Lisa Keller Photography, LLC-Feature Articles

Most people think about going to Churchill, Canada in the fall to photograph the polar bears, but Churchill also has a lot to offer in the spring and summer. Starting in early May a large variety of birds migrate back to Churchill to mate and lay their eggs. During this short breeding season time it is a birders delight.

Towards the end of June the Beluga whales start to head in towards the Hudson Bay area to feed and deliver their calf. The end of June to mid August offers the best time to take a zodiac cruise on the Hudson Bay to view the Beluga whales. While I was there in July, I was fortunate enough to be cruising out on the bay in a zodiac when we came across the placenta floating up to the surface of the water from a newly born baby beluga.

The weather in the summer can reach in to the high 70’s. You might even be lucky enough to see the polar bear’s out taking a swim while your cruising around in the zodiac.

By the end of July a majority of the florae has bloomed for the season. During the months of May – July the arctic tundra is full of a variety of color. Indian fireweed, foxtail & cloudberry’s are found everywhere throughout the tundra. The colors of the lichen on the rocks range from a deep orange, black, different shades of green, pink and cream

All images were photographed last summer towards the end of July and beginning of August 2001 in Churchill, Canada. Camera bodies used were the Nikon F100 and Nikon N80.

For photographing the florae I used the Nikon Micro 105mm f2.8 lens. To photograph the wildlife from the zodiac the Nikon 80-400mm VR lens and the Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 lens were used.

Although the Nikon 80-400mm VR lens is a great lens to use while photographing from a zodiac craft I would not recommend using it for photographing the Beluga whales or swimming polar bears. I found that the lens does not lock in (focus) fast enough with a fast moving subject thus causing some motion to be seen in the slides. I had more accurate results using the Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 lens. This lens could lock on the subject and focus faster then the 80-400mm VR lens.

When photographing the beluga whales from a zodiac or small boat I would recommend having 2 cameras ready, one with an 80-200mm (or up to 400mm) lens and the other with a wider angle lens such as a 35-70mm lens when the whales are close to your vessel.

Natural Habitat (www.nathab.com) offers a variety of tours for “Churchill in the Summer” leaving each week from May – August. The best time for birding is May to June. However, beluga whales are more plentiful in the Hudson Bay between July and early August.