Point Reyes in Season: Elephant Seals and Winter Wildlife (Dec. 10)
Point Reyes in Season: Elephant Seals and Winter Wildlife (Dec. 10)
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A Small-Group Wildlife Photography Field Experience with Jen Waicukauski
Thursday, December 10, 2026
8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
$249 per person
Limited to eight photographers
Each December, adult male northern elephant seals begin returning to the beaches of Point Reyes. Their arrival marks the beginning of the winter breeding season, as enormous bulls vocalize, assess their rivals, and begin establishing the dominance hierarchy that will shape the colony in the months ahead.
Join photographer, instructor, and Certified California Naturalist Jen Waicukauski for a small-group morning photographing elephant seals and exploring the winter wildlife and landscapes of the Point Reyes Headlands.
Drakes Beach is the planned primary location. When the seals and park access align, the beach can provide remarkable opportunities to observe and photograph these animals from designated public areas. The precise itinerary will be shaped by wildlife activity, tides, weather and current park conditions, with Chimney Rock and the Elephant Seal Overlook serving as additional or alternative locations.
Northern elephant seals will be the morning’s principal subject. Early-arriving adult and subadult males may offer opportunities to photograph portraits, details, environmental compositions, vocalizations and dominance behavior. Sparring is possible, but cannot be predicted or promised. Resting is the seals’ most common activity on land, and even quieter moments can provide compelling opportunities to study expression, form, scale and the relationship between the animals and the surrounding coast.
The Point Reyes Headlands may also offer tule elk along Drakes Beach Road, winter shorebirds, waterfowl, coastal birds, raptors and dramatic views of the beach, surf and cliffs. Gray whales, peregrine falcons, harbor seals and sea lions are additional possibilities, but should be considered fortunate encounters rather than expected subjects.
This is not a formal wildlife photography class with a fixed curriculum. It is an opportunity to explore and make photographs alongside an experienced photographer and naturalist who can help you recognize behavior, respond to changing conditions, and make more thoughtful photographs.
Jen will begin the morning with a brief orientation before the group starts photographing and exploring. Throughout the experience, she will offer informal individual guidance and occasionally bring the group together to discuss an animal’s behavior, a photographic challenge, or something unfolding within the broader coastal environment.
Depending on the moment and each participant’s needs, Jen’s advice may touch on autofocus and exposure for large or moving animals, anticipating behavior, working effectively with telephoto lenses, and creating both intimate portraits and environmental wildlife photographs. She can also help participants think about changing coastal light, visual relationships among groups of animals, and how to retain a sense of place when working with a long lens.
Safe and ethical wildlife photography will be central throughout the experience. Participants must remain within legally accessible areas, stay behind barriers and closures, and follow all instructions from park staff. Wildlife-viewing distances will be determined by park regulations, animal behavior and public safety, not by the photograph someone hopes to make.
As a Certified California Naturalist, Jen will also share insight into the elephant seals’ migration, life cycle, adaptations for life at sea, vocalizations and dominance hierarchy. Conversations may explore the history of the Point Reyes colony, the species’ remarkable conservation recovery, and the relationships among marine mammals, birds and the surrounding coastal ecosystem.
Who This Is For
Photographers with a range of experience levels are welcome. You do not need to be an experienced wildlife photographer, but you should be comfortable with the basic operation of your camera. This is not a fundamentals or camera-settings class, although Jen can offer advice on settings and technique as situations arise.
A telephoto zoom such as a 100–400mm is an excellent general choice for this experience. A 70–200mm may be useful when seals are visible closer to designated viewing areas or when creating photographs that include more of the surrounding beach. Longer lenses can be helpful for distant animals, birds and possible whale sightings, while a wider lens may be useful for surf, cliffs and broader coastal landscapes.
The best equipment will depend upon your camera, the conditions and the kinds of photographs you hope to make. Handheld photography is a practical approach, and we encourage bringing a monopod or tripod.
If you are uncertain whether your equipment is suitable, please contact Looking Glass before the experience. We can help you evaluate what you already own and discuss appropriate rental options if needed.
Walking and Field Conditions
The amount of walking will depend upon wildlife activity, access and the locations selected that morning. Participants should be prepared for up to approximately three miles of walking while carrying their own equipment.
Walking at Drakes Beach may involve soft, sloping or uneven sand. If the group visits the Chimney Rock area, the route may include the relatively short Elephant Seal Overlook Trail, the longer Chimney Rock Trail, or portions of both. These exposed dirt and gravel trails may include uneven, narrow or rutted sections.
The Point Reyes Headlands contain steep and unstable coastal cliffs. Participants must remain on official trails, stay behind fencing and avoid cliff edges at all times. A moderate level of fitness and sturdy footwear are recommended.
