Brad Josephs
Brad is a naturalist interpreter specializing in bear biology and ecology of the planet's northern regions. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks, graduating with a B.S. in wildlife biology in 1999, and worked as a biological research tech on various projects throughout Alaska. Brad was among the first bear-viewing guides along the Alaska Peninsula, and he has guided numerous professional photographers, photography workshops and film crews on expeditions along the remote coast of Katmai National Park. Brad also leads nature expeditions in many other destinations, including Borneo, China, Canada for polar bears and aurora viewing, the Indian Himalayas for snow leopards, and the deserts of Namibia. Brad’s passion for wildlife has also led him on numerous solo adventures throughout the world including trips to Borneo, Central America, the Amazon, China, Africa, Sri Lanka and India.
Brad’s love of bears and wildlife photography was cultivated at a young age while exploring the Canadian Rockies with his father. He believes that guiding and photography can be powerful tools for conservation and building appreciation for the world's wild places. Brad loves to teach others how to capture the beauty of nature—from the steamy rainforest of Borneo to frigid snow leopard habitat in the heights of Asia—by sharing his knowledge of photography and ecology. He recognizes that a compelling image of an animal in its wild habitat is invaluable to secure its conservation.
Check out Brad's blog, Bears & Beyond, to see his extraordinary collection of bear photography and videos, plus trip reports from his worldwide adventures. You can view Brad's latest photography portfolio additions on Instagram at @bradjosephsphotos.
In addition to being a “bear junkie” and wildlife photographer, Brad’s hobbies include botany, gardening and bird watching.
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What’s in Brad's Camera Bag
Camera Bag
Grundens waterproof dry-bag backpack
Camera Equipment
Sony A9 body
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8
Sony 100-400mm GM
Sony 200-600mm
iPhone 10
Post-Processing Software Expertise
Adobe Lightroom
Grundens waterproof dry-bag backpack
Camera Equipment
Sony A9 body
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8
Sony 100-400mm GM
Sony 200-600mm
iPhone 10
Post-Processing Software Expertise
Adobe Lightroom
Upcoming Adventures with Brad:
Praise from Nat Hab Travelers:
L. Cudworth
"Brad's extensive knowledge of the wildlife of the Katmai area brought our awareness of brown bears and their environment to a new level of understanding. We hope and pray that nature guide companies will continue to respect this area and allow the wildlife to live in harmony. We know if Brad has anything to do with this, then they will be safe. We are thankful for his efforts. He is knowledgeable, kind, considerate, thoughtful and he genuinely cared about us and our experience in Katmai. He truly exceeded any expectations we may have had. We will always thank him for giving us the opportunity to share the meadows and beaches with the brown bears and other gentle creatures of Katmai. It has changed our lives forever more."
L. Seymour
"Brad was, without a doubt, one of the very best Expedition Leaders that we have had in over twenty years of both domestic and foreign travel. He not only met our every expectation as a guide in the challenging environment of Churchill, he exceeded them! He shared his vast knowledge of photography under extreme conditions to assist us in obtaining the very best photos of the aurora possible. After experiencing the fantastic light show on the last night, he put photos of that and all of our other activities into a professional quality video that he shared with each of us. Brad went above and beyond as a guide and as a friend on this trip. We are all grateful for his professionalism and dedication to making this trip the outstanding experience that it was. Brad took the extra time and effort to make this trip perfect. Many thanks to Brad and to Nat Hab!"
K. Jenkins
"Brad took the extra time and effort to make this trip perfect."
D. Woods
"Brad was extremely helpful in assisting me with the correct camera settings to fully capture the Aurora Borealis. He also was very knowledgeable regarding the area and was great at storytelling."
D. Watson
"Brad was fantastic! His knowledge of the area and the wildlife was impressive. He communicated very well with us and made sure we got the correct angle for our photos and the best light. He really enjoys what he does, and it really shows! I always felt safe and secure with him and enjoyed our conversations with him. Thank you, Brad!"
