King Salmon, Alaska - 2026

This is one of the biggest male bears I have encountered in Alaska over the last 10 years. Had I been on my own, I would not have even considered recording the moment, let alone lying down on the ground for this perspective. It is all about placing trust in those who not only know the location well, but also this specific bear’s behavior at this time of year.

This is the most niche of skill sets imaginable and so removed from my sphere of competence. A picture as immersive as this, is a tribute to my guide far more than it is to me. Brooke Bartleson, we salute you and thank you for your knowledge, passion and experience. Without Brooke, there was no picture. This is not something to try alone and really can only happen if the guide trusts the cameraman and the cameraman trusts the guide. It is the most symbiotic of relationships. Brooke knew this big bear and knew that at this time of year - the mating season - he was focused on one thing - and it wasn’t me.

I tend not to talk camera technicalities; after all, a camera is just a piece of metal and merely a conduit between artist and subject. But what I do know is that this photograph is elevated by the shorter telephoto lens. I don’t like using big lenses and, on this occasion, just after 6:30 a.m., I felt the urge to gamble and go short. Again, all credit to Brooke, for her calm reassurance.

This kind of project gets the adrenaline going. Alaska is a long way from anywhere and trips come down to a few minutes. For every hour of flying time there is probably just 10 seconds of proper action on the ground but those 10 seconds are about as intense as we know.