Re: Help! Last minute Alaska tips needed

[Daniel J. Matyola]

Ryan: I made a similar trip several years back, visiting Denali, Katmai, Anchorage, Kenai, Kotzebue and Nome.  The photo opportunities are unlimited. The crucial place, in my opinion, is Katmai National Park.  At Brooks Falls, you can get great shots of Grizzlies fishing for salmon in the river, if the run has started by the time you get there.  When I was there, at least 4 professional nature photographers were spending a week or two with the bears.  They told me that 80% of all photos of bears fishing for salmon are taken at Brooks Falls in Katmai, because of the large concentration of bears and salmon at one point in the river and because of the ideal locations for setting up near the falls.  A long lens is needed to get quality shots, however.  All I had at the time was a 200mm lens, and I had to enlarge my photos more than I would have liked in order to get a decent image of the bears and the fish. A long lens will also come in handy for shots of Denali itself, as you may be quite far from the mountain if and when you get a clear view.  Wildlife shots will also require long lenses, but wide angle lenses are need for scenery and city shots. It will be a trip you will never forget.  There is no place in the world like Alaska.  You may actually get bored by sightings of bald eagles, there are so many of them. "Ryan K. Brooks" wrote:     Just found out I've got a couple weeks in Alaska coming up and was looking for a Pentax specific "read-out" on equipment suggestions and tips.   I'll have 3 nights at the Denali Backcountry Lodge (apparently at the end of the park road after a 5 hr bus ride).   In addition, I'll have a bit of time in Anchorage and hopefully 3 nights or so in Katmai. -- Daniel J. Matyola                  mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Stanley, Powers & Matyola          mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Suite203, 1170 US Highway 22 East  http://danmatyola.com Bridgewater, NJ 08807              (908)725-3322  fax: (908)707-0399