**Sea Otter Resting in a Kelp Bed, Antoine Larson Bay, Kodiak Island, Alaska** (*Enhydra lutris*) From my Ultimate Alaska Bear Boat Trip. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mark II Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS @400mm ISO 1,600, f/4.5 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full-frame image. Join me in Alaska for the Ultimate Brown Bears Galore Workshop Adventure. LEARN MORE HERE.

Photographing Sea Otters in Antoine Larson Bay, Kodiak Island, Alaska

Christopher Dodds July 22, 2026

Before my annual Coastal Brown Bear workshop begins, I always try to spend a few days exploring Kodiak Island. One of my favourite stops is Antoine Larson Bay, where Sea Otters drift through lush kelp beds, offering wonderful opportunities for intimate wildlife photography before the adventure with the bears even begins.

**Storm Light Over Douglas Glacier** (*Ursus arctos*, Coastal Brown Bear, Oso pardo, Ours brun) Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska, USA. Image Copyright © Christopher Dodds. Hasselblad X2D II 100C medium format mirrorless camera with Hasselblad XCD 35–100mm E Lens @ 75mm (59mm full-frame equivalent). ISO 50, f/20 @ 1/13 sec. Photographed handheld while field testing the remarkable image stabilization of the Hasselblad X2D II. Manual exposure.

Beyond the Bears: Seeing the Bigger Picture at Hallo Bay

Christopher Dodds July 20, 2026

When the bears remained distant at Hallo Bay, I looked beyond the obvious. Instead of reaching for a longer lens, I photographed the landscape with the Hasselblad X2D II, creating an environmental portrait of a lone coastal brown bear beneath Douglas Glacier while putting the camera's remarkable handheld image stabilization to the test.