December conditions at the outer headlands can feel substantially colder than temperatures farther inland. Wind, fog and light rain will not necessarily cancel the experience and can create powerful photographic conditions. The outing will only be canceled or rescheduled if severe weather, road conditions or park closures make it unsafe or impractical to proceed.
Please dress in warm layers and bring sturdy footwear suitable for trails and sand, water, a snack, rain and wind protection for yourself and your equipment, and any necessary medications. Binoculars are optional but highly recommended.
Meeting and Transportation
The group will meet at the Drakes Beach parking lot. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the meeting location.
Drakes Beach is the intended primary location, but access can change with little notice when elephant seals gather in areas used by visitors. Beach closures, wildlife activity, tides, weather or instructions from park staff may require Jen to modify the route or relocate the group to Chimney Rock, the Elephant Seal Overlook or another legally accessible viewing area.
If the group relocates during the experience, participants will drive their own vehicles. The precise itinerary cannot be guaranteed, but northern elephant seals and the winter wildlife of the Point Reyes Headlands will remain the experience’s central focus.
Detailed directions, current access information and final preparation guidance will be provided before the experience.
About Jen
Jen Waicukauski is a photography instructor, expedition leader, and Certified California Naturalist. She has led photographers through remarkable landscapes and wildlife habitats around the world, combining practical photographic guidance with a deep curiosity about the natural world. Her field experiences are welcoming, collaborative, and grounded in respectful observation.
A Note About Wildlife
Elephant seals and the other animals at Point Reyes are wild and move freely throughout a large and changing coastal environment. Locating and photographing northern elephant seals will be the morning’s primary objective, but sightings, proximity and particular behaviors cannot be guaranteed.
December 10 falls near the beginning of the elephant seals’ winter return. Adult and subadult males may be present, vocalizing or establishing dominance, but the number of animals will vary. Females, newborn pups and established harems should not be expected this early in the season.
Park staff may close or restrict portions of Drakes Beach or other areas whenever animal locations or behavior create a risk to wildlife or visitors. All closures and viewing requirements will be respected throughout the experience.
Cancellation Policy
Because these are small-group experiences with limited enrollment, cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by emailing shop@lookingglassphoto.com at least 10 calendar days before the scheduled experience. Cancellations received by that deadline will receive a full refund. Cancellations received fewer than 10 days before the experience, as well as no-shows, are nonrefundable.
Description
Description
A Small-Group Wildlife Photography Field Experience with Jen Waicukauski
Thursday, December 10, 2026
8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
$249 per person
Limited to eight photographers
Each December, adult male northern elephant seals begin returning to the beaches of Point Reyes. Their arrival marks the beginning of the winter breeding season, as enormous bulls vocalize, assess their rivals, and begin establishing the dominance hierarchy that will shape the colony in the months ahead.
Join photographer, instructor, and Certified California Naturalist Jen Waicukauski for a small-group morning photographing elephant seals and exploring the winter wildlife and landscapes of the Point Reyes Headlands.
Drakes Beach is the planned primary location. When the seals and park access align, the beach can provide remarkable opportunities to observe and photograph these animals from designated public areas. The precise itinerary will be shaped by wildlife activity, tides, weather and current park conditions, with Chimney Rock and the Elephant Seal Overlook serving as additional or alternative locations.
Northern elephant seals will be the morning’s principal subject. Early-arriving adult and subadult males may offer opportunities to photograph portraits, details, environmental compositions, vocalizations and dominance behavior. Sparring is possible, but cannot be predicted or promised. Resting is the seals’ most common activity on land, and even quieter moments can provide compelling opportunities to study expression, form, scale and the relationship between the animals and the surrounding coast.
The Point Reyes Headlands may also offer tule elk along Drakes Beach Road, winter shorebirds, waterfowl, coastal birds, raptors and dramatic views of the beach, surf and cliffs. Gray whales, peregrine falcons, harbor seals and sea lions are additional possibilities, but should be considered fortunate encounters rather than expected subjects.
This is not a formal wildlife photography class with a fixed curriculum. It is an opportunity to explore and make photographs alongside an experienced photographer and naturalist who can help you recognize behavior, respond to changing conditions, and make more thoughtful photographs.
Jen will begin the morning with a brief orientation before the group starts photographing and exploring. Throughout the experience, she will offer informal individual guidance and occasionally bring the group together to discuss an animal’s behavior, a photographic challenge, or something unfolding within the broader coastal environment.
Depending on the moment and each participant’s needs, Jen’s advice may touch on autofocus and exposure for large or moving animals, anticipating behavior, working effectively with telephoto lenses, and creating both intimate portraits and environmental wildlife photographs. She can also help participants think about changing coastal light, visual relationships among groups of animals, and how to retain a sense of place when working with a long lens.
