Eddy Savage
Born and raised on Vancouver Island in Sidney, BC and now living in Victoria, Eddy has a passion for exploring the wild. But his love of sharing nature with others is what drove him to become a naturalist specializing in Canada’s fauna, flora and ecology. Eddy’s enthusiasm, experience and knowledge shine through as he interprets all the wonders of the Canadian Arctic with Nat Hab guests on our Churchill polar bear adventures. As a high school student who had never been camping before, Eddy signed up for an outdoor education program where he learned no-trace camping ethics, backpacking and canoeing skills. During this experience, Eddy realized he wanted to spend as much time as possible in the wilderness among wildlife. Contemplating a plan for his university studies, he stumbled across a pamphlet for an adventure tourism program at a local college. He completed a two-year degree in Adventure Tourism at North Island College, specializing in coastal British Columbia.The wilds of BC were Eddy's first guiding focus, leading multi-day sea kayak expeditions and teaching guests about marine wildlife including the plentiful orcas swimming off the east coast of Vancouver Island. He spent four years as a naturalist guide in the Great Bear Rainforest, sharing his love of wilderness, grizzly bears and whales with visitors from around the globe. Eddy has since received full guide certification from the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of BC and is a board member and field assistant for the Brown Bear Research Network. Joining Nat Hab, Eddy's focus expanded to Churchill and northern Manitoba, where he guides polar bear expeditions, northern lights adventures and summertime forays with beluga whales in the Churchill River.
Eddy credits the outdoor education program at his high school for leading him toward his career as a naturalist guide and educator. To give back, he volunteers as a trip leader for the same school trips that helped set his course. And when he isn’t guiding, this sea-kayaking, canoeing and backpacking enthusiast spends his free time immersed in the outdoors. Passionate about nature and wildlife photography, Eddy admits that he lugs his big camera and a range of lenses on 40- to 50-mile hikes just to make sure he doesn’t miss anything.
You can view Eddy's latest photography portfolio additions on Instagram at @eddysavagephoto and Facebook at @eddysavagebc.
Enjoy this selection of Eddy's nature photography:
Slideshow Version : old
What's in Eddy's Camera Bag?
Camera Bag
Mountainsmith Parallax Camera Backpack
Camera Equipment
Nikon Z6 body & FTZ adapter
Nikon D7200 body
Nikkor DX 10.5mm Fisheye (Northern Lights & Night Photography)
Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8
Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4
Nikkor 300mm f/4
Sigma 150-600mm f/5.6-6.3
Manfrotto 190X with ball head
Samsung Galaxy S20
Post-Processing Software
Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Lightroom
Mountainsmith Parallax Camera Backpack
Camera Equipment
Nikon Z6 body & FTZ adapter
Nikon D7200 body
Nikkor DX 10.5mm Fisheye (Northern Lights & Night Photography)
Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8
Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4
Nikkor 300mm f/4
Sigma 150-600mm f/5.6-6.3
Manfrotto 190X with ball head
Samsung Galaxy S20
Post-Processing Software
Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Lightroom
Upcoming Adventures with Eddy:
Praise From Nat Hab Travelers:
S. Lytle
"Knowledgeable, fun-loving, kindhearted, flexible, caring, adaptable, attentive to details, a problem-solver, inquisitive and an environmentalist are just a few of the adjectives that best describe our Expedition Leader. Eddy enthusiastically shared his love for the Arctic. Everyday was filled with wonderful experiences and incredible surprises! Eddy is so well-liked and respected by the Churchill community. Thank you so much Eddy! Hope to see you in October!"
L. Parker
"Eddy is passionate about the northern lights and makes every guest feel well cared for. He was very informative, explained things extremely well and was a great storyteller. We are very thankful for his expertise, kindness, passion for nature and great photography skills. He's the best leader ever! We are thankful we saw the northern lights four nights in a row, but Eddy made the trip so special that we would have had a good time either way."
K. Connell
"Eddy was marvelous! His knowledge and enthusiasm were great and so infectious. He was very, very well organized and helpful. I could not have taken the pictures I did without his superb help in getting me set up for extreme temperature shooting. The icing on the cake was the incredible pictures he gave to us at the farewell dinner that included a picture of myself jumping up in front of the northern lights. He is an exemplary example for your organization."
J. Eyler
"Eddy is extraordinary! He is so personable, knowledgeable and compassionate. He is a great leader and communicator and made the trip so fun and interesting. He truly went the extra mile to make sure all of our needs were met. It was an outstanding trip because of Eddy! He is one of the best guides we have ever had."
