Motherhood looks a little different in the wild, but the heart of it feels familiar. Brown bear mothers are fearless providers, foraging, fishing, and guiding their cubs through the changing seasons with patience and persistence.
They are also fierce protectors, keeping their cubs close while giving them room to tumble, explore, wrestle, and grow. Every lesson and watchful moment is part of the deep bond between mother and cub.
This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating that bond with a gallery of brown bear mothers and their young. For those who dream of photographing bears in the wild, there is just one spot remaining on this summer’s Katmai, Alaska photography journey, a rare chance to safely observe and photograph these remarkable animals in one of the world’s great wilderness settings.
Earlier this month I traveled to Patagonia with some dear friends. We had several leisurely days touring and photographing Torres del Paine. Unfortunately, the puma had left the area we were in, but no matter. The mountain scenery more than made up for not seeing the cats. There were herds of guanacos camouflaged in the grassland steppe, as well as foxes, and the Andean condors were out in full force. Their size is remarkable, they absolutely dwarf the flocks of crested caracaras.
Moving on to Argentina, autumn color was on full swing in Los Glaciares National Park. One morning at the crack of dawn we hiked in two miles to see Perito Moreno glacier. Once a stable glacier, it has entered a phase of rapid retreat and thinning. Back in 2013 I photographed the glacier (with much less success due to the sun low on the horizon) from nearly the same spot. The trip was capped off by visiting the traditional neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and tango lessons—not really, but it is everywhere!
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina 2013Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina 2026
We’ve been fortunate to publish some truly extraordinary, award-winning books with Mandala / Earth Aware, including Earth Is My Witness, Trees, Human Canvas, Wild Lives, and more.
Coming this October isActs of Faith, a stunning and uplifting portrait of global rituals, festivals, and other faith-based traditions from around the world.
I’m especially excited about this book,ACTS of FAITH: The Beauty of Belief. I pour my heart and soul into projects like this, and seeing them make their way through the long, careful publishing process is always incredibly rewarding.
Preorder your copy today and you’ll also receive a beautiful bonus print, suitable for framing.
We’ve experienced three very different photo journeys already this year.
It started off with a terrific safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti, where we were lucky to be in a less-visited area of the park. It was lush and green and full of wildlife. In February, we returned to Japan to see the playful snow monkeys, then headed north to Hokkaido, one of my favorite places on the planet. And last, in March, we led a workshop in Morocco, a stunning country of rugged mountains, undulating Saharan dunes, and colorful cities.
I recorded a podcast with fellow photographer Mitch Stringer about Morocco. Have a listen here!
There are photo workshops, and then there are truly once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Next April, Art Wolfe invites one final traveler to join an extraordinary photographic journey beyond Earth itself: a luxury expedition to the Moon.
Designed in the spirit of our signature tours, this remarkable experience combines expert instruction, breathtaking landscapes, and the rare chance to photograph some of the most iconic terrain in the solar system. From the stark beauty of the Sea of Tranquility to the dramatic rim views of ancient lunar craters, each stop has been crafted for photographers who want to capture something few have ever seen firsthand.
Cmdr. Karl Voss will guide participants through the process of preparing for their journey to the moon.
The journey is led by a seasoned astronaut guide and supported by a noted lunar tourism expert, offering a thoughtful blend of exploration, education, and creative inspiration. Guests can expect a carefully planned itinerary, premium accommodations, and the kind of access and attention to detail that define every Art Wolfe adventure, even if this one happens to be 238,900 miles from home.
There is now just one spot left on this unforgettable workshop. If you have ever wanted to take your photography to new heights, this may be the ultimate opportunity.
Since I spend so much time traveling to lead photo tours and workshops, I’m asked this question often: When is the best time to book flights?
It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that there is no single rule that works every time. Airfare has become increasingly unpredictable, and today there can be real advantages and disadvantages to both booking early and waiting a bit longer. Add in global instability, shifting fuel costs, and economic uncertainty, and the picture becomes even less straightforward.
That said, here is the general guidance my staff and I have found most useful:
Advantages of Booking Early
Booking earlier can offer a few clear benefits. First, there is the peace of mind that comes from having your flights secured and one more detail checked off your list. In some cases, booking early may also mean a better fare, particularly if prices continue to rise due to broader political or economic pressures. It also usually gives you the best selection of flight times, seat choices, and more efficient routing.
Disadvantages of Booking Early
At the same time, booking too far in advance is not always the best strategy. Data often shows that the lowest fares appear within a “golden window,” rather than many months ahead, so purchasing six or more months early can sometimes mean paying more than necessary.
There is also the possibility that prices will drop after you purchase, leaving you to track fare changes and negotiate with the airline for a credit or reimbursement. Early booking can also reduce flexibility if your plans shift, or if the airline changes its schedule. Flight times can move, aircraft can be swapped out, seating can change, and partner-airline connections may be affected, sometimes resulting in longer or less convenient itineraries.
The General “Sweet Spot”
As a rule of thumb, the timing that tends to work best is:
Domestic flights: about 1–3 months in advance
International flights: about 2–5 months in advance
The biggest exception is peak travel periods. If you are traveling during holidays, majo
r vacation seasons, or other especially busy times, it is usually wise to book well ahead.
