Loon Photography Tour
2026 Tour Dates
Tour 1 | June 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Participants: 3
- Total time: 3 days, 3 nights
- Cost: $1,950
- Arrival on May 31st after 3 pm
- Each day, participants will experience one morning and one evening session with a midday break
- If the weather permits, participants will photograph during a total of 5 sessions throughout the tour
- Each session is 3 to 3.5 hours long, morning and evening, approximately 6 hours daily
- Participant departs after the morning session on June 3rd (before 11 am)
- A deposit of $1,000 (non-refundable) to hold your spot must be paid
- Balance due upon arrival
Tour 2 | June 4th, 5th
- Participants: 3
- Total time: 2 days, 2 nights
- Cost: $1,300
- Arrival on June 3rd after 3 pm
- Each day, participants will experience one morning and one evening session with a midday break
- If weather permits, participants will photograph during a total of 3 sessions throughout the tour
- Each session is 3 to 3.5 hours long, morning and evening, approximately 6 hours daily
- Participant departs after the morning session on June 5th (before 11 am)
- A deposit of $650 (non-refundable) to hold your spot must be paid
Tour 3 | June 8th, 9th, 10th
- Participants: 3
- Total time: 3 days, 3 nights
- Cost: $1,950
- Arrival on June 7th after 3 pm
- Each day, participants will experience one morning and one evening session with a midday break
- If the weather permits, participants will photograph during a total of 5 sessions throughout the tour
- Each session is 3 to 3.5 hours long, morning and evening, approximately 6 hours daily
- Participant departs after the morning session on June 10th (before 11 am)
- A deposit of $1000 (non-refundable) to hold your spot must be paid
- Balance due upon arrival
Tour 4 | June 11th, 12th
- Participants: 3
- Total time: 2 days, 2 nights
- Cost: $1,300
- Arrival on June 10th after 3 pm
- Each day, participants will experience one morning and one evening session with a midday break
- If the weather permits, participants will photograph during a total of 3 sessions throughout the tour
- Each session is 3 to 3.5 hours long, morning and evening, approximately 6 hours daily
- Participant departs after the morning session on June 12th (before 11 am)
- A deposit of $650 (non-refundable) to hold your spot must be paid
- Balance due upon arrival
- Wildlife Photography
Loon Photography Tour
About this Experience
The author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela is proud to offer a world-class loon photography tour. His experience as an avian biologist will help ensure a successful photo tour, allowing you to capture amazing images of these fascinating birds. Stan has authored three books on loons and has been photographing loons on Minnesota’s lakes for nearly 40 years.
Each year, over a dozen loons nest at the lake. Each session offers the opportunity to capture the iconic loon amidst its natural habitat, with different-colored waters, backgrounds, and vegetation. Every day is a new opportunity to experience an array of loon behavior: flying, landing, preening, and taking off. You will have the opportunity to capture loon babies at different stages of growth, from riding on the backs of adults to venturing off on their own.
Stan has a large custom pontoon boat to get you down low to the waters level. Not everyone can lay down due to physical conditions, so you have a choice to sit in comfortable chairs, sit on a floor for lower perspective, or lay down prone for low-level perspective. Padded mats to lay or sit upon and bean bags will be provided for you and your camera. A gimble mount may be beneficial.
For those looking to get a truly unique shot, a special “camera float” is available to capture photos at full water level. Stan has built a custom floating platform that allows you to safely support your camera and lens just one inch above the water level for the most incredible images. You will have to see this to believe it.
- Lodging; private bedroom in large 4-bedroom house with shared bathroom, kitchen and common room
- Transportation between lodging and boat
- Large pontoon boat with enough room to bring all camera equipment
- Guide and boat Captain with extensive knowledge of where the loons are located
- Bottled water, coffee, & breakfast bars
- Transportation to workshop location
- Food, lunch and dinner
- Drinks
- Gratuity
- Limited single occupancy upon request
- Private studio apartment (pictures available upon request)
- One person or one couple
- Additional costs, tours 1 & 3 ($300), tours 2 & 4 ($200)
- Dress in layers even if it looks like it will be a warm day, it is often cold enough to require heavy jacket, hats, gloves
- Sunscreen
- Hat, sunglasses
- Bug spray
- Rain jacket/windbreaker
You must be in good general physical condition and health to participate. Participants must be able to walk to the boat, and board the boat without assistance. Must be able to carry your own camera gear. There are no exceptions to these physical requirements.
Contact Stan at stan@naturesmart.com for more information.
