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Copyright © 2017 by Joseph Classen.
All rights reserved.
All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.
Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc., PO Box 538, Buffalo, NY 14213
www.AmherstMedia.com
Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Editors: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt, Beth Alesse
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ISBN-13: 978-1-68203-121-6
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CONTENTS
ABOUT
Joseph Classen
Larry Van Daele
PREFACE
Dedication
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO BEAR COUNTRY
Beginning with a Word of Caution
CHAPTER ONE
THE MYSTIQUE OF THE BEAR
Bearanoia and Bear Attacks
First Encounters

The Beauty of the Beast: Purpose and Prerequisites of the Book
CHAPTER TWO
LIVING SAFELY AROUND BEARS
by Larry Van Daele, Ph.D.
1. Threatening Their Food
2. Threatening Their Personal Space
3. Threatening Their Young
4. Predation
Final Thoughts
CHAPTER THREE
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
The P5 Principle
Know Your Subject
Know Your Gear
CHAPTER FOUR
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Controlled Environments
Study Your Subjects and Scenes
Hone Your Reflexes

CHAPTER FIVE
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Research Breeds Success
Planning Resources
CHAPTER SIX
BEAR SCOUTING
A Familiar Subject
Finding Common Haunts
Be Careful!
CHAPTER SEVEN
FIND THE FOOD
Abundance and Scarcity

A Rare Opportunity
Baiting and Feeding Bears
CHAPTER EIGHT
PATIENTLY WAITING
Work at Nature’s Pace
CHAPTER NINE
TRAINING YOUR SENSES
Train Your Eyes and Ears
Be Attuned to Scents
Slow Down
Unplug
CHAPTER TEN
GEARING UP
Camera Selection
Lenses and Filters
Tripod or Monopod
Memory Cards and Other Accessories
Comfort and Safety Gear

CHAPTER ELEVEN
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
Keep the Habitat in Mind
Insect Repellents
Additional Considerations
CHAPTER TWELVE
SETTING UP FOR THE SHOT
A Memorable Day
A Barrier Between You and the Bear
Bear Viewing Areas
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
COMPOSING THE SHOT
Practice and Preparation
Basic Principles
Evaluate the Scene
Understand the Subject
Hone Your Senses and Follow Your Instincts
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
INCLUSION AND ISOLATION
Inclusion
Isolation
Practice Makes Perfect
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EXTREME CLOSE-UPS
The Reality
Consider the Message

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
EXPRESS YOURSELF
Respect Their Comfort Level
Her Smiling Face
Sleeping Beauty
Final Thoughts
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
FAST ACTION
Approach It Like a Sports Photographer
Know Your Gear
Composition and Cropping
Slower Dramas
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AFTER THE SHOT CONSIDERATIONS
What Not to Do
What to Do

It’s All About Respect
CHAPTER NINETEEN
PROCESSING YOUR BEAR PHOTOS
A Lot of Images, a Few Gems
My Workflow
Cropping
Get a Little Distance
HDR and Other Processing Effects
Your Style
On-Line Sharing
WRAPPING UP
Index

ABOUT
JOSEPH CLASSEN
Joseph Classen is an award-winning nature and wildlife photographer and the author of several
books, including Wildlife Photography: Advanced Field Techniques for Tracking Elusive Animals
and Capturing Magical Moments and Shoot Cold: Pro Techniques for Exploring the Bold World of
Winter Photography (both from Amherst Media®). He has connected with audiences worldwide by
means of his numerous books and articles on topics including Christian spirituality, the outdoors, and
nature/wildlife photography. He was the host of a nationally syndicated radio show for several years,
is currently involved in a wide variety of media work, and is a member of the Professional Outdoor
Media Association.
Joseph is also the owner and head guide for Wild Revelation Guide Service LLC
(www.wildrevelation.com), specializing in photography tours and outdoor adventures on Kodiak
Island, Alaska. He is available for workshops, freelance writing, and photography/videography
projects. To learn more about his other photography books, order prints, or inquire about his services,
please visit his Wild Revelation Photography website: www.wildrevphoto.com

Larry and his son Matt with a tranquilized Kodiak bear above Karluk Lake, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
LARRY VAN DAELE
Guest contributor Larry Van Daele, Ph.D., is the scientific advisor for the Kodiak Brown Bear Center
(www.kodiakbearcenter.com) in Kodiak, Alaska. He retired from the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game where he worked as a wildlife biologist for 34 years, with his primary duties centered on
brown bear research and management in south and western Alaska. Larry is the project leader of the
Northern Forum Brown Bear Workgroup, an international coalition of bear biologists from Alaska,
Sweden, Canada, Japan, and the Russian Far East, and he is co-chair of the IUCN North Asian Brown
Bear Expert Team. He was the bear safety coordinator during the Exxon Valdez oil spill clean-up
efforts. He has also been responsible for research and management programs on caribou, elk, deer,
moose, and walrus populations, and for several years he served as the State’s representative on the
Eskimo Walrus Commission.
Larry has a doctorate in natural resource management from the University of Idaho, and has
several publications, including “Grizzlies, Eskimos, and Biologists: Cross-Cultural Bear
Management in Southwest Alaska” (Ursus, Vol. 12 [(2001], p. 141–152) and a book entitled The
History of Bears on the Kodiak Archipelago (Alaska Natural History Association, 2003). He shares
his love of Alaska’s wildlife with his wife Hilary, who is also a trained biologist, and his son Matt
who is the Lands and Natural Resources Manager for Koniag Native Corporation in Kodiak.

I
PREFACE
f someone would have told me in the not-so-distant past that I’d be living on Kodiak Island and
writing a book about bears and bear photography, I would have thought they were crazy! After all,
I’m from the Midwest originally, and I grew up around big, muddy rivers, slimy catfish, large-mouth
bass, whitetail deer, and turkeys. The most dangerous things in my neck of the woods were snakes,
ticks, spiders, and poison ivy—all of which, by the way, have actually caused far more harm (and
even death) to humans than bears ever have. Bears were the stuff of magazines, movies, and wild
outdoor fantasies for me. But life is full of twists and turns. It is a non-stop adventure in and of itself,
for better or for worse. Up until a decade ago, the only bear I had any significant experience with was
the one pictured on a famous can of chewing tobacco—and I was happy to leave that one behind!
I was enchanted with this great land and the incredible creatures that
inhabit it, especially the gigantic bears that live in places like Kodiak
Island.
Long before moving to Alaska, I was enchanted with this great land and the incredible creatures
that inhabit it, especially the gigantic bears that live in places like Kodiak Island. While the topic of
bears is one that has always fascinated me, I never would have thought that one day I’d have
thousands of photographs of them from all over the continental United States, Alaska, and Canada in
my portfolio (as I now do).
DEDICATION
Over the years, as I’ve studied bears and bear country, a name that has constantly appeared in various
forms of media was that of Larry Van Daele, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts on bears. As
fate would have it, I got to know Larry more personally after moving to Kodiak, and it is a great
pleasure to now call him a friend.
Therefore, I’d like to start this book by giving credit where credit is most certainly due. Virtually
everything that I have come to learn in more recent years about bears was initially gained from
information I learned from Larry—by means of studying his work and also from one-on-one
conversation. He has inspired me to do in-depth study on many bear-related topics on my own (which
I’ll be sharing in the pages to come) and has helped me become increasingly bear-aware and
respectful of these incredible animals and their habitats, especially while out photographing them.
Without his work, guidance, and inspiration, this book would never have happened. Needless to say,

it’s an immense honor to have him as a guest contributor on this project.
Without his work, guidance, and inspiration, this book would never
have happened.
Along with Larry, I’d like to dedicate this book to John Kozub and his family. Their friendship
and support have been such a big part of my life in recent years. This is the third book that I have
written at the Kozub’s “Bear Den” here in Kodiak. It’s been an ideal dwelling to work on writing
projects—especially one about bears!

A
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO BEAR COUNTRY
spellbinding vapor slowly rises from the tall, river-side sedge grass. The morning sun bathes the
land in glorious warmth. The surrounding emerald green begins to radiate a golden hue in the
intensifying light of a new day. Overhead, the sky explodes with an array of blending colors while
clouds slowly drift and transform, as if lovingly stroked by an artist’s brush. The hypnotizing sound of
rushing water is interrupted only by the intermittent splashing of spawning salmon moving upstream.
The air is thick, with fragrant, organic aromas. Jagged, snowcapped peaks reach to the heavens in the
far-off distance while brushy foothills meander down into the fertile valleys and coastlines. This is a
land of rugged majesty, where few humans trod. While captivating beauty is all around, it is a land
where tooth, fang, and claw reign supreme. The volatile struggle for survival is always brooding
under the surface of an otherwise paradisiacal abode. The peace and tranquility of this land, as well
as its inhabitants, can erupt at any time. But for now, all is well.
The smiling face of a beautiful grizzly bear bathed in the morning sun.

