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Katmai’s Brooks Falls: Bear Wonderland
Katmai’s Brooks Falls: Bear Wonderland
by Matt Meisenheimer
Katmai National Park on the Alaska Peninsula is one of the premier bear viewing and photography areas in the word - we personally think it’s the best.
Katmai and the Alaska Peninsula harbor the highest densities of brown bears found anywhere; Katmai alone is home to over 2,200 brown bears.
Every summer and fall, we host workshops to photograph the bears at Katmai National Park. We arrange trips to many areas on the Katmai coast, but one of our staple trips is world-famous Brooks Camp.
BCJ Photo Trips to Brooks Falls:
Brooks Camp is situated at the mouth of the Brooks River and the shore of Naknek Lake. It consists of a ranger station, a camping area, Brooks Lodge, and many viewing platforms connected via walkways and trails. As I mentioned, Brooks Camp is world famous. People come from all over the world to view bears.
Katmai and the Alaska Peninsula harbor the highest densities of brown bears found anywhere; Katmai alone is home to over 2,200 brown bears.
Every summer and fall, we host workshops to photograph the bears at Katmai National Park. We arrange trips to many areas on the Katmai coast, but one of our staple trips is world-famous Brooks Camp.
BCJ Photo Trips to Brooks Falls:
Brooks Camp is situated at the mouth of the Brooks River and the shore of Naknek Lake. It consists of a ranger station, a camping area, Brooks Lodge, and many viewing platforms connected via walkways and trails. As I mentioned, Brooks Camp is world famous. People come from all over the world to view bears.
Credit: Katmai National Park
It’s not just the bears that make Brooks Camps so iconic. Much of the credit can be given to another local resident – salmon! The Brooks River is an important migratory pathway for spawning salmon. From July through September, salmon are numerous and attract high numbers of the big, burly brown bears we love to photograph so much. Some data you may find interesting, in the past few years, about 2 million salmon have entered the Naknek watershed! 2 million!
Why Brooks Camp is Special
It’s not just the bears that make Brooks Camps so iconic. Much of the credit can be given to another local resident – salmon! The Brooks River is an important migratory pathway for spawning salmon. From July through September, salmon are numerous and attract high numbers of the big, burly brown bears we love to photograph so much. Some data you may find interesting, in the past few years, about 2 million salmon have entered the Naknek watershed! 2 million!
Brooks Camp is also much more than just a place to view and photograph bears. It’s a communal setup that offers great amenities despite being located in a remote wilderness area. Some of those comforts include great food at the lodge restaurant, a fireplace area within the lodge, great platforms and trails, and many rangers who offer their knowledge and monitor the bears to ensure visitor safety. We have access to all these things on both the lodge-based and camping trips.
Getting to Brooks is also an experience in itself. The only way to get there is by water or the preferred travel method of all Alaskans – the bush plane. We meet in King Salmon, Alaska for orientation and the next day we all board a float plane to fly out to Brooks Camp. The flight out is about 30 minutes and we land on Naknek Lake then motor right up to Brooks Camp in front of the ranger station. It’s not uncommon to spot bears on the shore awaiting our arrival ha!
Overall, Brooks Camp is special. It may be the most iconic place for bear photography too. Know that classic image of a salmon jumping a waterfall with a bear looming above with jaws open, yep, that was taken at Brooks Falls and it’s a spot we visit multiple times every trip.
Getting to Brooks is also an experience in itself. The only way to get there is by water or the preferred travel method of all Alaskans – the bush plane. We meet in King Salmon, Alaska for orientation and the next day we all board a float plane to fly out to Brooks Camp. The flight out is about 30 minutes and we land on Naknek Lake then motor right up to Brooks Camp in front of the ranger station. It’s not uncommon to spot bears on the shore awaiting our arrival ha!
Overall, Brooks Camp is special. It may be the most iconic place for bear photography too. Know that classic image of a salmon jumping a waterfall with a bear looming above with jaws open, yep, that was taken at Brooks Falls and it’s a spot we visit multiple times every trip.
Photographing the Bears
If you’ve never been to Alaska to photograph brown bears – you’re in for a treat at Brooks Camp. Not only will you see dozens of bears a day (last year we saw 42 bears at Brooks Fall during one shoot alone), but you’ll be in close proximity too. The platforms at Brooks Camp are great and safe.
There are two platforms at the mouth of Brooks River, which provide opportunities to photograph bears fishing and playing. These platforms have scenic views of the surrounding lakes and mountains too.
If you’ve never been to Alaska to photograph brown bears – you’re in for a treat at Brooks Camp. Not only will you see dozens of bears a day (last year we saw 42 bears at Brooks Fall during one shoot alone), but you’ll be in close proximity too. The platforms at Brooks Camp are great and safe.
There are two platforms at the mouth of Brooks River, which provide opportunities to photograph bears fishing and playing. These platforms have scenic views of the surrounding lakes and mountains too.
The most famous platforms are located up the river, the Brooks Falls Platform and the Riffles Platform. The Brooks Falls Platform is where you can capture bears fishing from atop the falls, waiting for salmon to jump. This is one of the few places where bears have been observed using this technique to fish. It’s so awesome for photography too, what’s better than a bear with gaping jaws and its salmon prey in the same frame.
