Photo Safaris By Region AFRICA - Botswana Wildlife - Madagascar - Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve, Kenya ANTARCTICA - Ultimate Antarctica ASIA - Essential China—Iconic Landmarks & Landscapes - India—Rajasthan & Puskar Fair - Japan's Winter Wildlife - Laos & Vietnam - Mongolia—The Golden Eagle Festival EUROPE - Best of the Greek Isles - Eclectic Holland - Finland's Arctic Wildlife - Turkey—Continental Crossroads - Tuscany - White Horses of France's Camargue NORTH AMERICA - Alaska Overland - Aurora Borealis—Fairbanks, Alaska - Bald Eagles of the Chilkat River, Alaska - Bosque del Apache & White Sands, New Mexico - Brown Bears of Katmai National Park in Summer - Brown Bears of Katmai National Park in Autumn - Colorado Fall Colors - Denali National Park in Autumn - Exploring Lake Powell - Florida Birds—Best of the West - Grand Canyon at Havasu Falls - Great Smoky Mountains - Horses & Icons of the Wild West - Humpback Whales of Alaska's Inside Passage - Mexico's Colonial Heartland - Monument Valley & Slot Canyons - Nova Scotia—Photo Tour for Women - Olympic National Park, Washington - Predatory Animals of North America - Springtime in Callaway Gardens, Georgia - Ultimate Wolves - Ultimate Yellowstone - Washington's Palouse Country - World's Best Raptor Shoot - Yellowstone & Grand Tetons in Autumn - Nature & Digital Photography Seminars with John Shaw PACIFICA - Midway Atoll SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA - Galápagos - Patagonia's Mountain Landscapes - Ultimate Dolphins Wildlife Models Shoot - Wildlife of Brazil's Pantanal Photo Safaris By Date JANUARY - Ultimate Wolves - Nature & Digital Photography Seminars with John Shaw, Dallas, TX & Raleigh, NC - Ultimate Yellowstone FEBRUARY - Japan's Winter Wildlife MARCH - Florida Birds—Best of the West - Nature & Digital Photography Seminars with John Shaw, Phoenix, AZ & Boston, MA - Midway Atoll - Aurora Borealis—Fairbanks, Alaska - Monument Valley & Slot Canyons - White Horses of France's Camargue APRIL - Springtime in Callaway Gardens, Georgia - Galápagos - Finland's Arctic Wildlife - Patagonia's Mountain Landscapes - Eclectic Holland - Great Smoky Mountains - Grand Canyon at Havasu Falls - Mexico's Colonial Heartland MAY - Wildlife of Brazil's Pantanal - Turkey—Continental Crossroads - Ultimate Dolphins Wildlife Models Shoot - Best of the Greek Isles - Tuscany JUNE - Washington's Palouse Country - Predatory Animals of North America JULY - Brown Bears of Katmai National Park in Summer - Olympic National Park, Washington AUGUST - Washington's Palouse Country - Humpback Whales of Alaska's Inside Passage SEPTEMBER - Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve, Kenya - Denali National Park in Autumn - Alaska Overland - Essential China—Iconic Landmarks & Landscapes - Brown Bears of Katmai National Park in Autumn - Madagascar - Yellowstone & Grand Tetons in Autumn - Botswana Wildlife - Colorado Fall Colors - Predatory Animals of North America - Horses & Icons of the Wild West - Mongolia—The Golden Eagle Festival OCTOBER - Exploring Lake Powell - World's Best Raptor Shoot - Nova Scotia—Photo Tour for Women - India—Rajasthan & Puskar Fair NOVEMBER - Laos & Vietnam - Ultimate Antarctica - Bald Eagles of the Chilkat River, Alaska DECEMBER - Bosque del Apache & White Sands, New Mexico

		Dates Aug 4–11, 2007 Leaders Stuart Westmorland Fee $5,495 from Juneau, Alaska Deposit $400 Limit 12 Special Terms and Conditions Apply Imagine capturing the peak moment on film: a mighty launch rockets forty tons of twisting whale skyward. Pectoral fins fling sparkling sheets of water, as its 45-foot-long body is almost entirely out of the water in a spectacular breaching display. This is a frequent occurrence in the late summer months in southeast Alaska, where one of the world’s greatest populations of humpback whales resides. The Inside Passage in southeast Alaska is the summer feeding ground for hundreds of humpback whales. Every year whales wintering in the warm waters of Hawaii and Baja California join the year-round population of humpback whales in the nutrient-rich waters of Alaska. This annual