**Polar Bears on Foot — Bear Witness Photo, with Photography Workshop Led by Joe Subolefsky**

This is a business-class, bucket-list polar bear experience, delivered the Bear Witness way—small groups, ground-level access, ethical encounters, and personal guiding—with the added benefit of a dedicated photography workshop led by Joe Subolefsky of Wild Shutter Adventures.

Bear Witness Photo handles all guiding, logistics, safety, and pacing, ensuring a seamless and unhurried experience in the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Joe’s role is to deepen your photographic journey—offering hands-on instruction, field coaching, and thoughtful feedback to help elevate both your images and your storytelling.

About Joe
Joe Subolefsky is a renowned wildlife photographer and educator with decades of experience working in wild places around the world.
Website: www.wildshutteradventures.com
Instagram: @joe_subolefsky

The Experience

You’ll photograph polar bears on foot at ground level, observing them as they move along the shoreline, test the forming sea ice, interact with one another, and—when conditions allow—engage in natural behaviours such as sparring, wrestling, and playful cub activity. Working on foot allows for a level of connection and perspective that simply isn’t possible from vehicles alone.

This workshop is built around time and patience—being in the right place, reading behaviour, and letting moments unfold naturally without rushing or interference.

Why This Workshop Is Different

Joe brings a calm, practical teaching style that fits perfectly with Bear Witness’s slow-paced philosophy. Rather than chasing moments, you’ll learn how to anticipate behaviour, work with available light, refine composition, and create images that go beyond documentation.

This is not a rushed shoot or a high-pressure workshop.
It’s a personalized photographic deep dive, layered onto an already premium polar bear experience.

Peak Polar Bear Season

From mid-October to mid-November, polar bears gather near Churchill as Hudson Bay begins to freeze. After months of fasting, they wait for the sea ice to form so they can return to hunting seals. During this time, bears are highly visible and active, offering exceptional opportunities for observation and photography.

Churchill is one of the few places in the world where polar bears tolerate human presence, allowing for safe, ethical, ground-level encounters when conducted properly—something Bear Witness Photo specializes in.

The Bear Witness Standard

• Business-class, low-volume touring

• Ethical, ground-level polar bear encounters

• Personalized photographic instruction

• A seamless, all-inclusive experience

• A true once-in-a-lifetime wildlife journey

This tour is for photographers who want more than just sightings.
It’s for those who want time, space, guidance, and intention—and who want to experience polar bears the right way.

Bear Witness Photo Tours works with a new full sized pickup trucks for a max of 3 guests per vehicle so everyone gets their own window and door to make easy access when you want to quickly get in or out of the truck to make an image.  This gives everyone plenty of space for photography gear and large winter jackets.  The back of the truck gives ample space for tripods and also can act as a bit of a step up if needed to see over a rock or grass when photographing the bears. I bring lunches and coffee with us so we can stay out in comfort till the daylight fades away.  Your vehicle is equipped with oversized tires perfect for the terrain, a lift to give better clearance, towing equipment, shovels, two way radios, first aid kit and a booster battery.

Embark on an extraordinary journey with Bear Witness Photo tours in Churchill, Manitoba, where the rugged beauty of the sub-arctic landscape comes to life. Running for four weeks from October 24th to November 20th, 2026, this exclusive adventure is limited to just nine guests per departure (3 guests and a driver/certified guide per full sized pickup truck)—ensuring an intimate, immersive experience. Join Johnny Hayward and his crew for expert guiding, delving into the heart of polar bear territory, capturing stunning moments that will last a lifetime.

Picture yourself getting on the ground with majestic polar bears, truly connecting with these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. This isn't just a tour; it's a sub-arctic safari experience, where each day is dedicated to exploring and photographing these Arctic giants.

Arrive in beautiful Churchill, Manitoba.

Your polar bear adventure starts midday when the Calm Air flight from Winnipeg arrives. For the guests arriving by plane, We will pick you up at the airport in a clean new full sized pickup truck and bring you to your room at the cozy Bluesky Bed & Sled. After a quick check in, we will head out in the afternoon to search for polar bears until sunset.

NOTE: TIMING OF THE ACTUAL START AND FINISHING OF THE TOUR WILL ONLY BE FINALIZED ONCE THE CALM AIR FLIGHTS ARE ANNOUNCE AND BOOKED.  GUESTS WILL RECEIVE THE AMOUNT OF VIEWING NO MATTER THE TIMING.  

For each of the next four days, our adventure begins with a hot breakfast prepared by one of the finest cooks in the North. Afterward, we will embark on our journey in spacious, full-sized pickups to search for polar bears until sunset. This ground-based tour offers the unique opportunity to observe polar bears at eye level—a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Upon spotting a bear, I will position the vehicle for optimal viewing, and when it is safe, we will step out to photograph these magnificent creatures. With our low guest-to-guide ratio, each guest enjoys a personalized and immersive experience like no other in Churchill.

In addition to polar bears, we may encounter arctic foxes, red foxes, wolves, ptarmigan, eagles, and arctic hares. As daylight fades and we return with a hearty appetite, we'll head back to our cozy home base to enjoy a delightful home-cooked meal, complete with dessert, drinks, and shared stories of the day's adventures.

If conditions permit, we will also venture out to photograph and marvel at the breathtaking Northern Lights—an indescribable natural wonder.

Your tour will end shortly after breakfast to coincide with the return flight to Winnipeg.  We hope you had a trip of a lifetime and love to see you again soon.