The beauty of bear country.
As the sun continues its ascent, the large, rather intimidating tracks of enormous beasts begin to
appear clearly all around you. Fresh remains of salmon, as well as bone-filled dung, are scattered
virtually everywhere. The aftermath of a wild feeding frenzy is evident, and slightly unsettling.
Grassy, matted-down trails are carved to and fro, weaving in and out of the surrounding area.
Nowhere amidst the primordial scene are the tracks of mankind, except for yours. A slightly
confusing, alarming sense of both extreme caution and exhilaration begins to arise in your soul. You
feel a strange sensation of being watched, of knowing good and well that there is an acute awareness
of your presence by the creatures that remain hidden for the time being. Your voice, your scent, your
actions, your very existence in such a domain begin to feel more and more out of place. You are a
stranger in what for most people is, indeed, a strange land. Welcome to bear country! This is not your
home, but you may be a tolerated guest and welcomed for a visit if you abide by their rules, respect
their ways, and consciously mind your manners.
This is not your home, but you may be a tolerated guest and welcomed
for a visit if you abide by their rules, respect their ways, and consciously
mind your manners.
The morning progresses. You sit quietly in an open, obvious place, a safe, respectful distance
away from the bear’s active areas and patiently wait for your host to arrive. Time passes. Nothing
happens. Only the sound of the wind blowing through the alder trees and the slight buzzing of
gathering insects keep you company. Then, when least expected, a large, lumbering brown bear

emerges from the brush and surveys the area before coming out into the open. He lifts his head and
strategically inhales the air with his immensely powerful lungs. Though a good distance away, he
points his super-sensitive nose in your general direction, followed by a quick, confirming glance. He
knows you are there and is not bothered by your presence—as long as your behavior is nonthreatening
and consistent with that of the other humans he has seen there before.
As the bear begins his daily stroll along the salmon stream, looking for a few more fresh fish to
fill his ever-growing belly, you marvel at the sheer beauty and strength of this magnificent creature.
You can hear him breathing . . . slow, deep, heavy breaths. You hear his footfalls on the moist earth,
ponderously repetitious and steady. You admire his thick, glistening fur, still wet with morning dew.
As he casually passes by, you notice the gigantic claws and enormous teeth. His musculature is
absolutely astounding! All the photos and videos you have ever seen in the past seem irrelevant at the
moment. None can even begin to capture and express what you are feeling and now witnessing in
person! You realize, with immense gravity, that you are clearly not the dominant being in this land.
This solitary creature, who is now so calm as he peacefully roams about, could in an instant inflict
brutal, unimaginable suffering upon you . . . if he so desired. There are no high fences or iron bars
separating you from him. The realization of this fact only multiplies the off-the-charts level of respect
you have quickly gained for this animal, his kind, and this place in which they dwell.

The large tracks of a brown bear.

As he closes in, he stops for another sniff, this time at the water’s edge. He slowly enters the river
and lazily bounces around in the current like an enormous beach ball. Moments later, he lifts a
spawned-out salmon to his mouth and begins to feed. The sound of ripping skin, the crunching of
bones, and the swallowing of flesh only increase your awareness of the reality of the cycle of life all
around you. After devouring the first of many meals to come for the day, the bear continues his stroll.
As he passes by, you notice his face—not grimacing with aggression, but serene. He’s enjoying the
beauty of the day as much as you are. He’s happy that life is good and abundant at the moment.
There’s literally a smile on his face! He moves on down the line, exiting your life forever. This
enormous creature eventually vanishes on the horizon, like a ball of fuzz slowly drifting away in the
wind.
After snapping out of the trance you have found yourself in, your heart races with joy and
excitement, realizing that you have successfully, safely captured this entire experience with your
camera. You will never, ever forget this encounter! It will be seemingly impossible to fully share the
true beauty and intensity of it with others, either by word or image, but that’s okay; it will remain one
of your life’s greatest treasures. You are both humbled and exceedingly grateful to have spent quality
time in this awesome place, as the guest of such an awesome animal.
You can hear him breathing. You hear his footfalls on the moist earth, ponderously repetitious and steady.
BEGINNING WITH A WORD OF CAUTION
The previous scenario is one that you are most likely hoping to experience for yourself, to varying
degrees. And, ultimately, that is what this book is all about: helping to ensure that your experiences of
bears and bear country will be positive, safe, rewarding, and most memorable!
In a relatively short span of years, I’ve been blessed to have countless experiences like the one in
the preceding paragraphs. Yet, each and every single bear encounter is forever etched in my mind and
heart. Being in relatively close proximity to these wonderful animals is truly an experience like no

other. And entering into their domain to view and photograph them is also an experience like no other:
creatively and logistically. It is a pursuit that absolutely demands a tremendous amount of respect and
caution, since photographing large, potentially dangerous animals can, naturally, be a dangerous
undertaking—to say the least!
Being in relatively close proximity to these wonderful animals is truly
an experience like no other.
It is a pursuit you need to be educated about and properly prepared for long before you ever step
foot into bear country. It’s also an experience that you must take full responsibility for, every step of
the way. When you decide to enter into bear country to spend time viewing and photographing them,
you must be aware of the fact that you cannot control the forces of nature, nor the behavior of other
wild animals. Make no mistake: both bears and the places they live can be life threatening!
The purpose of this book is to offer a wide variety of information about bears and how to
photograph them safely and respectfully. However, I’d like to make it very clear that this book will
serve only as a starting point and reference for your journey. The material and concepts presented in
this book must be further researched and applied to the specific location, the specific species of bear,
and the specific method of bear photography you are preparing for. It is highly recommended that you
consult with professional wildlife experts in your chosen destination before heading to the field.
Alternately, you could make use of a professional bear viewing service when carrying out your
photography plans. Neither myself, nor the contributing author, nor the publisher can be held liable for
any injury or death that may occur as the result of any photographer’s time in bear country.
All that being said, it is certainly not my intention to scare you. Quite the opposite. My hope is for
you to truly experience the beauty of the beast and enjoy your time in the captivating world of the
bear. But again, I can’t over-emphasize how important it is to be fully educated about and aware of
all the potential risks involved. Being properly prepared for a bear photography experience and
implementing every measure of safety will ensure a healthy, long-lasting relationship between humans
and these incredible animals with whom we share our planet.

Encountering a bear in its natural habitat will fill you with a sense of both wonder and caution.

F
CHAPTER ONE
THE MYSTIQUE OF THE BEAR
ew other creatures summon forth such fear, wonder, awe, and respect as the mighty bears that
inhabit our planet. The bear is a striking symbol of power, perseverance, and all that is wild and
free. Encountering one of these magnificent animals in their natural habitat instantly fills you with a
profound sense of both aesthetic wonder and intense caution. For indeed, the bear is both a beauty and
a beast!
The bear is a striking symbol of power, perseverance, and all that is wild
and free.
Photographs of loving mother sows caring for their cubs warm our hearts, while children sleep
peacefully throughout the night as they cuddle in the protective arms of their favorite stuffed teddy
bear. Meanwhile, in popular books and movies, snarling, snot-slinging beady-eyed monster bears
roar and charge through the forests, aggressively pursuing another meal of human flesh. In reality, the
true nature of the bear cannot be found at either extreme. They are not accurately represented by
harmless Disney characters who dance merrily in the woods and share a pot of tea, nor are they justly
portrayed as the bloodthirsty savages of horror films that roam the rivers and woods in a relentless
hunt for their next victim. The truth is a balanced complexity of behaviors and characteristics, which
we will explore in the pages to come.
As I’ve learned from studying the work of Dr. Van Daele, humans and bears have (over the
centuries) had a multifaceted relationship. Many cultures throughout the world, especially those of
Siberia, Northern Japan, Scandinavia, North America, and even as far back as the Paleolithic
Neanderthals, have all bestowed great honor upon the bear, placed religious significance on them,
and even worshiped bears as deities. In Chauvet, France, for example, there is a 30,000-year-old
Paleolithic “bear altar” with thirty bear skulls surrounding it, giving witness to this phenomenon.
These ancient cultures of the northern hemisphere believed that bears were intercessors between
the earthly world and the spiritual realm, as they appeared to have supernatural powers. This was
mostly due to the hibernation behavior of bears. It was believed that sleeping was an activity in
which one entered the spiritual realm. Thus, since bears slumbered away so much of their time, it
naturally followed that they were highly spiritual creatures. Even more impressive to the people of
these cultures was the bear’s perceived ability to resurrect itself from the dead each year. As bears

were seen digging their dens for hibernation and entering them as winter approached, it was thought
that the bear was carrying out its own burial and death. And, when spring arrived and the bears
emerged, it was perceived as a resurrection from the dead. No doubt, this was a mind-blowing
phenomenon for more primitive peoples. Based on this belief system, some of these cultures also
thought that a bear was possessed if it did not hibernate and was instead active during the winter.
These ancient cultures of the northern hemisphere believed that bears
were intercessors between the earthly world and the spiritual realm . . .
Perhaps one of the most well documented forms of bear worship is that of the Ainu of Hokkaido,
Japan. In this culture, the mountain god, Kim-un Kamui, was believed to be a liaison between the
spirit world and humans, and as a part of their religious practice, a bear cub was caught in the den
and raised as an honored guest among the people. The cub lived in the village and was an integral
part of daily life for a couple of years, after which the bear was then lead to a designated place, and
ritualistically killed according to their elaborate Iomante ceremony. The bear carcass was then
offered generous gifts as the Ainu respectfully ate the meat, which they believed released the bear’s
spirit so it could return to the other mountain gods and tell them how wonderful humans were.
In most Native American cultures, bears were not only revered spiritually, but there was also a
great sense of kinship with the bear. It was observed that bears and humans both forage and hunt for
their food in the same places. Bears have a similar body structure, dexterous hands, expressive faces,
can stand and walk on two legs, and nurse their young in a familiar manner. Bears possessed many of
the virtues and characteristics that native peoples strived for. Much like a noble warrior, the bear was
thought of as a peaceful, free spirit, but also a creature that could instantly summon explosive,
courageous power and relentless tenacity. Mother bears served as an example of a good parent:
thoughtful, cautious, protective, and resourceful in the midst of challenges and difficult times. Bears
were also associated with the power of healing, as they foraged on what was believed to be
medicinal plants and were able to emerge seemingly unharmed after incredibly violent, savage battles
with other bears.