S. Israel
"Eddy was fabulous: knowledgeable, friendly, compassionate and funny. He made the trip fun, interesting and a learning experience. He made us feel at home and comfortable in the Arctic."
M. Austin
"We came to photograph the northern lights, and Eddy made sure we had the best opportunity to do so. He was very patient with each photographer, coaching as needed. His unique combination of personal skills, photographic expertise and environmental knowledge were everything we wanted in a guide and more!"
M. Jordan
"Eddy was excellent in helping with every aspect of this trip, especially with camera setting to get great photos of the northern lights. His knowledge of the area, history, wildlife and the aurora was exceptional."
L. Wyllie
"Eddy's enthusiasm was contagious. His love for what he does and his knowledge of the area and people of Churchill is beyond compare. His smile and friendliness warmed the coldest nights."
K. O'Bannon
"Eddy was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, energetic and attentive—the best guide ever out of the 60 tours I've taken."
J. Collins
"Edward was one of the most patient and compassionate people I have come across in a very long time. He was personally invested in each one of us on the trip and supported any needs we had. He is an amazing, goodhearted person."
J. Dill
"Eddy was simply wonderful. He made the journey a fabulous experience for both of us. He was knowledgeable and went the extra mile to make sure that our northern lights experience was exceptional. Even if we had not seen one of the best aurora displays in years, Eddy would have made the trip a total success in our eyes. He is an amazing asset to your organization."
S. Bhatia
"Eddy was amazing. He was extremely attentive, made sure to spend time with all the guests and knew the answer to almost every question. He was always professional and cheerful. He accommodated spontaneous requests and readjusted our schedule quickly in the face of obstacles. I would definitely take another trip with him and recommend him to anyone!"
R. Okuda
"You probably know that the Expedition Leader will make or break how the tour goes, and Eddy has got to be one of the best that you have! He is way above a 10. He always put safety first, especially in such a cold climate with the possibility of polar bears in the area. His knowledge of the area, animals and photography, along with his caring attitude, really makes him a great Expedition Leader. Would we go with him on another expedition? In a heartbeat."
P. Hackbarth
"Eddy has a wonderful manner that enables him to simultaneously attend to all the minutiae of the trip while also interacting in a genuine way with all the trip members. He was always cheerful and fun, never tired or stressed, always instantly at work on any detail that needed attending to and was just a delightful presence in the group. He had also clearly done his homework on background material and knew his stuff."
C. Horton
"Eddy was exceptional in every way. We specifically loved the way he listened to individuals and responded thoughtfully and thoroughly. We would highly recommend him as a guide. We also appreciate that he shared his marvelous pictures with the group."
J. Doerle
"Eddie was everything we could want. He delivered in every way. When weather conditions upset the schedule, he rescheduled the events—I don't think anything was left undone at the end of the week. He was able to work in a trip to a specific shop so I could buy a specific book. My recommendation: don't let him get away."
P. Colgate
"Eddy was the best Expedition Leader I have had in 24 years of travel. He had everything planned for the whole trip without any problems. He was on 24/7. Even giving me his warm jacket to wear the whole time. He was kind, and every request was taken care of with no problem for him. He is very professional yet kind and caring. I hope to have him again in the future!"
C. Zaar
"Eddie exceeded my expectations of an Expedition Leader! His range of knowledge was expansive. He was patient with this group of seniors. He appreciated the experience we each brought to the trip. I would go on another trip with this guide."
R. Fleak
"I read all of the praise for Eddy before taking the trip and reread the praise when I got home. How can I possibly say better what has already been said about Eddy. I will say that when our plans had to be changed due to weather or train delays, Eddy was on top of things with excellent alternate plans. You are lucky to have Eddy and we were so fortunate to have Eddy leading our group on a wonderful adventure. He will be long remembered for making our beluga dreams come true."
"Knowledgeable, fun-loving, kindhearted, flexible, caring, adaptable, attentive to details, a problem-solver, inquisitive and an environmentalist are just a few of the adjectives that best describe our Expedition Leader. Eddy enthusiastically shared his love for the Arctic. Everyday was filled with wonderful experiences and incredible surprises! Eddy is so well-liked and respected by the Churchill community. Thank you so much Eddy! Hope to see you in October!"
L. Parker
"Eddy is passionate about the northern lights and makes every guest feel well cared for. He was very informative, explained things extremely well and was a great storyteller. We are very thankful for his expertise, kindness, passion for nature and great photography skills. He's the best leader ever! We are thankful we saw the northern lights four nights in a row, but Eddy made the trip so special that we would have had a good time either way."
