) no later than ~1 pm on Day 1 of your
session. Our return flight to Winnipeg on Day 6 should arrive in Winnipeg in the
late afternoon, but this flight is often delayed by weather. We suggest planning
an overnight stay in Winnipeg (NOT included in workshop fee) and flying home
the following day.
Q: Can you guarantee we will see polar bears or northern lights?
A: No. When it comes to nature, there are never any guarantees. The workshop
is timed specifically to maximize our chances of encountering large numbers of
polar bears based on historical freeze-up dates but climate change and other
factors are making things less predictable these days.
We need clear, dark skies and the right type of solar activity for the northern
lights (aurora borealis) to appear. In 2022, the night sky will be relatively dark
(no moon) for most of Session 1 and part of Session 2 but we still need the other
factors to coincide to have any chance at photographing the aurora – again, no
guarantees.
Q: Is it safe?
A: Polar bear viewing and photography can be done safely if everyone follows
the rules and acts appropriately. Our guides are experienced professionals who
are knowledgeable about bear behavior. They also carry deterrents including
Page 12 of 13firearms which are only deployed as a last resort. However, these bears are wild
animals and individuals may not behave as expected. Intentionally
approaching large predators for viewing or photography is an inherently
dangerous activity. Per our Terms & Conditions, by registering for this
workshop, you explicitly acknowledge and accept this risk.
Q: What else is there to photograph?
A: Beside polar bears, we may also encounter other arctic species. Arctic fox,
Red fox, Arctic hares & Ptarmigan are common. Other species such as gyrfalcon,
rough-legged hawks, caribou, snowy owl and wolves live here as well but are
much more rarely seen. Landscapes are also an option and can be quite
dramatic with the right light and weather, especially after freeze-up begins.
Finally, we will be on Aurora (northern lights) alert the whole time we are in
Churchill – if conditions look promising, we’ll head out after dark to hopefully
capture some images of the Northern Lights. However, this trip is not specifically
focused on Aurora photography.
Q: What will the weather be like and how should I prepare for it?
A: Layers upon layers - a detailed packing list including specific clothing
recommendations will be provided to participants after registration.
Q: What kind of photo equipment should I bring?
A: Specific recommendations will be provided to participants after registration but
a telephoto lens of at least 400mm (35mm equivalent) is strongly suggested as a
starting point.
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