Ancient artwork depicting a struggle between humans and a bear. Photo compliments of Dr. Larry Van Daele.
While the people of many native cultures, especially those of Alaska and the continental United
States, hunted bears for food and used their fur and body parts for clothing and other items, the bear
was ritually honored before, during, and after the hunt. Offerings were made to the spirit of the bear,
and the skull and hide was treated with great reverence. It was believed that if a bear was treated
respectfully after it was hunted and killed, it would grant the hunter good luck on his future efforts.
Likewise, if the bear was treated disrespectfully, the hunter could expect bad luck in the future and
even possible attacks by other bears. It’s interesting to note, too, that some of our modern-day bear
safety procedures have their roots in the practices of these native cultures. Before one would enter
into the woods, it was a common routine to speak in a loud voice to the bears who may be present,
prayerfully and humbly asking their permission to enter into their domain, granting safe passage, etc.
As we will explore later, making noise while passing though bear country by means of talking is still
one of the simplest and most important safety measures you can take.
Some of our modern-day bear safety procedures have their roots in the
practices of these native cultures.
In regard to bears and spirituality, they have also made appearances in the Christian faith. St.
Corbinian (d. 730), the Catholic Bishop of Freising (Germany), had a legendary encounter with a
bear which is referenced on the Papal Coat of Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. In a similar manner,
Saints Seraphim of Sarov (d. 1833) and Herman of Alaska (d. 1836), of the Orthodox faith, had many
interesting experiences with bears during their lives. Throughout the history of Christianity, both East
and West, many holy men and women have had otherworldly interactions with bears who in some

cases came to the aid of these saintly individuals or were apparently tamed in the presence their
sanctity.
St. Corbinian and the bear who carried his pack. Public domain image.
BEARANOIA AND BEAR ATTACKS
In modern times, the beauty of the bear has unfortunately been overshadowed by its more savage
nature. Popular movies and television shows often portray the bear as a ferocious monster and
nothing else. Most books about bears in stores and tourist areas display titles featuring drooling,
blood-lust crazed beasts with huge, sharp teeth, seemingly coming right off of the cover to devour the
passers-by! In the extremely rare instance of a bear mauling or fatal attack at a national park or other
frequently visited wilderness area, the story instantly becomes a shocking, worldwide news
sensation. All of this negative publicity instills an even deeper sense of a foreboding fear of bears—
and a tremendous paranoia, or “bearanoia,” if you prefer. Much of the worldwide public is so
conditioned to have an irrational fear of bears that the mere sight of one can cause a near panic attack!
And, in many cases, this conditioned negative response is to blame for the needless killing and
harming of countless bears, who were actually just minding their own business, being curious, or
passing through—not about to launch a vicious attack. In such cases, knowledge, along with simple
deterrent devices and procedures, could have easily remedied the situation with no permanent harm to
the bear.

St. Seraphim of Sarvo and one of his bear friends. Public domain image.
A study of bear mauling/attack statistics will show that human beings have a much better chance
of being struck by lightning than being harmed by a bear. As I mentioned in the first section of this
book, far more people are killed and harmed by things like tiny ticks. For example, the bear
population on Kodiak Island, Alaska, is around 3500 of the largest bears on earth. Every year,
thousands of people venture into bear country on the island to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor
activities. In the last ninety years, there has only been one bear-related death. While non-fatal
maulings do occur much more regularly than fatal ones, they are still extremely rare given the number
of people who spend time on the bears’ turf. These statistics vary from location to location, naturally,
but the point is that the vast majority of bears are not savagely roaming the wilderness in a relentless,
bloodthirsty hunt for their next human victim. Most bears are rather shy by nature and want nothing to
do with people—including having them on the menu.
Human beings have a much better chance of being struck by lightning
than being harmed by a bear.

Bears have been portrayed in many negative ways throughout the years. Public domain image.
Most bears are rather shy by nature and want nothing to do with people—including having them on the menu.

All that being said, though, make no mistake: while bear attacks and deaths are very rare in the
grand scheme of things, they do happen! Every so often we get a grim reality check. In 2015, a hiker
was killed by a bear in Yellowstone National Park. In 2012, a man was killed by a grizzly bear in
Denali Park while apparently trying to photograph the animal at too close a range. Along with the
photographer tragically losing his life, the bear also ended up being killed as a part of the
investigation, which is usually the case in such circumstances. Wild bears, and the places they call
home, demand the utmost respect and care! As we’ll see in the next chapter, bears are like people in
many ways: they don’t appreciate it much, and can get very angry, if you mess with their living
quarters, food, family, or personal space—or if you wake them up from a nap.
Many, if not most, bear maulings and fatal attacks are the result of individuals who are not
properly educated about bear safety protocol, or who just blatantly ignore bear country etiquette.
Individuals who do not adhere to proper behavior around bears also put other people at great risk. An
important point to remember is that how you interact with bears not only dictates the outcome of the
encounter for you, but it also dictates and influences how that bear will react to future encounters with
humans. Thus, an improper bear encounter puts you, future people, and the bears themselves in
potential danger. In other cases of bear maulings and attacks, it’s often a matter of mistaken identity on
the part of the bear, such as instances of hunters being mauled while caring for the game meat they
harvested.
FIRST ENCOUNTERS
Like most of the general public, I too have been affected by all the negative portrayals of bears over
the years. While growing up, I read countless stories of ferocious attacks by man-eating bears in
magazines. Many of the books I was exposed to told tales of the old west and the bears who gobbled
up those who dared to venture into forbidden forests. While gathered around a fire at night and
roasting marshmallows on camping trips, I heard terrifying stories of big-clawed beasts ripping open
tents and devouring the poor souls within like oversized breakfast burritos! In school, I learned of
ranchers and farmers who all but wiped out the bear populations in their areas because of predation
upon their livestock. Virtually everything I read or heard about bears was horrible and instilled
tremendous fear within me. I would often find myself daydreaming during boring classes at school or
thinking at night while I lay in bed about what it would be like to come face to face with one of these
great beasts. What would I do? How would I react? I ran the scenario through my head again and
again and the outcome was always the same: I imagined being torn to shreds and aggressively
devoured while desperately trying to fend off the primordial attack. There would be no saving myself,
I despaired, as I heard so many dramatic stories of bears deflecting bullets from their thick skulls and
being virtually impossible to stop while engaged in a full-on attack. I was truly haunted by such
daydreams and nightmares!
I heard terrifying stories of big-clawed beasts ripping open tents and
devouring the poor souls within like oversized breakfast burritos!

As I got older and started actually venturing into bear country in places like Canada, Idaho,
Montana, Alaska, etc., those childhood and adolescent fears stuck with me, to varying degrees. I had
seen many bears during my time in such places, but usually from a rather long distance or from a
vehicle or boat. To my great relief, the bear would usually run for its life as soon as it sensed the
presence of a human. But still, I had a strange feeling that one day I would encounter a bear at close
range, face to face, with nowhere to hide and no escape. Then what would I do!?
Little did I know, I would have countless such experiences in the years to come. Thankfully
almost all of those rather close encounters have been very positive experiences that I will treasure for
a lifetime. But, I’ll especially never forget the first one!
I expected bears to be hiding behind virtually every alder thicket I
passed . . .
I moved to Kodiak Island, Alaska, during the summer of 2011. As I began to explore my new
home I was constantly aware of the fact that I lived among huge bears. However, weeks and even
months had passed, and I still had yet to see one. I’d see fresh bear tracks along the rivers that I
fished, ripped-apart salmon carcasses lining the banks, and bear dung piled up in the areas I
frequented. It looked like a cattle yard from back in my home state of Missouri. And yet, still no bear
sightings! I expected bears to be hiding behind virtually every alder thicket I passed—that they’d be
watching my every move and I’d be literally surrounded by bears everywhere I went. But, that was
not the case. And then, finally, it happened!
Almost all of my encounters with bears have been very positive experiences that I will treasure for a lifetime.

One evening, I decided to do some salmon fishing on a popular nearby river. As the evening
progressed, almost everyone had left except for myself and one other group of fisherman downstream
a ways from me. It was a quiet, still, peaceful evening. The sun was beginning to set and beautifully
illuminated the slow moving clouds overhead. The emerald green grasses and the calm waters of the
river reflected the tall spruce trees like a mirror. The euphoric silence was only interrupted by the
splashing of incoming salmon and the singing of perched eagles high above in the cottonwood trees. I
was truly entranced by the stunning beauty of the moment. As I admired my surroundings with a
grateful heart, I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye. I looked to my right and
noticed a young Kodiak bear, followed by three tiny cubs, moving rapidly in my direction!
All those terrifying stories of fiercely protective sows with cubs came racing through my mind.
From what I learned over the years, hell hath no fury like a mother bear when she fears her cubs are
being threatened! I immediately ceased fishing and froze. I began going through my well-rehearsed
bear safety routine: shouting to the bear, waving my arms, making sure the bear knew I was a nonthreating
human, and doing all I could to keep myself from running away (that is most people’s first
natural instinct, but it can trigger a chase response from an otherwise nonaggressive bear). The bear
gave me a casual look as if to acknowledge my presence and confirm and approve the typical safety
routine I displayed, but she didn’t break stride at all. She and her young were headed right in my
direction and moving fast!
I looked around for my immediate escape route, and realized that I was sort of trapped. Right in
front of me and to my left was a deep, turbulent pool in the river; to my right was the only discernible
path out of the area—and that was the path the bears were now blocking. I could either jump in the
river and try to swim across, bushwhack through the woods like a frantic deer, or (as recommend by
all the sources I studied about Kodiak bear safety) hold my ground and wait until the bears moved on.
That’s what I decided to do.
As the bears continued to approach, they finally stopped when they got to a very uncomfortably
close distance . . . uncomfortably close for me, anyway. The tiny, adorable fuzz-ball cubs stayed in the
tall grasses and playfully wrestled around as the sow left them and came even closer to me. She
slowly entered the river’s edge and took a few more steps in my direction, all the while looking me
over intently. She then plunged in the water and grabbed my stringer of salmon. She yanked it off the
underwater tree root where I had it secured and took my entire evening’s catch back over to her cubs.
They all proceeded to feast on it with great delight! I had secured my stringer of fish to that
underwater tree root hoping that doing so would keep the fish smell down and not attract bears, but it
was of little help. Bears have the best noses on the planet and she could easily smell all that freshly
caught fish—even under the water.