K. Connell
"Eddy was marvelous! His knowledge and enthusiasm were great and so infectious. He was very, very well organized and helpful. I could not have taken the pictures I did without his superb help in getting me set up for extreme temperature shooting. The icing on the cake was the incredible pictures he gave to us at the farewell dinner that included a picture of myself jumping up in front of the northern lights. He is an exemplary example for your organization."
J. Eyler
"Eddy is extraordinary! He is so personable, knowledgeable and compassionate. He is a great leader and communicator and made the trip so fun and interesting. He truly went the extra mile to make sure all of our needs were met. It was an outstanding trip because of Eddy! He is one of the best guides we have ever had."
S. Israel
"Eddy was fabulous: knowledgeable, friendly, compassionate and funny. He made the trip fun, interesting and a learning experience. He made us feel at home and comfortable in the Arctic."
M. Austin
"We came to photograph the northern lights, and Eddy made sure we had the best opportunity to do so. He was very patient with each photographer, coaching as needed. His unique combination of personal skills, photographic expertise and environmental knowledge were everything we wanted in a guide and more!"
M. Jordan
"Eddy was excellent in helping with every aspect of this trip, especially with camera setting to get great photos of the northern lights. His knowledge of the area, history, wildlife and the aurora was exceptional."
L. Wyllie
"Eddy's enthusiasm was contagious. His love for what he does and his knowledge of the area and people of Churchill is beyond compare. His smile and friendliness warmed the coldest nights."
K. O'Bannon
"Eddy was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, energetic and attentive—the best guide ever out of the 60 tours I've taken."
J. Collins
"Edward was one of the most patient and compassionate people I have come across in a very long time. He was personally invested in each one of us on the trip and supported any needs we had. He is an amazing, goodhearted person."
J. Dill
"Eddy was simply wonderful. He made the journey a fabulous experience for both of us. He was knowledgeable and went the extra mile to make sure that our northern lights experience was exceptional. Even if we had not seen one of the best aurora displays in years, Eddy would have made the trip a total success in our eyes. He is an amazing asset to your organization."
S. Bhatia
"Eddy was amazing. He was extremely attentive, made sure to spend time with all the guests and knew the answer to almost every question. He was always professional and cheerful. He accommodated spontaneous requests and readjusted our schedule quickly in the face of obstacles. I would definitely take another trip with him and recommend him to anyone!"
R. Okuda
"You probably know that the Expedition Leader will make or break how the tour goes, and Eddy has got to be one of the best that you have! He is way above a 10. He always put safety first, especially in such a cold climate with the possibility of polar bears in the area. His knowledge of the area, animals and photography, along with his caring attitude, really makes him a great Expedition Leader. Would we go with him on another expedition? In a heartbeat."
P. Hackbarth
"Eddy has a wonderful manner that enables him to simultaneously attend to all the minutiae of the trip while also interacting in a genuine way with all the trip members. He was always cheerful and fun, never tired or stressed, always instantly at work on any detail that needed attending to and was just a delightful presence in the group. He had also clearly done his homework on background material and knew his stuff."
C. Horton
"Eddy was exceptional in every way. We specifically loved the way he listened to individuals and responded thoughtfully and thoroughly. We would highly recommend him as a guide. We also appreciate that he shared his marvelous pictures with the group."
J. Doerle
"Eddie was everything we could want. He delivered in every way. When weather conditions upset the schedule, he rescheduled the events—I don't think anything was left undone at the end of the week. He was able to work in a trip to a specific shop so I could buy a specific book. My recommendation: don't let him get away."
P. Colgate
"Eddy was the best Expedition Leader I have had in 24 years of travel. He had everything planned for the whole trip without any problems. He was on 24/7. Even giving me his warm jacket to wear the whole time. He was kind, and every request was taken care of with no problem for him. He is very professional yet kind and caring. I hope to have him again in the future!"
C. Zaar
"Eddie exceeded my expectations of an Expedition Leader! His range of knowledge was expansive. He was patient with this group of seniors. He appreciated the experience we each brought to the trip. I would go on another trip with this guide."
R. Fleak
"I read all of the praise for Eddy before taking the trip and reread the praise when I got home. How can I possibly say better what has already been said about Eddy. I will say that when our plans had to be changed due to weather or train delays, Eddy was on top of things with excellent alternate plans. You are lucky to have Eddy and we were so fortunate to have Eddy leading our group on a wonderful adventure. He will be long remembered for making our beluga dreams come true."
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