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Category: Wildlife Photography

Photography focused on wildlife

Bald eagles and close encounters of the bird kind

November 9, 2025Written by tganner

I had the joy and privilege of being the camp host of the Chilkoot Lake campground for a few years after the pandemic. It was a wonderful time to assume that role of stewardship. The campground was relatively quiet after the international quarantine. It afforded me the opportunity to enjoy bicycling, kayaking, fishing, and generally […]

Nature Photography, Travel, Wildlife Photography

Portraits of a Chilkoot bear | Celebrating the life of Speedy

September 24, 2020Written by tganner

11 Comments

Portraits of a Chilkoot bear | Celebrating the life of Speedy

My first tribute to our missing Chilkoot mama bear named Speedy, was very well received by her many fans. As such I feel compelled to expand upon the original offering and include many photos that did not make the first cut. I started compiling these photos a few weeks ago and had delayed adding comments […]

Nature Photography, Photography, Wildlife Photography Alaska, bear, brown bear, Chilkoot, grizzly bear, Haines, Sp;eedy

Chilkoot Bear | A celebration of the life of Speedy

September 2, 2020Written by tganner

14 Comments

Chilkoot Bear | A celebration of the life of Speedy

For many years and to the enjoyment of countless visitors, the star of the Chilkoot corridor has been a coastal brown bear (essentially a grizzly bear) sow known locally as “Speedy.” This Chilkoot bear was so named many years ago in awe of the great distance she might cover in a short time. Speedy has […]

Nature Photography, Photography, Travel, Wildlife Photography

News from the Chilkoot

August 15, 2019Written by tganner

2 Comments

It has been an interesting and unusual year in the Chilkoot River corridor. With the advent of the pink salmon migration and the emergence of our brown bears I would like to share some news of the season. About the Chilkoot The Chilkoot watershed lies north of Haines Alaska and comprises approximately 100 square miles […]

Nature Photography, Photography, Travel, Wildlife Photography

Excellent private tour of Haines! Our family visited Haines and we were lucky to be able to see it with Mr. Tom Ganner. He was a very gracious host. He met us at the ferry terminal and was the perfect guide. He is knowledgeable, kind and introduced us to his beautiful city. He covered both the cultural aspects of the area as well as the State Parks in the area. He is a professional photographer and took us to spots from where we could admire natural beauty. We also had time to explore the downtown area. He finally dropped us back to our ferry terminal to Skagway. We couldn’t have asked for anything more. I will highly recommend Mr. Ganner’s services.
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Maninder K 8/18/2025
We love it! Took a small group photo tour with Tom Ganner and it was the highlight of our trip. He was a wonderful instructor. Took us to great ohoto locations around Haines, helped us with camera settings and setting up an exceptional picture. He was also informative about the area and had a fun sense of humor. Strongly recommend this tour if you are in the Haines, AK area!!
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Diana M 7/31/2024
Great Day in Haines Found Tom through a Google search. I wanted something more personal than the Eagle preserve float trip that we had already booked. From the start, Tom was easy to communicate with and very informative. We were able to spend about 5.5 hrs with Tom touring all around Chilkoot State Park and the Haines area. Even lucky enough to see the view from Tom’s back deck when he forgot his very phone prior to our tour( Lucky us- incredible view!!!! ). We saw tons of eagles and breathtaking scenery all around. I highly recommend contacting him for a personalized tour when in Haines. We arrived on the Ruby Princess June 14,2024
The Carters and the Ragons
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Ricky C 10/23/2024
A great day in Haines! Tom Ganner was a great tour guide for us while we were in Haines! He picked me, my wife and father-in-law up at the ferry and whisked us away to some excellent bear and eagle photo spots. Tom's knowledge of the local nature, culture and photography spots are excellent. He was super friendly and helped me get some nice photos that I wouldn't have otherwise been able to get in such a short time on the ground. We especially loved the flexibility we had with Tom, being able to decide what we wanted to do with the time rather than being lumped into a larger group in a van.
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Cosmopolitan294209 9/25/2024
A wonderful day in Haines with Tom G After not getting to see anything in Haines on a trip over 25 years ago, we finally got the chance to come back and wanted to do things right. Tom seemed like the perfect guide to help us and he was. Very knowledgeable and loved his photography setup tips. It was our most favorite stop on a 12-day Alaska/Canada cruise.
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Ivy E 6/28/2026
The Best Photography Outing of My Alaska Cruise As someone who’s really into nature photography, I planned my Alaska cruise hoping to capture as much of Southeast Alaska’s wild beauty as I could. I was traveling with my family on one of the big cruise ships, and Haines was one of our stops. It quickly became my favorite part of the trip—and that’s all thanks to Tom Ganner Photography.

Right from the start, Tom was awesome to work with. He got back to me quickly when I asked about a date in May and helped me plan an outing that fit perfectly into the short time I had while in port. He really got what I was looking for and made sure I got the most out of the day.

Tom knows Haines and the surrounding area inside and out. He took me to some incredible, off-the-beaten-path spots that most visitors don’t get to see—places full of wildlife and stunning landscapes. Every stop felt purposeful and just what I wanted to experience.

What really stuck with me was how much Tom cares. He listens closely to what you want and goes out of his way to help you reach your goals, whether it’s landscapes, wildlife, or both. He’s generous with his knowledge—not just about the local nature and culture, but about photography too. I didn’t just leave with great photos—I learned new techniques and ideas.

Tom clearly loves what he does. Our outing was so engaging that we went over the planned time, but he still made sure I got back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. That kind of care and professionalism made the whole experience stress-free and even more memorable.

Tom’s more than a guide—he’s a storyteller, a teacher, and someone who really respects the land he calls home. If you’re visiting Haines—especially on a cruise—I recommend booking with Tom. You’ll come away with amazing photos, great memories, and a real connection to the place.
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Odyssey60696654092 6/06/2025
The day started at 6.30 am and had watched 8 Bears fishing by 8am. We also saw about 30 Bald Eagles and a tour of Haines Tom is a very interesting person who has also been a teacher in the past. He is passionate about both wildlife and photography so his guidance was invaluable in getting the best results from our experience. However, his knowledge is also much broader and we would definitely recommend him to anyone visiting Haines
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Sunshine60338478290 9/21/2024
Bears, landscape, totems, oh my! Epic day. I can’t say enough about our day trip with Tom! He was very educated on the history and geography of Haines. As a photographer I appreciated his skill and art, but mostly his ethical and mindfulness of protecting nature and wildlife. We were lucky enough to see and photograph a local bear which was amazing. Tom was quick to share his technical expertise as well as composition suggestions. It was private without the crowds and we all enjoyed it immensely. Thank you so much Tom Ganner Photography. We highly recommend!!!
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Jamie B 8/27/2024
Forget the cruise ship tours, Tom is the real deal My wife and I had the pleasure of taking a private nature and photography tour with Tom, and it was an unforgettable experience. His depth of knowledge about the local wildlife, natural surroundings, and the rich history of the area was truly outstanding. Tom's enthusiasm and passion for Nature were contagious—he was fully engaged, personable, and genuinely committed to making our experience special. We came away with not only incredible photos( using our I phone) but also a much deeper appreciation for the region. Highly recommended!
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Ed M 5/21/2025
Best of Haines Haines is real Alaska, a beautiful place. Tom Ganner was a wonderful host showing us many sites not typically visited but regular tours. He listened to our wishes and we had a great day together. We left with terrific memories and beautiful photographs. I highly recommend Tom.
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Joe C 8/20/2024