Safe and ethical wildlife photography will be central throughout the experience. Participants must remain within legally accessible areas, stay behind barriers and closures, and follow all instructions from park staff. Wildlife-viewing distances will be determined by park regulations, animal behavior and public safety, not by the photograph someone hopes to make.
As a Certified California Naturalist, Jen will also share insight into the elephant seals’ migration, life cycle, adaptations for life at sea, vocalizations and dominance hierarchy. Conversations may explore the history of the Point Reyes colony, the species’ remarkable conservation recovery, and the relationships among marine mammals, birds and the surrounding coastal ecosystem.
Who This Is For
Photographers with a range of experience levels are welcome. You do not need to be an experienced wildlife photographer, but you should be comfortable with the basic operation of your camera. This is not a fundamentals or camera-settings class, although Jen can offer advice on settings and technique as situations arise.
A telephoto zoom such as a 100–400mm is an excellent general choice for this experience. A 70–200mm may be useful when seals are visible closer to designated viewing areas or when creating photographs that include more of the surrounding beach. Longer lenses can be helpful for distant animals, birds and possible whale sightings, while a wider lens may be useful for surf, cliffs and broader coastal landscapes.
The best equipment will depend upon your camera, the conditions and the kinds of photographs you hope to make. Handheld photography is a practical approach, and we encourage bringing a monopod or tripod.
If you are uncertain whether your equipment is suitable, please contact Looking Glass before the experience. We can help you evaluate what you already own and discuss appropriate rental options if needed.
Walking and Field Conditions
The amount of walking will depend upon wildlife activity, access and the locations selected that morning. Participants should be prepared for up to approximately three miles of walking while carrying their own equipment.
Walking at Drakes Beach may involve soft, sloping or uneven sand. If the group visits the Chimney Rock area, the route may include the relatively short Elephant Seal Overlook Trail, the longer Chimney Rock Trail, or portions of both. These exposed dirt and gravel trails may include uneven, narrow or rutted sections.
The Point Reyes Headlands contain steep and unstable coastal cliffs. Participants must remain on official trails, stay behind fencing and avoid cliff edges at all times. A moderate level of fitness and sturdy footwear are recommended.
December conditions at the outer headlands can feel substantially colder than temperatures farther inland. Wind, fog and light rain will not necessarily cancel the experience and can create powerful photographic conditions. The outing will only be canceled or rescheduled if severe weather, road conditions or park closures make it unsafe or impractical to proceed.
Please dress in warm layers and bring sturdy footwear suitable for trails and sand, water, a snack, rain and wind protection for yourself and your equipment, and any necessary medications. Binoculars are optional but highly recommended.
Meeting and Transportation
The group will meet at the Drakes Beach parking lot. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the meeting location.
Drakes Beach is the intended primary location, but access can change with little notice when elephant seals gather in areas used by visitors. Beach closures, wildlife activity, tides, weather or instructions from park staff may require Jen to modify the route or relocate the group to Chimney Rock, the Elephant Seal Overlook or another legally accessible viewing area.
If the group relocates during the experience, participants will drive their own vehicles. The precise itinerary cannot be guaranteed, but northern elephant seals and the winter wildlife of the Point Reyes Headlands will remain the experience’s central focus.
Detailed directions, current access information and final preparation guidance will be provided before the experience.
About Jen
Jen Waicukauski is a photography instructor, expedition leader, and Certified California Naturalist. She has led photographers through remarkable landscapes and wildlife habitats around the world, combining practical photographic guidance with a deep curiosity about the natural world. Her field experiences are welcoming, collaborative, and grounded in respectful observation.
A Note About Wildlife
Elephant seals and the other animals at Point Reyes are wild and move freely throughout a large and changing coastal environment. Locating and photographing northern elephant seals will be the morning’s primary objective, but sightings, proximity and particular behaviors cannot be guaranteed.
December 10 falls near the beginning of the elephant seals’ winter return. Adult and subadult males may be present, vocalizing or establishing dominance, but the number of animals will vary. Females, newborn pups and established harems should not be expected this early in the season.
Park staff may close or restrict portions of Drakes Beach or other areas whenever animal locations or behavior create a risk to wildlife or visitors. All closures and viewing requirements will be respected throughout the experience.
Cancellation Policy
Because these are small-group experiences with limited enrollment, cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by emailing shop@lookingglassphoto.com at least 10 calendar days before the scheduled experience. Cancellations received by that deadline will receive a full refund. Cancellations received fewer than 10 days before the experience, as well as no-shows, are nonrefundable.