Our Practical Take
Even with all the data, booking flights can still feel a bit like a gamble. Over the past year and a half, my team and I have spent so much time adjusting flights, or dealing with airline schedule changes, that any savings from booking very early have often been offset by the inconvenience.
Because of that, we have become more cautious about locking in flights too far ahead. These days, we often find ourselves booking in that 1–3 month window, depending on the destination and time of year.
In the end, there is no perfect formula, but a thoughtful balance of timing, flexibility, and tolerance for risk usually leads to the best outcome.
A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming a team from Epson to the studio for a behind-the-scenes shoot as part of an upcoming marketing campaign. It was a fun and energetic day, with cameras capturing the workflow, the environment, and the small details that make the studio tick. Having an outside team document the process offered a fresh perspective on the work that happens here every day.
During the visit, my long-time photo editor teamed up with Epson’s long-time marketing manager of professional imaging to review a selection of images from the studio. Together they carefully chose the photographs they felt would best showcase the qualities of Epson Hot Press Bright Paper. The process sparked plenty of great conversation about tonal depth, texture, and the subtle details that come alive when the right image meets the right paper.
We thought it would be fun to share the fruits of that collaboration with you. There’s always something special about seeing photographs move from screen to print, and it’s especially rewarding when the results are this beautiful. No matter how many times it happens, there’s still a bit of excitement in holding a finished print and appreciating the craftsmanship that brings an image fully to life.
February in Japan has quietly become a bit of a tradition for me. I keep telling myself I’ll skip a year, and somehow I end up back there again with a camera in hand. The snow monkeys are the main reason. Watching them soak in steaming hot springs while snow falls around them is one of those scenes that never loses its appeal. Pink faces, white snow, and rising steam create images that practically compose themselves. The monkeys are wonderfully expressive and endlessly entertaining to photograph.
From there we head north to Hokkaido. In Kushiro Shitsugen National Park the red crowned cranes gather across the winter fields and wetlands. At sunrise they bow, leap, and call to one another in slow, deliberate movements. Mist and soft golden light fill the landscape and every moment feels carefully choreographed. It is quiet, beautiful, and incredibly rewarding for photographers.
Nearby we spend time with whooper swans drifting across icy lakes and wetlands. Their bright white feathers and long necks create elegant shapes on the water, and the reflections can be spectacular in calm conditions. It is one of those locations where every direction offers a new composition.
Then we travel to the Shiretoko Peninsula where the drift ice brings in one of the most impressive birds in the world, the Steller’s sea eagle. These birds are enormous, powerful, and unforgettable to watch in flight. From the boat we photograph them soaring, circling, and diving down to the ice to grab fish. It is dramatic wildlife photography at its finest.
Japan is an incredibly welcoming and beautiful country to explore, and it is a place I return to again and again. This November I will be leading another journey in Kyoto during the height of autumn color. Temples, gardens, and vibrant foliage make it one of the most visually stunning seasons in Japan and a wonderful place to explore with a camera.
We have Epson in the studio today for a behind-the-scenes shoot, which is always fun. We have a great relationship with their team. People sometimes assume the hard part is getting the shot. That’s only half of it. If the print doesn’t hold the depth, subtle color shifts, and fine detail I saw in the field, then the photograph isn’t finished. That’s why I’ve worked so closely with Epson for years. Their printers and archival inks let us reproduce the full tonal range with rich blacks, delicate highlights, and those nuanced colors that can easily get lost.
In the studio, every print is proofed, adjusted, and inspected. I want someone standing in front of a finished piece to feel like they’ve stepped into the landscape with me. Epson’s large-format printers and fine art papers give us that level of control and consistency, print after print.
I’ve always believed the print is the final expression of a photograph. It’s not just ink on paper but the culmination of the entire journey, from fieldwork to darkroom to wall. Working with partners who care about craftsmanship as much as I do makes that possible.
While you’re here, check out my video with Richard Young where we printed photographs from New Zealand. Gavriel and I will be joining Richard to lead a tour through New Zealand’s falls season which takes place in just a couple months, when many of us will be ushering in the spring. Space still remains on this trip, and participants will receive a 16×20 fine art print to celebrate this collaboration with Epson!
In January we had a terrific safari in the Serengeti. We were lucky to be in a less-visited area of wide-open plains scattered with granite hills–classic scenes of East Africa. It is on these exact rocky outcrops where the action lies, for leopards and lions lie up here, awaiting you to discover them in the early mornings. And when you do find them, it is the quintessential African scene, large cats poised on the precipice of rocky outcrops overlooking open plains. It is Africa defined and it is photographic heaven.
Then we moved on to the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti to witness the wildebeest calving season. More than half a million wildebeests converge here to give birth, flooding the landscape with life and attracting a full cast of predators in their wake. Mixed in with the activity of the big cats are elephants, giraffe, zebras, and hyenas. We were able to travel where there was more wildlife and fewer vehicles, a rare luxury for any wildlife experience in East Africa today.
If you’re interested in joining me on my next great adventure, I’ve got a couple fantastic trips coming up, including a return to New Zealand for what is their fall color season at the end of April. My last trip there was fantastic and with fall weather and autumn hues, this one is sure to check a lot of boxes for myself and our participants!
There are photo workshops, and then there are truly once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Next April, Art Wolfe invites one final traveler to join an extraordinary photographic journey beyond Earth itself: a luxury 
