WILDLIFE
AUGUST 1-8, 2025
The far east of Finland is one of the best places in the world to watch brown bear, wolves, wolverines, and lots of other beautiful animals in the wild. On this scouting workshop, we will focus on wildlife photography, spending many days and nights in blinds, focused on bears and wolves!
LOCATION:
KUHMO, FIN
FITNESS:
MODERATE, TRAIL HIKING
COST:
$8000 ($3000 deposit)
DATES:
August 1-8, 2025
THE DETAILS
Price - $8000 which includes your pre-workshop materials and Skype Q&A, 7 days of photography instruction, all park fees, 6 nights lodging, bottled waters, snacks, and meals in the field, and photo feedback and discussion sessions, as well as transportation throughout the workshop. Flights to and from OUL (FINLAND), meals on travel days, and all other expenses are not included.
Deposit - A refundable* $3000 deposit is required to secure your spot.
Class Size - This class will have at most a 4 to 1 ratio of students to instructor. A minimum of 3 participants is required for this workshop to occur. Discounts may be available for multiple people in one party, and friend referrals.
Travel - We will be traveling to the far east of Finland, near the Russian border, and the closest practical airport is Oulu Airport (OUL), which is approx. 250 km away (3-4 hr drive). We will coordinate our flights so that I can pick us all up in OUL to drive us to Kuhmo, as well as with the return. If you can only get late flights in or out, you should plan on staying at a local hotel in Oulu.
Lodging - Lodging with instructor is included. But keep in mind, accommodations are limited! Several nights we will stay in bear blinds with guides, and they are primitive. If you have any specific questions, please contact Andrew directly. If you require special assistance at all, please talk with Andrew directly before booking!
Meals - Snacks and water are provided, as well as meals while bear watching, but travel day and all other meals are the responsibility of the student. Options in this region are limited and local to the culture, but we will tend to eat as a group, so please make arrangements if you have special dietary needs.
Transportation – Once landed at OUL, travel is included to all listed locations.
* Please see Terms and Conditions page for refund policy.
“I had a great time shooting with you, learned quite a lot (try to do more tele work now!) In those few days I learned a huge amount not just about shooting, but postprocessing and how to scout locations and how to best prepare and setup a shooting. Thanks! I hope I get a chance to repeat such a course with you in a new location.”
— Phil S., Munich, Germany
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Pre-workshop Personal Skype Session – Before all of our destination workshops, you can benefit from a personal Q&A Skype session at your convenience with Andrew, to ask any questions you might have about your upcoming trip. This is immensely helpful to gat to know your instructor, and to making sure you feel prepared for the great adventure ahead!
Welcome Packet - You will receive your personalized welcome packet 2-6 weeks before the workshop with maps, helpful local info, nature facts, FAQ’s, technical photography information on what we will be discussing, a comprehensive list of what to bring, and more.
Park Related Fees – If time permits, we will visit one or two nearby National Parks to explore and capture the beauty of the surrounding topography.
Guided Wildlife Hikes – We will embark on at least one hike per day through the northern forests that are home to myriad wildlife. We will explore the flora and fauna of this fascinating ecosystem, shooting anything and everything in nature, discussing a wide range of photographic tips and techniques.
Astro/ Aurora Photography - If we get lucky, the northern lights will put on a show for us, and we will have an opportunity to capture the beauty of this haunting and beautiful occurrence.
5 Nights in a bear blind with guides, water, and snacks – We will spend a good portion of time in bear blinds watching out for wildlife, but any nights not spent in this way will be at a nearby airbnb. Please let Andrew know of any special requests pertaining to lodging, and he can typically accommodate.
Image Reviews + Post-Processing Instruction - We will spend some good time on image critiques plus help with post-processing and workflow.
What’s NOT Included? Meals not explicitly listed are not included, though we will try to eat together as much as possible, since it's a great chance to continue talking shop. Transportation to and from Oulu, Finland is also not included, as well as anything not specifically listed above. Travel insurance can be purchased separately, HERE, but not necessary.
*IMAGES ARE NOT FROM FINLAND BUT FOR REFERENCE ONLY
ROUGH ITINERARY
Due to unpredictable changes in weather and movement of wildlife, etc., our schedule remains flexible and subject to change. However, our start and end times are set in stone so each student can plan their travel accordingly.
Friday - We will be meeting at OUL Airport promptly by 2:00pm, we will then drive 4 hours east to Kuhmo.
Saturday - We will get acclimated and head out to the field in Kuhmo with guides to a blind for a day/ night of large carnivore photography.
Sunday - Kuhmo, bears and wolves.
Monday - Kuhmo, bears and wolves.
Tuesday - Drive 3 hours to Suomussalmi for more bear photography opportunities!
Wednesday - Suomussalmi, bears.
Thursday - Suomussalmi, bears.
Friday - Drive to OUL (4 hrs) arrive by noon for afternoon flights.
Itinerary subject to change by Slaton