{"id":105931,"date":"2024-10-02T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-02T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=105931"},"modified":"2024-10-07T13:02:19","modified_gmt":"2024-10-07T17:02:19","slug":"protecting-alaskas-brown-bears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/protecting-alaskas-brown-bears\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Couple Using Photography and Wilderness Guiding to Protect Alaska\u2019s Brown Bears"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When passion meets partnership, magic unfolds\u2014and few couples illustrate this like bear photographers Jessica Morgan<\/a> and Mike Hillman<\/a>. The adventurous duo met as guides in the wilderness in 2019, then quickly bonded over their love for imagery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward half a decade, and Morgan and Hillman, now married, are expedition leaders at sustainable tourism outfitter Natural Habitat Adventures\u2019 Alaska Bear Camp<\/a>, a remote safari getaway on a private Chinitna Bay-front homestead flanked by Lake Clark National Park. This mountain-view escape is an enviable outpost for any wildlife lover. For bear photographers, it\u2019s the ultimate dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image taken by Mike Hillman of the Alaska-Brooks Falls in Katmai <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSouth-central Alaska is the best place in North America to photograph brown bears,\u201d says Hillman, noting the region, set at the base of the Alaskan Peninsula, brims with salmon-filled rivers and sedge meadows\u2014two food sources that allure the enormous animals made famous by the beloved annual Fat Bear Week, which takes place just south of Bear Camp at Katmai National Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hillman and Morgan spend their working hours leading guests to safely admire the bears, and their off days and hours out in the field photographing them. Using tourism and photography to protect the animals against growing threats, particularly mining, has become their shared mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this article, we sat down with Morgan and Hillman to learn how they built a strong\u2014and dare we say #couplegoals\u2014partnership around wildlife photography, including how they fell in love with brown bears, how their guiding careers bolster their photography work, and how travelers (particularly photographers) can use their adventures to support the fuzzy giants, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image of Mike Hillman & Jessica Morgan ABC 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Falling head over hiking boots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In late 2019, Morgan and Hillman were independently pursuing their own adventure-guiding careers\u2014her in the bear country of Yellowstone, him as a Natural Habitat Adventures (NatHab) guide leading trips to see everything from Churchill polar bears to Katmai brown bears. Fate brought these bear lovers together when Morgan was hired to drive Hillman\u2019s group around Yellowstone in a snow-coach vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She secretly hoped the day would lead to her getting a job with well-respected NatHab, the World Wildlife Fund\u2019s travel partner. Little did Morgan know that gig would lead to much, much more. \u201cIt was instant sparks,\u201d she recalls of first meeting Hillman. He felt it, too, and accidentally (but not-so-accidentally) left his water bottle on the bus at the end of the day\u2014a move that meant she had to find him to return it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair started dating soon after that, then quarantined during the pandemic together in Morgan\u2019s home base, Tucson, where their shared passion for photography provided a reprieve from lockdown and ultimately helped their relationship bloom. \u201cWe were both already very into photography, and I think it almost enhanced when we met each other,\u201d Morgan says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many say the right life partner will help you become the best version of yourself; Hillman and Morgan learned their love could bolster their photography skills, too. \u201cShe has such a better photographic eye than I do; it\u2019s awesome when you can go out [photographing] with someone you know so well and get to see what they come back with,\u201d he says. \u201cShe has this artistic view of looking at landscapes and zooming in; it\u2019s really pushed my photography. I would not even be close to the photographer I am today without her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"brown
Image by Mike Hillman ABC 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A move to bear country<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While Morgan and Hillman had separate bear photography backgrounds, 2022 presented an opportunity for the pair to grow this passion together. That year, NatHab took over the operations of Alaska Bear Camp; they run it almost like an African safari getaway, where guests sleep in the wilderness in glamping tents (protected by an electric fence), then go out on foot or safari vehicles with expert guides to search for the fuzzy bruins. Sometimes, you can even spot the bears from camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To effectively operate this kind of experience, NatHab needed to find the right guides; Morgan and Hillman were obvious fits. The duo uprooted and temporarily moved to the far-flung fringes of Lake Clark National Park, reached via a tiny bush plane from Homer, where they\u2019ve spent the past few summers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jessica
Jessica Morgan Lake Clark Bear 101 and Jam and Cornbread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Guiding has helped Morgan and Hillman learn the behaviors of these bears intimately. The knowledge is essential for keeping guests safe out in the wild; it also complements their photography. \u201cWhen it comes to photographing any animal, you have to be a bit of a biologist and understand their behavior\u2014and you have to be not photographing, just observing, them for a while,\u201d Morgan says. \u201cAfter months and months of living in their habitat, you get to see their behavior, and it becomes way more predictable than you\u2019d probably think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hillman agrees: \u201cBears are fascinating in that, for the most part, they tell you what they\u2019re going to do. You can make predictions based on the situation. If they\u2019re trying to get away from another bear or go toward one, or if they\u2019re looking for food or trying to retreat for rest in the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"brown
Image taken by Mike Hillman ABC Bear 101 and Jam and Cornbread<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Protecting Alaska\u2019s threatened brown bears<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaking it\u201d solely as a wildlife photographer can be tough, but Morgan and Hillman have found that building a career that blends guiding and photography can be fruitful and fulfilling. \u201cIn today\u2019s modern age, it\u2019s so much harder to become a professional photographer in the general sense; a lot of photographers I\u2019ve met and talked with, we all have different ways that we get revenue through photography,\u201d Hillman says. \u201cFor Jessica [Morgan] and me, it\u2019s a lot of guiding and teaching photography to guests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair use their photographic backgrounds to help guests nail their shots, whether it\u2019s navigating camera settings, considering composition, or using the scopes for a smartphone close-up. They also capitalize on these opportunities to help guests safeguard the bears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The power of social media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe encourage our guests and guides to use the photos they get in these places to get the word out through social media, to their friends, local camera clubs,\u201d says Hillman, noting that talking about these issues and using photos to illustrate the importance can be powerful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image taken by Mike Hillman ABC 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This influence is particularly important as the bears of south-central Alaska face threat after threat from potential mining projects\u2014including a new proposal for a mine within Lake Clark National Park<\/a>, which would greatly disrupt the ecosystem these bears rely on. Guiding and bringing sustainable tourism to these regions can illustrate the value of protecting the region\u2019s flora and fauna. \u201cThis is huge because it shows how Alaska has a sustainable way to make money in these landscapes that aren\u2019t so extractive like mining,\u201d Hillman says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way they suggest using photography for good is<\/a> by <\/span>sharing pro-bono imagery with nonprofits. \u201cI\u2019ll reach out to conservation organizations and say, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m a photographer with his collection of photos\u2014can I donate them to your organization for blog posts, newsletters, and fundraising campaigns?\u2019\u2019\u2019 Hillman says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image taken by Jessica Morgan at Chinitna Bay Lake Clark. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Expert bear photography tips <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hillman and Morgan have careers that include not only photographing Alaska\u2019s brown bears but also helping guests do the same. We asked for their advice on capturing stand-out bear images; here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, learn your camera before stepping foot in bear country. \u201cThese moments are fleeting, and if you\u2019re getting frustrated with your equipment because you didn\u2019t learn it, that can ruin your time,\u201d Morgan says. Practicing can be as simple as photographing your dog or backyard critters. She also recommends understanding not only your camera but also your tripod before hitting the field. \u201cI\u2019ve seen so many times where it just gets in the way, or [guests are] being loud with it or bumping into people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, Hillman suggests thinking beyond the zoomed-in wildlife shot. \u201cI see a lot of folks that have their camera zoomed into its furthest degree. That cuts off the paw or a bit of the rump\u2014and you can fix that by taking a breather and realizing you don\u2019t always have to be all the way zoomed,\u201d he says. \u201cWidening the field of view can help you fully frame the bear and maybe fit in some of the landscape behind it. And, zooming in too far, depending on your camera, can mean you lose quality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image taken by Mike Hillman at Kodiak Island National Wildlife Refuge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hillman also recommends looking for a wildlife camera with animal eye autofocus<\/a>\u2014a feature that works particularly well on brown bears. \u201cThey have that dark spot for their eye, and they also have this dark spot on the inner part of their eye, and autofocus sometimes picks that up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gear used to capture the wild<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of gear, Hillman and Morgan, like any good photography couple, use the same system\u2014Sony A1 cameras<\/a>\u2014so they can share their robust kit of lenses, which include a handful of wide-angles as well as Morgan\u2019s go-to, the Sony 100-400mm lens<\/a>, and Hillman\u2019s tried-and-true Sony 200-600mm lens<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risks of bear photography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now, given brown bears are wild animals, it\u2019s important to prioritize bear safety over bear photography\u2014particularly if you\u2019re traveling without expert guides. For starters, always touch base with the nearest backcountry station or visitor center before heading into the wilderness. It\u2019s better to travel in groups instead of solo and always carry deterrent like bear spray (and learn how to use it), says Morgan. \u201cBe vocal and watch their behavior,\u201d she continues. \u201cAnd always bring your long lens. You don\u2019t need to be getting close to get wide-angle shots of a bear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Craving more bear-photography inspiration? Head just south of Morgan and Hillman\u2019s Lake Clark National Park summer hangout to <\/em>explore brown bears in Katmai National Park with photographer Melissa Findley<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When passion meets partnership, magic unfolds\u2014and few couples illustrate this like bear photographers Jessica Morgan and Mike Hillman. The adventurous duo met as guides in the wilderness in 2019, then quickly bonded over their love for imagery.  Fast forward half a decade, and Morgan and Hillman, now married, are expedition leaders at sustainable tourism outfitter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11111174,"featured_media":105934,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17770,17780],"tags":[18578,18493],"class_list":["post-105931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photography","category-photography-tips","tag-bear-photography-tips","tag-photographing-brown-bears"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWays Photography and Guides Help Protect Alaska's Brown Bears<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bear photographers Jessica Morgan and Mike Hillman, who lead expeditions, have dedicated themselves to safeguarding brown bears from increasing 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