Coastal Brown (Grizzly) Bear Ultimate Brown Bear a la Sony a1 mark II and 50mm F1.2 GM lens

Unforgettable Encounter From My Katmai Brown Bear Adventure!

I'm just back, still buzzing with excitement, from my "Ultimate Brown Bear Adventure Workshop" in the breathtaking Katmai National Park, Alaska! What an incredible experience it was. We captured so many phenomenal images, it's genuinely hard to know where to begin.

But let's start here, with one of the many close encounters that made this trip so special. This image was made with my trusty Sony 50mm F1.2 GM lens and the Sony Alpha 1 Mark II camera.

On the second day of the workshop, we found ourselves perched on the edge of a serene stream. We had just been examining a broken egg we'd discovered in the grass when, almost as if on cue, this magnificent male brown bear began to approach us. It was a truly humbling and exhilarating moment.

It’s highly likely this impressive animal was following its incredibly sensitive nose to investigate the scent of the broken egg. Brown bears possess an astonishing sense of smell – far superior to that of a bloodhound, and estimated to be up to seven times better than a domestic dog! This incredible ability allows them to locate food, find mates, and even detect danger from miles away. It's truly one of their most remarkable adaptations, and we witnessed it firsthand.

Speaking of remarkable, I have to give a massive shout-out to the Sony 50mm F1.2 GM lens. While it's known for its incredible low-light performance and beautiful bokeh, it's also a surprisingly versatile lens. For this shot, I stopped down to f/16 to ensure I captured not only the bear in stunning detail but also the breathtaking Katmai scenery that surrounded us. Even at this narrower aperture, the distortion-free, edge-to-edge sharpness is simply outstanding, delivering incredible clarity from foreground to background.

Join me next June for an eight-day, unforgettable trip of a lifetime, immersed in Earth's highest-density brown bear population along the Katmai coast. Learn more about my Ultimate Brown Bears of Katmai Adventure HERE.

Coastal Brown (Grizzly) Bear (Ursus arctos, ours brun) from my Ultimate Coastal Brown Bears of Katmai adventure workshop in Alaska. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 mark II Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master lens. ISO 500, f/16 @ 1/500s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Barn Swallow Banking in Flight

Point Pelee National Park in Canada needs no introduction to bird photographers. Its unique location, jutting into Lake Erie, makes it a magnet for migrating birds, especially during spring and fall. While the spring migration brings a kaleidoscope of warblers and other songbirds, a resident avian acrobat provides a unique and thrilling photographic challenge throughout the breeding season: the Barn Swallow.

Recently, on the last afternoon of my Songbirds of Pelee Workshop, we spent some exhilarating hours at the Marsh Boardwalk Tower with my group practicing birds-in-flight photography. It is a fantastic vantage point overlooking the marsh, where dozens of Barn Swallows return to their nests tucked under the boardwalk tower deck. The conditions were demanding: harsh midday light and gusty winds that turned the swallows' flight paths into unpredictable ballets. It was a perfect opportunity to hone our birds-in-flight photography skills.

Success in wildlife photography, especially with challenging subjects, often involves patience and keen observation. We spent a significant amount of time simply watching the Barn Swallows. We observed their typical flight patterns as they approached their nests, how they reacted to gusts of wind, and the moments when they might briefly fly more predictably.

Barn Swallow Banking in FLight with Tail Flaired (Hirundo rustica, Hirondelle rustique, Golondrina común BARS). From my Songbirds of Pelee Workshop on May 11, 2025, at Point Pelee National Park of Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a1 Mark II Mirrorless camera, Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens, Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @ 1,200mm. f/8 ISO 3,200 @ 1/5,000s. Manual exposure.