D. Sherrell
"Brad took this trip to another level. His knowledge of panda biology gave us a much deeper understanding of these incredible bears. His willingness to answer questions, offer explanation and give insight about what we were seeing was a huge bonus. Brad took the time each day to make sure each person on our trip was having an experience custom made for them. He also has so much energy and patience. Cultural differences can be challenging, so having Brad there made ALL the difference."
E. Letendre
"I LOVED Brad. His passion for the land and creatures was clear, and he employed his knowledge base appropriately as to the depth and timeliness of facts delivered without being overwhelming or preachy. He was a pleasure to be with and very courteous to everyone. He was particularly helpful with helping me get camera tips down, so I was sure to get better shots with him, given my lack of serious training as a photographer."
C. Kelly
"Brad was beyond excellent. He helped us with our cameras to ensure we were able to get the very best pictures our equipment allowed. He taught me a lot about my camera. He is extremely knowledgeable and an excellent spotter. He handled all questions with the utmost professionalism. I hope we can travel with him again!"
"Brad's extensive knowledge of the wildlife of the Katmai area brought our awareness of brown bears and their environment to a new level of understanding. We hope and pray that nature guide companies will continue to respect this area and allow the wildlife to live in harmony. We know if Brad has anything to do with this, then they will be safe. We are thankful for his efforts. He is knowledgeable, kind, considerate, thoughtful and he genuinely cared about us and our experience in Katmai. He truly exceeded any expectations we may have had. We will always thank him for giving us the opportunity to share the meadows and beaches with the brown bears and other gentle creatures of Katmai. It has changed our lives forever more."
L. Seymour
"Brad was, without a doubt, one of the very best Expedition Leaders that we have had in over twenty years of both domestic and foreign travel. He not only met our every expectation as a guide in the challenging environment of Churchill, he exceeded them! He shared his vast knowledge of photography under extreme conditions to assist us in obtaining the very best photos of the aurora possible. After experiencing the fantastic light show on the last night, he put photos of that and all of our other activities into a professional quality video that he shared with each of us. Brad went above and beyond as a guide and as a friend on this trip. We are all grateful for his professionalism and dedication to making this trip the outstanding experience that it was. Brad took the extra time and effort to make this trip perfect. Many thanks to Brad and to Nat Hab!"
K. Jenkins
"Brad took the extra time and effort to make this trip perfect."
D. Woods
"Brad was extremely helpful in assisting me with the correct camera settings to fully capture the Aurora Borealis. He also was very knowledgeable regarding the area and was great at storytelling."
D. Watson
"Brad was fantastic! His knowledge of the area and the wildlife was impressive. He communicated very well with us and made sure we got the correct angle for our photos and the best light. He really enjoys what he does, and it really shows! I always felt safe and secure with him and enjoyed our conversations with him. Thank you, Brad!"
D. Sherrell
"Brad took this trip to another level. His knowledge of panda biology gave us a much deeper understanding of these incredible bears. His willingness to answer questions, offer explanation and give insight about what we were seeing was a huge bonus. Brad took the time each day to make sure each person on our trip was having an experience custom made for them. He also has so much energy and patience. Cultural differences can be challenging, so having Brad there made ALL the difference."
E. Letendre
"I LOVED Brad. His passion for the land and creatures was clear, and he employed his knowledge base appropriately as to the depth and timeliness of facts delivered without being overwhelming or preachy. He was a pleasure to be with and very courteous to everyone. He was particularly helpful with helping me get camera tips down, so I was sure to get better shots with him, given my lack of serious training as a photographer."
C. Kelly
"Brad was beyond excellent. He helped us with our cameras to ensure we were able to get the very best pictures our equipment allowed. He taught me a lot about my camera. He is extremely knowledgeable and an excellent spotter. He handled all questions with the utmost professionalism. I hope we can travel with him again!"
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