migration consists of mothers and their young calves and their accompanying escorts traveling thousands of miles on this epic journey. Our group, cruising in a comfortable, private, 106-foot live-aboard vessel, will follow the largest congregations of these magnificent leviathans—and the boat is totally at our service. There is no comparison to the wonderful, intimate proximity to wildlife that is attainable by this type of small boat cruising, in contrast to the giant city-size cruise ships, carrying thousands of passengers, normally traversing the Inside Passage. Humpback whales offer some of the most exciting photographic moments of all the marine mammals. Besides breaching, they often slap their mighty tails repeatedly, or clap their 15-foot pectoral fins in the same fashion. Their feeding displays are absolutely breathtaking, including bubble-net and lunge-feeding techniques. It’s an incredible scene to photograph, and we will be on hand at the peak of the season to see this amazing spectacle! Dense forests, snowcapped peaks and neon-blue glaciers provide a pristine backdrop for classic Alaskan maritime imagery. In addition to humpback whales, there may be opportunities to get close-up photos of orcas, Steller’s sea lions and fantastic human-habituated bald eagles that can be photographed snatching fish, which we offer them, at very close proximity to the boat. Some of Alaska’s most picturesque glaciers will be photographed in Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm. The sheer cliffs along these inlets are home to mountain goats. These and the mother and baby harbor seals that bask on picturesque icebergs create more great photo opportunities. Join us for this unique, world-class photo shoot in the realm of the humpbacks of the North Pacific. With incredible images created with the assistance of today’s new image stabilized/vibration reduction lenses and digital technology, this tour will define the best of topside whale photography for years to come! Day 1 (Aug 4) Participants should arrange to fly to Juneau, Alaska. We meet in the lobby of our hotel for a short orientation and then have dinner. (D) Day 2 After breakfast we begin cruising the scenic Alaskan waterways. We should have plenty of photo opportunities, with sightings of sea lions, harbor seals, porpoises and, perhaps, some orcas on our way to the humpback “core” grounds. (BLD) Days 3–6 We will follow the largest groups of humpback whales as they travel throughout Seymour Canal and Frederick Sound. With more than 17 hours of "shootable" daylight, we will have ample opportunities to capture breaching, tail slapping and lunge-feeding behavior. Shore excursions at dawn and dusk will be undertaken whenever possible. A full day will also be spent exploring Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm, where some of Alaska’s most magnificent glaciers meet the sea. We hope to make some exceptional images of the stranded indigo-blue icebergs often found there. (BLD) Day 7 We’ll begin our leisurely cruise back to Juneau, photographing en route. (BLD) Day 8 (Aug 11) We will arrive in Juneau by midmorning for flights home. (B) About Our Vessel Our private boat is the 106-foot M/V Valkyrie, an elegant classic motor yacht built in 1944 that has sleeping accommodations for 12 passengers. M/V Valkyrie has a large covered stern deck, salon, dining room and a spacious bow. There are three "heads" on board with showers and six double cabins with portholes. Delicious, hearty Alaskan-style meals featuring fresh-caught seafood, homemade desserts and breads baked onboard daily are an integral part of our cruising experience. The boat is well suited for photography in both fair and moderately inclement weather with a great deal of space on deck for shooting wildlife and landscapes. We believe it is the best boat available for photography in Southeast Alaska!.

	Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. P.O. Box 655, Vashon Island, Washington USA 98070 Phone: (206) 463-5383   Fax: (206) 463-5484    Email: info@photosafaris.com Copyright © 2008, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc.