There's a version of you behind the camera that you haven't fully met yet.
There is nothing quite like being in the field when the moment you hoped for begins to unfold. A fox kit emerges from the den. A great gray owl lifts from its perch. A bear steps into the river. Sometimes everything happens in seconds. Other times, the photograph comes from staying long after the obvious moment has passed.
I want you to be ready for both.
On my tours, I am not there to hand you my settings or position everyone to make the same photograph. I want to help you recognize what is happening in front of you, the behaviour, the light, the background, the relationships and the possibilities, and decide what you want to do with it.
That might mean helping you react quickly when the action changes. It might mean noticing a composition you haven't considered, working through a technical problem, or recognizing that the photograph worth waiting for hasn't happened yet.
And while we are in the field, my priority is your photography, not mine.
I am watching what is happening around us, what you're seeing, where you may be struggling and where I can help. With groups intentionally kept small, I have the time to work with each photographer individually rather than simply leading everyone to a location and leaving them to figure it out.
My background as both a wildlife photographer and an educator shapes the way I guide. I have spent more than 25 years teaching, and I know that photographers don't all learn the same way or arrive with the same experience. Some need help gaining confidence with their equipment. Others already have considerable technical skill and want to push their compositions, field decisions or the way they interpret an encounter.
I meet you where you are.
Because the goal isn't for you to come home with my photographs. It is for you to come home with yours.
The pace is unhurried. The groups are small. The access is real.
No excessively long hikes under heavy gear. No group so large you disappear into it. Just enough space to notice what's happening in front of you and stay with it a little longer than most people would.
Because sometimes the photograph isn't the obvious one. It's the one that shows up after everyone else has already moved on. The one that asks you to wait.
And because a photograph is never just a photograph, we'll talk about what happens behind the image too.
Ethical field practices. Conservation. The difference between a photo that's easy to take and one that still means something years from now.
What you'll leave with:
- A deeper understanding of light, wildlife behaviour, and composition
- Real confidence in the decisions you make in the field
- Images you're genuinely proud of, and the skills to keep improving
- A stronger sense of the photographic voice you're already building
- A better understanding of how to move beyond the obvious photograph
- A deeper appreciation for the wildlife you've spent time with and the stories your photographs can tell
What my clients say about the experience
"Thank you, Donna, for giving me such an excellent introduction to wildlife photography and leading one of the most amazing tours of my life!" - Tonya, New York
"If anyone is searching for a guide with exceptional photographic talent, extensive knowledge of animal behaviour, and dedication to the animals’ well-being, there is not better person." - Megan, Ontario
"Thank you so much for the remarkable wildlife encounters, your patience and wonderful guidance. We had an excellent trip." - Donnie, Ontario
“Donna, your dedication to creating unique experiences and providing personal attention is truly inspiring. You're an incredible photographer and instructor!”- Monica, New Brunswick