Riffles Platform is just a bit downstream from the falls. You can still see the falls, but the focus of Riffles is an area of rapids. The salmon are forced the fight through the current and we find many bears actively fishing in this area.
If you love wildlife photography, Brooks Camp is the place for you. You must absolutely visit this iconic place once in your life (we even have some who travel to Brooks with us year after year). It’s a special, magical place, with some of the best photography opportunities in the world.
If you love wildlife photography, Brooks Camp is the place for you. You must absolutely visit this iconic place once in your life (we even have some who travel to Brooks with us year after year). It’s a special, magical place, with some of the best photography opportunities in the world.
What Camera Gear for Brooks Camp?
We receive a lot of questions on the best gear for Brooks Camp. Definitely a valid and important question.
In general, we recommend having a DSLR or mirrorless camera for the best image quality. Recent releases such as the Nikon Z7 II, Canon R5, and Sony A7r V all excel at Brooks Camp.
But honestly, the best camera is the one you have. We have had guests have everything from Sony A9’s to bridge cameras, and they all have taken fantastic shots.
A camera with a great autofocus system always helps with wildlife, the top cameras from Canon, Sony, and Nikon should all do great. Burst rate, though important, I find to be less of an issue at Brooks. Most cameras today are fast, definitely fast enough to capture bears and action. An elite burst rate (like from the Canon R5 or Sony a9) will help for that moment the salmon jumps over the falls, but I’ve had no problem capturing it on cameras with burst rates of 8-10 fps.
Lenses are interesting at Brooks. We see a lot of super telephoto primes, like the 400mm f/2.8 and the 600mm f/4. I have shot a lot with a Sony 100-400mm f/4-5.6 at Brooks with great results.
At Brooks Falls, I think 400mm is a really good length, whether it’s in the form of a prime or something like a 100-400mm. A 600mm f/4 is great too, but sometimes it’s too much, which is crazy to say, but that shows how amazing Brooks is and the close proximity we’re able to get to these bears.
If you have invested in a super telephoto prime, bring it. This is what you bought it for. If you don’t, I think a 100-400mm offering is a great option. Canon has a RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 which is perfect for Brooks. It gives you a lot of flexibility for closer encounters, but you have 500mm if you need it.
At Brooks Falls, I think 400mm is a really good length, whether it’s in the form of a prime or something like a 100-400mm. A 600mm f/4 is great too, but sometimes it’s too much, which is crazy to say, but that shows how amazing Brooks is and the close proximity we’re able to get to these bears.
If you have invested in a super telephoto prime, bring it. This is what you bought it for. If you don’t, I think a 100-400mm offering is a great option. Canon has a RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 which is perfect for Brooks. It gives you a lot of flexibility for closer encounters, but you have 500mm if you need it.
Another option to consider is renting a prime. A prime will give you the best image quality. The downsides are they are expensive, big, and fixed focal lengths. Our guides commonly use a 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/5.6, and a 600mm f/4 though, but many pair those with a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 100-400mm f/4-5.6.
One of my favorite combos for Brooks is the Sony A7r IV or V and the 400mm f/2.8. The reason, it’s 61 MP so if I need to crop to get to an effective length of 500-600mm, I can do that no problem. I find the autofocus and burst rate to be just fine for shooting scenarios at Brooks.
One of my favorite combos for Brooks is the Sony A7r IV or V and the 400mm f/2.8. The reason, it’s 61 MP so if I need to crop to get to an effective length of 500-600mm, I can do that no problem. I find the autofocus and burst rate to be just fine for shooting scenarios at Brooks.
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AUTHOR
AUTHOR
Matt Meisenheimer is a photographer based in Wisconsin. His artistry revolves around finding unique compositions and exploring locations that few have seen. He strives to capture those brief moments of dramatic light and weather, which make our grand landscapes so special. Matt loves the process of photography – from planning trips and scouting locations, taking the shot in-field, to post-processing the final image.
Matt is an active adventurer and wildlife enthusiast as well. He graduated with a degree in wildlife ecology and worked in Denali National Park and Mount Rainier National Park as a biologist. He also spent 6 months working in the deserts of Namibia before finding his path in photography. Matt’s passion for the wilderness has taken him to many beautiful places around the world.
As a former university teaching assistant, Matt is passionate about instruction. It is his goal to give his students the technical and creative knowledge they need to achieve their own photographic vision. He truly enjoys working with photographers on a personal level and helping them reach their goals.
You can see Matt’s work and portfolio on his webpage at www.meisphotography.com
Matt is an active adventurer and wildlife enthusiast as well. He graduated with a degree in wildlife ecology and worked in Denali National Park and Mount Rainier National Park as a biologist. He also spent 6 months working in the deserts of Namibia before finding his path in photography. Matt’s passion for the wilderness has taken him to many beautiful places around the world.
As a former university teaching assistant, Matt is passionate about instruction. It is his goal to give his students the technical and creative knowledge they need to achieve their own photographic vision. He truly enjoys working with photographers on a personal level and helping them reach their goals.
You can see Matt’s work and portfolio on his webpage at www.meisphotography.com
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BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
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All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.