My first encounter with a Kodiak bear. A lousy photograph, but certainly an unforgettable experience!
Bears that hang out in popular fishing areas and other places that are frequented by humans can be
very smart and know how to get the food they want, despite your best efforts to safely deter such
thievery. I was a bit upset as I watched all my work (and what was to be my dinner for the weeks
ahead) being devoured in a matter of minutes. But, I also knew it was my chance to get out of there.
So, as the bears were busy feasting on a freshly caught supper, I was able to maneuver around them
and leave safely.
As the bears were busy feasting on a freshly caught supper, I was able to
maneuver around them and leave safely.
As I drove home, I was both nerve-rackingly rattled and incredibly excited at the same time.
Wow! I had finally experienced my first close encounter of the Kodiak kind! It felt like my heart was
pounding with adrenaline for hours after-ward. I ran through the experience over and over again in my
head for days, evaluating my every move, making sure I did everything as safely as possible, given
the extremely close interaction. In retrospect, I could have been more proactive in deterring the bear
from getting my catch, which would have also educated her to think twice about stealing people’s
salmon in the future and to fish for herself, as bears should naturally do. But, at the time I didn’t know
about such things and had no experience to gauge such efforts. I was just happy to have made it back
home without an altercation.

THE BEAUTY OF THE BEAST: PURPOSE AND
PREREQUISITES OF THE BOOK
As of this writing, I’ve truly lost track of the number of incredible bear encounters I’ve had. While
some have been rather hair-raising and even downright dangerous, the vast majority have been
unbelievably wonderful experiences that I would not trade for anything in the world. During both my
own personal wilderness outings and also my time working as an Alaskan fishing and photography
guide, I’ve been in close proximity to hundreds of bears. In fact, there are weeks during the summer
months while guiding that I literally spend more time around bears than I do humans. Throughout all
those priceless experiences, I’ve come to see far more beauty in the bear than I have the savage beast
—though, beware, that side is definitely present at all times, as well!
There are weeks during the summer months while guiding that I literally
spend more time around bears than I do humans.
As I thought about writing this book, I ultimately wanted it to become a work that focused on the
more positive side of bears and not dwell on the negative, overly sensationalized drama that has often
given these magnificent creatures a bad name. The purpose of this book is to take both photographers
and nature enthusiasts on the adventure of a lifetime by learning more about bears, sharing some
unforgettable bear photographs, the stories behind many of them, and offering solid information for
your own bear photography efforts.
In the pages ahead, you will learn about the behavioral and biological characteristics of bears and
the necessary safety precautions that must always be implemented in their presence. Along with
gaining a balanced understanding about bears and bear safety, we will explore a wide variety of
proven tactics and creative concepts for safely and respectfully capturing unforgettable images of
these elusive and powerful animals.
For many nature lovers and photographers, capturing a world-class image of a wild bear is
indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Such a coveted opportunity can create a disciplined,
calculated approach to making the most of a rare experience, or, it can tempt you to engage in actions
that are very, very dangerous and life-threatening to yourself, other humans, and ultimately the
animals. Again, an emphasis on safety and respect for the bears and their habitat will be an
immensely important, reoccurring theme, so get used to it now. Whether you are heading out to the
remote wilderness for the photo-safari of a lifetime or simply spending a day at a nature preserve or
zoo, it is my hope that this book will inspire, educate, and entertain bear lovers worldwide.
Having full command of your camera is something you should master
long before attempting to photograph any animal in the wild—especially
bears.

As a prerequisite to fully apply the material presented in this book and get the most out of the
principles and concepts I’ll be sharing, it’s essential to have a solid, working knowledge of both your
camera gear and the basic principles of photography. I’ll be focusing more on the preparatory, in-thefield,
and creative aspects of photographing bears, not so much the technical (such as specific camera
settings, etc.). Having full command of your camera is something you should master long before
attempting to photograph any animal in the wild—especially bears. As is the case with all of my
photography books, the material that I’ll be sharing is not so much about how your camera can create
great images, but how you can create great images by diligently preparing for your time on a photo
shoot and by utilizing certain concepts to make the most of the valuable opportunities that may present
themselves. More about this to come as well.
On a final note, while I have an ever-growing bear photo portfolio, I regret that I do not as of yet
have any images of some of the more exotic species of bears, such as polar and panda bears. I’ve
been in polar bear country—but, alas, was not able to photograph any. While the information shared
in this book applies to all species of bears in general, the actual photos and personal stories that I’ll
be sharing with you are primarily those of black bears, interior grizzlies, coastal brown, and Kodiak
brown bears. Perhaps there will be another addition in the future that will feature the bears I have yet
to photograph. Stay tuned!

CHAPTER TWO
LIVING SAFELY AROUND BEARS
By Larry Van Daele, Ph.D.
B
ears and people have lived together for millennia, competing for the same foods, shelter, and
space. We are both intelligent omnivores who can use a variety of resources and exploit the ones
that are most abundant, and we have each used those traits to occupy most of the habitats on earth.
While humans took the evolutionary path of developing our mental abilities and manual dexterity to
be successful, bears opted for strength and the ability to hibernate as their strategies for success. Both
of us were able to survive ice ages when many other species on the planet slipped into extinction, and
we continue to thrive today in what is now classified by scientists as the Anthropocene (humaninfluenced)
epoch.
A very protective brown bear sow with her cub. Safety is the top priority at all times in bear country.

While the wide variety of people currently living across the world are classified as a single
species, the diverse types of bears are recognized as eight separate species, occupying every
continent except Africa, Antarctica, and Australia. Polar bears inhabit the northern arctic regions. In
the western hemisphere, brown bears (also known as grizzlies) live throughout the northern regions of
Asia, America, and Europe. American black bears live throughout North America, while spectacled
bears occupy the north Andes Mountains of South America. In the eastern hemisphere, Asiatic black
bears are in East Asia and Japan, sun bears are throughout South East Asia, and panda bears are
limited to south central China.
Throughout our co-mingled existence, the relationship between bears and people has been
complex and fragile, ranging from admiration to fear, but never indifference, because both of our
species have proven that we can kill or injure the other if necessary. Traditionally, people who lived
in remote areas interacted with bears frequently and learned how to avoid problems with them and to
hunt them if they needed their meat or fur. Human cultures across the world also revered bears as
spiritual animals to be respected as well as feared. As human civilizations and weapons became
more sophisticated, the concept of sharing resources with bears was supplanted with a spirit of
competition and direct persecution. In recent decades, our species has proven we have the ability to
eradicate most, if not all, bear species. That revelation has spawned a desire, in many places, to find
ways to again co-exist with bears.
Resurrecting our ability to safely co-exist with bears requires us to use our most valuable trait:
our mental superiority. In short, we must use our brains so that bears do not have to use their brawn.
An important step in this exercise is to learn what types of bears are in the areas where you live or
where you plan to visit. Each bear species has its own habitat, habits, and relationship with humans.
Local knowledge is invaluable, but there are also some common facts that hold true regardless of
where you go or what type of bear you encounter.
We must use our brains so that bears do not have to use their brawn.
Remember that bears are intelligent creatures. The level of intelligence varies among bear
species, but evidence suggests that most may be somewhere on the scale between a monkey and a
dog. This degree of aptitude gives rise to individual personalities, including some bears that are very
clever and others that are pretty dumb. Personalities are further shaped by lessons learned from a
bear’s mother and from its unique experiences.

An old cinnamon-colored black bear follows his nose through the brush.
A bear’s reaction to a particular situation is also influenced by its physical condition and age.
Young bears are more inquisitive than older bears and are usually not as aware of social standards.
Older bears may be more confident. Very old or sick bears may not be aware of circumstances
surrounding them and may act defensively if encountered at close range.
Bears perceive the world differently than we do. In general, their eyesight is comparable and their
hearing ability is somewhat better than ours. Their most well-developed sense is their sense of smell.
Most bears have a much better olfactory acuity than dogs, giving them the ability to find food and
other bears with tremendous accuracy and at great distances. Because of this, smells are the primary
window to the world for a bear and it is the sense they rely on the most.
These complexities make it difficult to generalize about bear behavior and give rise to the idea
that bears are completely unpredictable. It is true that a person can never really know what is going
on in a bear’s mind or know exactly what it is going to do next. However, you can get a pretty good
idea of how to behave around a bear by watching it, attempting to analyze the situation, and avoiding
known problem areas. This is similar to the way we deal with a strange person or a dog. In those
cases, we usually do not run in panic or attempt to kill the stranger, we take time to assess our
surroundings as well as the stranger’s behavior and social cues. Then we carefully consider our
options to avoid potential problems.
Understanding bear behavior and social cues can be a daunting task for people who only see
bears on rare occasions, and these behaviors can vary between bear species and locations. If you are
going to spend time in places where bears live, however, it is worthwhile to learn as much as you can

about them so that you can be safe and comfortable when you encounter them. Information can be
gleaned from reading about bears and gathering advice from a variety of people who have
successfully lived around bears. Carefully watching dogs as they interact with each other and with
people can also give you a basic idea of how to interpret bear behavior.
Carefully watching dogs as they interact with each other and with
people can also give you a basic idea of how to interpret bear behavior.
Regardless of your ability to understand bears or the type of bear you may be encountering, there
are some universal ways to stay safe around bears. The four main things that can cause problems with
bears are:
1. Threatening their food (or what they perceive as theirs)
2. Threatening their space (surprising them)
3. Threatening their young (even if you did not mean to)
4. Predation (sometimes bears really are out to get you)
1. THREATENING THEIR FOOD
Bears are omnivores. That word comes from the Latin term omnes vorare, which means “to devour
everything.” While some bears are primarily meat eaters (polar bears) and others rarely eat anything
except plants (pandas), most bears eat a wide variety of foods including plants, animals, fish, insects,
carrion, and garbage. Their digestive systems and their teeth are not specialized for any particular
type of food, and their sense of smell allows them to find foods effectively. Much of their social
structure is predicated on how to compete for or share food resources in ways that minimize battles
and injuries.

You can get a pretty good idea of how to behave around a bear by watching it, attempting to analyze the situation, and avoiding known
problem areas.

A young pair of battling bears.

A young pair of battling bears.
Eating is an important part of a bear’s life, and although most do not spend all of their waking
hours seeking and eating food, they strive to be efficient in gathering their calories and they can get
protective of it when their ability to get food is threatened. The best ways to keep from getting
between a bear and its food are to make sure they aren’t attracted to your food and to be aware of
their natural foods.
Learn about what bears may be using for natural foods in your area and
during a particular time of the year.
Learn about what bears may be using for natural foods in your area and during a particular time of
the year. Avoid those areas if at all possible. If you are pursuing those same foods, such as when you
are berry picking or fishing, be especially vigilant. Make noise while you are berry picking and stay
with a group of people. When fishing, keep the fish you catch in the water when you are playing them
and after you catch them. Do not fish when you see bears nearby.
Like most animals, bears will act defensively if they feel cornered or
surprised.
Sometimes the most efficient way for a bear to gather calories is to take them away from people.

Our foods are very tempting to bears because they smell good, taste good and are often concentrated
in easy areas for them to get. We can minimize that temptation by using air-tight containers to keep
food away from bears. Putting food inside cars, in coolers or in backpacks may keep it out of sight,
but remember that bears live by their noses. It is also wise to always store food away from where you
are sleeping. Never have any food in your tent when you are camping. Bears do not distinguish
between what we consider as human food, what we consider as pet or bird food, or what we throw
away. All of these can entice even the best-behaved bear. While visiting or living in bear country,
keep your camp or your yard free from all bear attractants and consider using an electric fence as an
extra level of precaution.
If bears become accustomed to getting food or garbage from people they may become persistent
or even possessive of the food. While it is unlikely that once a bear gets a taste of human food or
garbage it is ruined for life, it is certainly the case that the more they are rewarded the more likely
they are to keep trying to get it and the more aggressive they will be in their efforts. This is just as true
for inadvertent situations as it is when the bear is purposefully baited into an area with human food or
garbage. Consequently, it is critical to clean up an area after a bear gets rewarded and to double your
efforts to make sure it does not happen again.
2. THREATENING THEIR PERSONAL SPACE
Like most animals, bears will act defensively if they feel cornered or surprised. This defensive action
can result in running away or fighting, neither of which is pleasant for the bear or the perpetrator. The
distance a bear feels comfortable being around other bears or people is called its “personal space.” It
is usually determined by the situation, the confidence of the bear, and actions of the other bear or
person. In some cases, such as when bears are congregating on an abundant food source, they will be
very tolerant of other animals as long as everyone follows the rules. Those rules include no surprises
or directly aggressive movements and always leaving each other an escape route. This allows them
more opportunity to spend time obtaining food and less time fighting or worrying about their
neighbors. When there is not a compelling reason to tolerate other animals, bears are uncomfortable
around each other and will either hide or try to avoid close encounters.
In those unique circumstances when bears have smaller personal spaces, we can take advantage
of the situation by enjoying unprecedented access to their world and some fantastic opportunities to
watch and photograph them. Our only requirement is that we follow their rules as we approach them,
as we watch them, and, just as importantly, as we leave the area.
In all other times and places, we should do whatever we practically can to avoid approaching or
surprising bears. It is always best to hike in groups because as a group you are more likely to notice
bear sign and you will typically make more noise so that bears know you are coming. In some cases,
it may be beneficial to make your presence even more obvious by talking, singing or wearing bear
bells or other noise-making devices, but this may be unnecessarily obnoxious to both bears and other
people unless you use some discretion.
If you see a bear in the distance, keep an eye on it and try to determine if

it senses your presence.
Always be aware of your surroundings and on the lookout for bears or bear sign. If you see a bear
in the distance, keep an eye on it and try to determine if it senses your presence. Evaluate how to
avoid it, alert it to your presence, or get yourself into a better location to safely watch it without
threatening it, depending on your situation. If you see one at close range, stop and evaluate how you
can avoid cornering it or approaching it. It is usually best to let the bear make its own decision on
how to proceed.
Whenever possible, avoid places where bears may be resting or sleeping (brushy areas, close to
feeding areas) so that you do not inadvertently surprise them. If you have to go through or near these
areas, stay in a tight group and make enough noise to let the bears know you are around. When
photographing bears, do not sneak up on them at close range. Make sure both you and the bear always
have safe ways to retreat from each other if necessary.
If you hear cubs cry out, or if you see them up in a tree or alone on the
ground, be very wary and back away from the area.
3. THREATENING THEIR YOUNG
There are many misconceptions about bears such as that they are near-sighted or that they cannot run
downhill, but one gem of common wisdom that is true is that bear mothers are famously protective of
their youngsters, especially small cubs. A bear mother invests much of her time and energy raising her
young, nurturing them for one to three years and teaching them everything she knows about where to
find food and how to interact with other bears and other animals, including people. During that time,
one of the greatest threats to those youngsters may be adult male bears. Consequently, a mother will
defend her cubs valiantly and attack any animal she believes is a threat to them.
Our best course of action is never to give a mother bear a reason to think that we are a threat to
her cubs. By using the recommendations mentioned earlier (to avoid attracting bears into our space
with human food and garbage and to avoid violating the bears’ personal space by surprising them or
cornering them) we will be able to prevent most adverse encounters with bear families. Often,
however, cubs wander away from their mother or become separated from her as she looks for food.
Regardless of the reason, if you get between a mother and her cubs, she will still protect them if
she feels they are in danger. Always be alert to signs of cubs in the area. Look for their
characteristically small tracks. Watch a single female bear carefully to see if she is constantly looking
back into the brush, especially if it is evident from her teats that she has been lactating. If you hear
cubs cry out, or if you see them up in a tree or alone on the ground, be very wary and back away from
the area. Never, never push close to a mother bear or her cubs to get a better picture or a closer look.
If a bear lashes out at you in any of these situations (defense of food, space, or young) they will
only attack as long as they perceive you as a threat. Once they feel the threat is neutralized, they will
retreat. This is the way they deal with other bears and is part of their normal behavior. Such

encounters are usually of short duration. Although each incident is unique, if you are charged by a
bear, the best thing to do is to hold your ground. Unless you are right next to a structure or a vehicle,
running is rarely a good idea because most bears can outrun people and running may exacerbate the
situation. If you are actually attacked by a bear, a good initial reaction is to roll into a ball to protect
yourself as much as possible and to play dead. This is a very strong signal to the bear that you are no
longer a threat and there is no reason to continue the attack. Although this tactic sounds incredibly
counterintuitive, it has saved the lives of countless people and minimized injuries to many others.
A deceased brown bear cub. Life is threatening and difficult for baby bears, thus the hyper-protectiveness of their mothers, and the
danger of being too close to them.
4. PREDATION
In extremely rare circumstances, bears actively pursue people as prey. What precipitates some bears
to do this varies. It could be related to the species of bear, the personal history of an individual bear,
or desperation due to a lack of food. Predatory bears act differently than other bears. Most bears are
either wary of people or indifferent towards them. Curious bears, especially curious young bears, are
still somewhat wary and circumspect in the way they approach people. Predatory bears, on the other
hand, are persistent in the way they stalk their prey. They are determined in their tracking and may be
stealthy in their pursuit. Their head is usually down, and their attention focused on their prey. Pursuit
is not limited to a short duration occurrence and may go on for up to an hour. When a predatory bear
attacks, the mauling does not stop once the threat is diminished; it continues until the prey is killed or
it fights back so hard that the bear retreats. If you ever have the misfortune of seeing such rare

ehavior, stay in a group, seek shelter immediately—and if you are attacked, fight like your life
depends on it.
Curious bears, especially curious young bears, are still somewhat wary
and circumspect in the way they approach people.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In conclusion, bears have been our fellow travelers on this planet for a long time, and we have
experienced many changes together. We have been equals competing for the same resources and
enemies out to kill each other. Now that people have proven our ability to drastically influence our
world, we are recognizing our responsibility to care for it. How we treat our neighbors the bears is a
reflection of how we treat the natural world as a whole. If we continue to make concerted efforts to
conserve bear habitats, make room for bears by re-learning how to co-exist with them, and ultimately
foster a sense of respect for them, we will not only make the world a better place for both bears and
people, we will also be demonstrating our ability to use our greatest trait for a greater good.
Take note of park signs with bear-related advice and protocols for the area.

W
CHAPTER THREE
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
hen I look back at my first attempts at producing quality images of bears, or any other animals
for that matter, I can’t help but to cringe as I view many of those old photographs. Most of them
are terrible! The lighting is bad, the pictures are noisy, poorly composed, and just look awful! This is
because I did not learn how to use my camera correctly and simply relied on the automatic settings.
Two extremely important, foundational areas of concern for a serious wildlife photographer are to
know your subject thoroughly, and, perhaps even more so, to know how to use your camera gear to its
maximum potential.
Long before you ever step foot into bear country, it’s important to learn
all you can about the particular species of bear you are interested in.
THE P5 PRINCIPLE
Something that I preach constantly in regard to photography is the principle of P5, which states: Prior
Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. This principle applies to many things in life, and it most
certainly is a creed that must be embraced by a wildlife photographer. Everything you do in the way
of disciplined preparation, from diligent study of your potential subject and proper gear organization
to getting physically fit and mentally ready for a wildlife photo shoot, will all culminate in the
capturing and producing of fantastic photos!
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT
Long before you ever step foot into bear country, or even attempt to photograph them in a tamer
setting, such as a nature preserve or a zoo, it’s important to learn all you can about the particular
species of bear you are interested in. Read about and study their every behavior. Learn the intimate
details of their natural habitat. Try to get inside the animal’s head and understand its instincts.
Knowing all there is to know about one’s subject and its environment enriches the photographic
experience all the more.
Thankfully, in this information- and media-saturated world, there are countless ways of readily
acquiring an astounding amount of knowledge about most any particular animal. There is enough on-

line reading material out there to keep you as immersed in study as you wish to be. Along with that,
you can no doubt find many on-line videos about a particular species of bear you may be interested
in. Naturally, there are the more traditional means of study as well: a trip to the local library, visiting
a nearby university, taking a class at a community college, bookstores, magazines, DVDs, etc. Again,
investing all the time and energy you can to learn about the bears you seek to photograph, long before
you make your first attempts at actually photographing them, will pay off tremendously.
One of my first quality bear photographs. Getting to thoroughly know both your subject and your camera as a first priority will help
produce quality photographs.
KNOW YOUR GEAR
In conjunction with getting to know all you can about your potential subjects, as I mentioned in the
first chapter, it’s also extremely important to know your camera gear inside and out, backwards and
forwards. I’m always amazed when I encounter folks who have spent a small fortune traveling to
distant lands in hopes of photographing an elusive, magnificent creature, and who have likewise
purchased a very expensive camera to use on their adventure. Yet, when the time comes to finally
snap those long-awaited shots, they have no clue how to fully operate their camera (other than on
automatic mode) and thus go home with very poor results.
Take the time to educate yourself as much as possible about how to use
your specific camera to its maximum potential, in all of its settings.
If you are a beginner or intermediate photographer, I can’t stress enough how important it is to

know your camera! Take the time to educate yourself as much as possible about how to use your
specific camera to its maximum potential, in all of its settings. Along the same lines, read, investigate,
and learn all you can about the science, as well as the art, of photography from all the sources you
can. Use that information as a catalyst for your own development and journey as a photographer. And
then, test your knowledge. Do your homework. Practice your new-found skills. Get out there and fully
apply the techniques and principles you have studied. Experiment with what you have learned, take
detailed notes, and refer back to them often as you continue to advance as a photographer.
You only get so many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities when it comes to capturing extraordinary
photos of bears. Discovering, well in advance, what works and what doesn’t for you and your
specific camera gear will save you an incredible amount of time, money, confusion, and frustration. It
will make your efforts immensely more productive, rewarding, and enjoyable.
The only way to achieve a high level of proficiency with your camera is by disciplined, diligent
practice—lots of it! Go out and shoot everything in sight with your camera as practice. Shoot in
different weather conditions, at different times of day, with different lenses, using different camera
settings and features. Shoot both moving and stationary subjects. Keep blazing away relentlessly until
you can anticipate what will happen and what kind of image your camera will produce in any given
situation. Keep practicing until you have total confidence that you can successfully handle any given
photographic situation that you may encounter. Only then should you start thinking about heading out
on a serious bear photography shoot.
Shoot in different weather conditions, at different times of day, with different lenses, using different camera settings and features.

A
CHAPTER FOUR
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
fter educating yourself as much as possible about the particular species of bears you plan on
photographing, their habitat, the particular safety issues that apply to that species of bear, and the
operation of your camera gear, it’s then time to move on to more specific bear photography practice.
These are helpful skills to develop even if you never get out to the
wilderness for a photo shoot.
CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS
As is the case with any particular animal you wish to photograph, I recommend first doing some
practice on subjects that will be more tolerant of your presence—and doing it in areas that will not
require the Coast Guard to rescue you in case of an emergency. Go to your local zoo or, if possible,
visit a conservation area, wildlife preserve, or an easily accessible national or state park where you
can watch and study bears for many hours in a safe, semi-controlled environment.
STUDY YOUR SUBJECTS AND SCENES
Getting familiar with how bears look in different lighting conditions, how they move, how they
interact with other animals, how they eat, drink, etc., will get you prepared for what to look for when
photographing in more wild locations. It will also give you ideas of particular scenarios you’d like to
capture with your camera. These are helpful skills to develop even if you never get out to the
wilderness for a photo shoot and your bear photography efforts remain in tamer settings, focused on
capturing images of people-tolerant bears. The point of this more specified photography practice is to
continue to develop an “eye” for composition, lighting, visual flow, etc., as it applies to wildlife
photography. Practicing what to look for and developing an instinctual anticipation of the shot will
improve the quality of your photographs tremendously!
HONE YOUR REFLEXES

Finally, keep in mind that the most unique photos of bears, and other wildlife, are often the result of
high-intensity, unforeseen moments. For example, when a bear spots a salmon swimming by in a river
and instantly dives after it, or when a protective sow with cubs launches a charge toward a
threatening boar when least expected. Such instances don’t give a photographer much time to analyze
the situation or even consciously think about what to do in regard to capturing an image properly.
Practice with your gear to the point that using it becomes a matter of instinct, quick reflexes, and
muscle memory; it is essential for success.
Before I started photographing big bears in the wild, I made it a point to get lots of practice documenting bears at zoos, national parks,
and conservation/wildlife refuge areas. These are places where the bears are habituated to humans and there are safe, designated
viewing areas to photograph from.

S
CHAPTER FIVE
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
everal years ago, while planning an exciting road trip through Canada and Alaska, I decided that I
wanted to take some time during that adventure to photograph the black bears that inhabited places
like British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Obviously, those are huge areas that encompass
thousands and thousands of miles of extreme wilderness. I didn’t even know where to start my efforts!
As predicted by all those I talked to about the matter, there were black
bears everywhere!
RESEARCH BREEDS SUCCESS
I began investigating matters. I talked to fellow outdoor enthusiasts, park rangers, biologists, and
virtually anyone who might know something about where to find high concentrations of Canadian
black bears that lived in fairly accessible areas for photography purposes. The answer came back the
same again and again: the Cassiar Highway, which heads directly through a good portion of northern
British Columbia and eventually ends in the Yukon. Sure enough, as predicted by all those I talked to
about the matter, there were black bears everywhere! I was able to photograph dozens of them before
my time on the Cassiar was done.
While the bears that inhabited this area were indeed wild bears, they also were used to people
admiring them as they drove by and were quite cooperative in regard to being photographed, as long
as one kept a safe, respectful distance, and did not do anything alarming or out of the ordinary. The
bear in the facing-page photograph, though, seemed to have grown weary of drive-by shootings (with
a camera). As I was carefully snapping some shots of this big ol’ black bear, he stood up on his hind
legs to get a better look at me, and then stuck his tongue out, as if to purposely spoil an otherwise
classic pose! Little did he know, it would become one of my favorite photographs from that trip.

Taking the time to thoroughly investigate the best locations for your bear photography efforts is an investment that will ultimately produce
your most memorable images.

PLANNING RESOURCES
In preparing for a bear photography shoot, the preliminary activity should be to decide on the exact
location for your efforts. Then, start the process of thoroughly investigating that location and carefully
planning your travel activities to get there. As my black bear photography experience demonstrates, a
little bit of homework and preparation will go a long way in helping you make the most of your time
in the field. Knowing the best places to focus your bear photo efforts and having realistic expectations
will ensure a much greater degree of productivity than simply relying on luck to find concentrations of
bears to photograph.
Knowing the best places to focus your bear photo efforts and having
realistic expectations will ensure a much greater degree of productivity .
. .
There are many easily accessible sources of information about potential bear photography
locations. Much of that information is just the click of a mouse or a phone call away. The websites of
Departments of Fish & Game, Conservation Departments, Departments of Natural Resources, State
and National Parks Departments, etc., are all gold mines of valuable data that can point you in the
right direction. Most of these organizations have a large selection of maps, detailed guides, and all
sorts of free materials about the natural resources, wildlife, and accessible lands in the area.
If you’d rather not go the do-it-yourself route with your bear photography efforts, there are also
plenty of bear viewing businesses, wilderness lodges, guides, and commercial tours throughout many
parts of Alaska, Canada, and other areas with high concentrations of bears. These types of services
will generally get you right into the action, in a safe, respectful, proficient manner. In fact, for
beginners and intermediate photographers (or those with little outdoor experience), I highly
recommend making use of such a service instead of undertaking a do-it-yourself effort in an unknown,
potentially dangerous area of wilderness. If you are interested in arranging a bear photo safari with a
professional service, a quick Internet search is all it takes to get started. Here are a few that I can
personally recommend:
Wild Revelation Guide Service LLC
www.wildrevelation.com
Alpenview Wilderness Lodge
www.alpenview.com
Kodiak Brown Bear Center
www.kodiakbearcenter.com

Andrew Airways
www.andrewairways.com
In preparing for a bear photography shoot, the preliminary activity should be to decide on the exact location for your efforts.

Bears can cover a lot of territory and inhabit large expanses of land. Getting familiar with what to look for in the field will help immensely
in locating bears to photograph.

W
CHAPTER SIX
BEAR SCOUTING
hen working as a fishing and photography guide in Alaska, I cover a lot of territory. However, I
usually end up encountering the same bears, in the same places, again and again. As most guides
do, I develop a truly respectful, working relationship with the bears. After all, we share the same
trails, the same rivers and streams, and even the same fishing holes day after day.
We share the same trails, the same rivers and streams, and even the same
fishing holes day after day.
A FAMILIAR SUBJECT
The bear shown in the first three photographs in this chapter is one that I have encountered almost
daily during the past few summers on one of my favorite rivers.
One particular morning, that bear was peacefully enjoying a round of fishing in a very productive
spot, for both human fishermen and bears. My clients and I sat down on the river bank, at a respectful
and safe distance, and let the bear know we were there with the usual routine of vocalizing and
physically signaling our location. Then, we simply spent some quality time watching her catch and
feast on some salmon (facing page). It was apparent that the bear had no desire to leave that hot spot
anytime soon. So, we simply moved on.
The next morning, we got to that spot before any bears did, and thus began a beautiful day of
fishing. About an hour later, that same bear showed up and seemed a little disappointed that she got
there late. She gave us a rather sad look and non-aggressively acted like she wanted to join us for a
round of fishing. In a stern voice, we told the bear that we were not going to leave yet, and that she
would have to wait her turn—literally! That fat young bear sat down along the river bank like a big
dog, and patiently waited for us to finish our round of fishing (above). After watching us for a while,
she then proceeded to take a nap! Every few minutes she’d lift her head and peek at us to see if we
were still fishing, then go back to sleep.

The young bear sat on the shore, waiting for her turn at the fishing area.
We didn’t want to hog the spot all morning, as the bear wanted to fish, too, so after a half hour or
so we moved on to another area on the river. As we gathered ourselves and made our way out of the
area, we walked past the relaxed bear, and said, “Okay, all yours!” Sure enough, the bear then got up,
walked over to the area, and started fishing (facing page)!
It was yet another unforgettable encounter, and a reminder that bears have a very keen ability to
read and interpret body language. It was also an exercise in the importance of consistent behavior
around bears. That bear was very familiar with us and the daily/yearly routine of respectfully sharing
fishing spots with humans. If it were an unfamiliar, unconditioned bear, though, or one that was
obviously expressing territorial dominance or serious hunger, we would never have considered
fishing anywhere near it. Again, it’s extremely important to carefully evaluate all the factors of any
given bear encounter and act according to the bear’s intentions.

When we went on our way, she proceeded into the stream to catch her meal.
FINDING COMMON HAUNTS
The moral of the story for this chapter, however, is that even though bears may live in huge expanses
of wilderness, they tend to visit and hang out in the same locations for weeks and even months at a
time. If you can successfully locate those areas, you will have saved yourself a great deal of time and
energy. You will be able to focus more on your actual photography efforts.
Sure enough, the bear then got up, walked over to the area, and started
fishing!
There are a number of things to look for when searching out these prime locations. Animals leave
all sorts of “sign” as to their presence and activities in an area—just as people do. Walk into a human
being’s house, and you can clearly see where that person eats, sleeps, goes to the bathroom, recreates,
etc. Depending on the person’s habits, it’s fairly easy to tell if they have been home recently, what
they like to eat, when they last ate, took a shower, etc. Likewise, bears leave some pretty obvious sign
as to their whereabouts and activities as well.

Bear tracks and food remains are obvious signs of the animal’s presence in an area.
Like every kind of animal in nature, bears leave tracks, sometimes lots
of them and very large ones!
For starters, like every kind of animal in nature, bears leave tracks, sometimes lots of them and
very large ones! Knowing what they look like, and being able to tell how fresh they are, is the first
major sign you can look for and find without too much trouble. Along with that, bears go to the
bathroom . . . some go quite a bit. Knowing what bear scat (poop) looks like can reveal a great
amount of information, such as the approximate time it was there, its size, and (very importantly) what
it has been eating. If you can clearly identify what a bear has been chowing down on regularly, you
can then focus on perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle of all: food! The number one factor
for finding wildlife of any kind is to follow the food. If you discover the preferred food sources for a
particular time of year and learn where that food is most abundant and readily accessible, I guarantee
you will find the critter you are after. More about that in the next chapter.

Bear territorial markings and scat are the first and obvious signs of a bear’s immediate presence.
The number one factor for finding wildlife of any kind is to follow the
food.
In regard to recognizing fresh bear sign, some other major things to study at home and look for in
the field are bedding areas, the actual beds themselves, travel routes, and trails leading to and from
bedding and feeding areas. You should also look for places where trails intersect, for parts of the

actual animals (such as fur), and territorial and dominance markings (claw marks on trees, etc.).
Along with doing all the reading and studying you can about these things before you get into the field,
doing an Internet image search can help you get familiar with what fresh bear sign looks like for
different species of bears and the different habitats where they live.
You should also be on the lookout for bear bedding areas and trails
BE CAREFUL!
Another word of caution. As Dr. Van Daele covered in chapter two, going right into a bear’s home
territory—especially its sleeping area—can be extremely dangerous. Try to stay out of such areas, or
at least a very safe distance away. If you have to travel through thick, brushy terrain where bears may
be bedding, always move cautiously, make lots of noise, and let the bears know you are coming
through. Don’t forget that the majority of bear maulings occur when someone stumbles upon a

sleeping bear in thick brush. Just like humans, bears don’t enjoy it much when you mess with things
like their family, food, or personal space—or when they are rudely awakened from a nap! Be
respectful and extremely careful at all times while scouting for fresh bear sign.
If you find the food, you will find the critter you are after.

A
CHAPTER SEVEN
FIND THE FOOD
s I mentioned briefly in the last chapter, the number one, hands down, absolute most important
factor to finding bears, or any animal for that matter, is to find the food. If you locate the primary,
readily accessible food sources for bears, I guarantee you will have opportunities to photograph them
—if you practice patience!
When food is scarce and bears have to work hard for their next meal,
they can be extremely aggressive.
ABUNDANCE AND SCARCITY
Like most other wild creatures, bears do all they can to conserve their energy and will stay close to a
plentiful food source. For example, during the summer months in many parts of Alaska, if you can find
a salmon stream with lots of fish in it, you will most likely find plenty of bears hanging around. In
fact, salmon streams with abundant runs of fish is where most commercial bear viewing operations
take place.
In areas where food sources are not so concentrated, you may have to search much more diligently
to find what bears are actively feeding on. In situations where food is scarce and bears are truly
struggling for survival, it will be very difficult to find what they are eating and very dangerous to be
anywhere near their food source—such as a freshly killed prey animal. When food is scarce and
bears have to work hard for their next meal, they can be extremely aggressive. They will even fight to
death to defend the nutrients they need for survival. Do not get anywhere near a situation such as this!
If you stumble across what appears to be a fresh prey animal kill site and there is obvious, fresh bear
sign around it, leave immediately. Inform local wildlife officials to help get the word out and protect
other people who may come into the area.
Stick to areas where food is abundant, where the bears are essentially fat and happy, and where
you can stay a safe, respectful distance away while viewing and photographing. Getting too close to a
bear at its food source sends a dangerous message that you are possibly competing for that food, or
that you are a threat to the bear. In most cases, getting too close to a bear’s food source and feeding
area simply scares the bear away, which can have an equally dangerous and negative effect. When a
bear is scared away from its food, it will miss out on a meal that is essential to its overall health and

well-being.
A RARE OPPORTUNITY
While bears generally live fairly close to a food source when it’s active, sometimes they will live
right on top of one—literally! The photographs here are of a Kodiak sow and cub who literally lived
right on top of a whale carcass for many weeks. Those two bears were hanging out along a beach area
on the outskirts of town for several days, and then simply disappeared. Meanwhile, a dead whale had
washed up on a beach many miles away. Dozens of bald eagles and other creatures were quickly
devouring that whale carcass. Then, out of the blue, that sow and cub (who had traveled a long, long
way) showed up on the scene. They set up camp right on top of the remaining carcass. They spent
their days feasting on nasty, rotting whale blubber, chasing off the hordes of invading eagles, and slept
right on top of the huge pile of bones.

Bears are opportunistic feeders and their diet can be quite diverse. Find what they are actively feeding on, or even drinking at dry times
of the year, and I guarantee you will have great bear photography opportunities!
The photographs here are of a Kodiak sow and cub who literally lived
right on top of a whale carcass for many weeks.
It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime photography opportunity. The whale carcass was on a remote
beach, below a fairly steep cliff where a road ended. You could watch and photograph the action for
hours in a very safe, non-intrusive way. It was great fun to see that beautiful mother bear and her cub
sleeping together, playfully chasing away intruding eagles, rolling around in the snow, and chowing
down on all that whale flesh. It was just about as perfect and ideal a setting as possible for getting
some fantastic bear photographs. Opportunities such as that one are rare, but not impossible to find if
you keep your eyes and ears open. Talking to fellow photographers and local wildlife officials is, as
always, a tremendous way to gather information and find incredible photo opportunities.
BAITING AND FEEDING BEARS
I want to conclude with a final word about photographing bears at food sources. While bears often
forcibly get hold of human food, such as stealing a stringer of salmon from a fisherman or eating out
of dumpsters, don’t even think about purposely, artificially creating a meal for them by putting out
food of your own as bait. While baiting bears is legal in some situations for hunting purposes (where
a bear is ultimately going to be killed and eaten), it is totally unacceptable for photography purposes.
As the saying goes, “A fed bear is a dead bear!” If a wild bear is continually fed by humans it begins
to associate humans with an easy food source, resulting in very bad and dangerous habits such as
raiding camps, coolers, cars, boats, etc. In many cases, bears that become accustomed to easily

attained human food end up becoming a nuisance and have to be killed. So, please do not feed wild
bears. Keep them wild and safe by letting them find wild food in the wilderness. Make it a point to do
everything you can to keep your human food secured in a safe place where bears cannot easily get to
it.

Stick to areas where resources are abundant (where the bears are essentially fat and happy) and where you can remain at a safe,
respectful distance while viewing and photographing.

A
CHAPTER EIGHT
PATIENTLY WAITING
few years ago, on a beautiful summer day, I found myself kicking back on a patch of green
riverside grass waiting for the bears to come and feed on the abundant numbers of sockeye salmon
at a weir in a remote area of Kodiak Island. (A salmon weir is a structure that helps monitor the
health of annual salmon runs). Earlier in the morning, I had captured some great images of a sow and
cub fishing together, but all the activity ceased during the late morning and mid-day. Many hours later,
while taking a few minutes to relax and enjoy the sunshine, I suddenly heard the unmistakable sound
of an approaching bear in the thick, nearby brush. Suddenly, an absolutely gigantic bear emerged from
the tall alders behind me! He gave me a quick glance, paused for a moment, and then kept heading
right in my general direction. As he closed in on where I was seated, he simply walked right around
me—at a very close distance, but in a completely non-threatening manner.

This is one of the largest Kodiak brown bears I have ever photographed. I patiently waited for hours to get these two shots.
I was set up in a spot that is designated for people to view and photograph bears, which is an
ideal setting. The repetition of bears seeing a small number of people in the exact same spot, doing
the exact same thing, for weeks at a time, makes this a safe and highly productive spot from which to
view and photograph bears. Consistent, non-threatening human behavior is key to a good working
relationship with bears while on their turf.
While I was completely safe, even at a fairly close distance to that bear, it was still a heartpounding
experience! And, even though that bear looks mean and intimidating in the first photograph,
in reality he was just an old bear, with bad teeth, bad eyes, and lazy mannerisms. As that titanic beast
slowly sauntered by me, he eventually made his way to the river in front of me. He got in the cool,
salmon-filled water like an old man entering a fantastically soothing hot tub! He just sat there for
several minutes as the gushing flow enveloped him. After cooling down and getting a nice bath, he
then proceeded to make his way to the salmon weir and defiantly walked right across it. After all,
who was going to tell him to get off? It was one of my most memorable photo shoots, but one that took
great patience to capture.
He got in the cool, salmon-filled water like an old man entering a
fantastically soothing hot tub!
WORK AT NATURE’S PACE

Staying power is an absolute must for serious wildlife photographers. You have to be extremely
patient and willing to wait for hours, even days or weeks, to capture the images you are after.
Nature’s pace is certainly not the same as that of our hyper-speed human culture. To speed things up at
least a little, though, finding locations that have the best possible potential for your efforts will save
you a great deal of time and energy.
As we covered in the preceding chapters, once you learn what to look for in regard to actively
used bear areas and get a little practice under your belt with scouting out those areas in a safe, nonintrusive
manner, your photography efforts will become more successful. If designated bear viewing
areas are already in place, most of your work is done. If no such areas are present, you may want to
do a little surveillance to better your chances of a productive photo shoot.
After you locate a few potential areas where bears are obviously present and active, where you
have a safe, but good field of vision, make it a point to remain upwind, muster all the patience you
can, and then hunker down when the bears are most likely to be active, such as the mornings and
evenings. The main objective with these initial surveillance sessions is to visually confirm the bear’s
presence. A surveillance session or two will give you more detailed information about the specific
times, quality, and quantity of bears, and the best locations. Then you can set up for a full-length photo
shoot.
Locate a few potential areas where bears are obviously present and active—and where you have a safe but good field of vision.

A
CHAPTER NINE
TRAINING YOUR SENSES
few summers ago, I was on a fishing float trip with some friends on a favorite Alaskan river.
During the afternoon, we stopped to have lunch and take a break. While camped out on a gravel
bar preparing some food to eat, we began hearing some rustling back in the woods behind us. It was
very quiet and not alarming at all. After a quick look around, we simply proceeded to enjoy the meal.
While finishing up, we noticed something a little strange back in the area where the sound was
coming from. Upon carefully looking over the area again, from a safe distance, we noticed two fuzzy
ears and a set of eyes peering out from behind the alder leaves. A bear had been watching us all the
while as we prepared and ate lunch—and who knows for how long before that.

This beautiful brown bear was hidden in the thick brush, watching me, long before I ever knew he was there and was able to capture
some photographs of him.
The bear came out of the brush and fully revealed himself to us, as if he
knew he was caught.
We called out to the bear to let him know that he was busted! Like a kid who just got tagged out
during a game of hide-and-seek, the bear came out of the brush and fully revealed himself to us, as if
he knew he was caught. He was not aggressive at all; he simply gave us a rather funny, humiliated
look, whiffed the air a few more times to enjoy the aroma of our human food, and eventually went on
his way to continue fishing for salmon, as bears are supposed to do. Thankfully, I had my camera

along (I knew it would be a great day for bear photography) and I was able to snap some nice shots of
this classic encounter of bear curiosity.
Train your eyes to look for small parts, colors, or shapes of animals. Do you see the bear in this picture?
That interaction, and many others like it, are good examples to illustrate the importance of being
hyper-aware at all times in bear country. You should learn to use your eyes, ears, and even your nose
to their maximum potential in your photography efforts. A well trained eye and sharp ears are the
greatest tools a wildlife photographer has. Bears, and any wild animal for that matter, can be very
hard to spot in their natural habitat. They often strive to keep themselves as hidden as possible. Most
bears are very shy, rather reclusive creatures; they don’t like being out in the open or gawked at by
humans or other more dominant bears for too long.
TRAIN YOUR EYES AND EARS
Bears have an incredible ability to blend into their environment and go completely unnoticed to the
average human eye. Learning to look for and recognize the subtle texture, movement, and tonal
contrast of bears in their habitat greatly improves the chances for a successful photo outing. Training
your eyes to see parts of bears (their ears, eyes, nose, tufts of fur, bodily shapes and outlines, etc.)
will open up a whole new world and enable you to spot bears long before they spot you.

How about now?
Training your ears to listen for even the slightest sounds will sharpen
your sense of wilderness awareness tremendously.
In a similar manner, training your ears to listen for even the slightest sounds (the rustling of
leaves, the snapping of a small twig, the leathery sound of a footstep, etc.) will sharpen your sense of
wilderness awareness tremendously and be of great value in your overall photography work. If your
eyes and ears are not working so well for one reason or another, the use of binoculars and hearing
amplification devices will go a long way in assisting you. Even if your eyes and ears do work great,
utilizing these tools will still be of significant value for spotting bears at both short and long ranges.
BE ATTUNED TO SCENTS
Your nose can also be of great value, as bears do have a distinct scent. Once you become familiar
with what a bear smells like (kind of like a wet dog), you can actually detect them by their scent
before seeing or hearing them—in situations where the wind is right.

Learning to look for and recognize the slight subtleties in texture, movement, and tonal contrast of bears in their habitat greatly improves
the chances for a successful photo outing. Would you have stopped to have a closer look at this patch of grass if you were just casually
passing by?
While on the topic of smelling, you should also make a point of minimizing your human scent, as
much as possible, while out photographing in bear country. Do not smoke, wear perfume/cologne, or
use other scented personal care products. If possible, wash your field clothes in unscented laundry
detergent as an extra precaution. Also, do not bring highly scented food items out with you.

SLOW DOWN
Another area of critical importance is the ability to consciously slow down, waaaaaay down, while
in bear country. Purposely moving in slow motion while on a wildlife photo shoot enables you to
focus intensely on each and every detail of your surroundings. This makes it possible to spot animals,
and other great photographic subject matter, with much more ease and clarity. Being in a big hurry and
rushing through the woods in the usual fast-paced manner of our culture is a recipe for certain failure
with your wildlife photography efforts. You will miss countless opportunities! Slowing down and
operating at Mother Nature’s pace (instead of that of the modern world), will be of great value in
many ways and aid tremendously in the development of your “eye” as a photographer.
Purposely moving in slow motion while on a wildlife photo shoot
enables you to focus intensely on each and every detail of your
surroundings.
UNPLUG
As a final bit of advice, make it a point to unplug as much as possible from any distractions while out
in nature. Turn your phone off, leave your earbuds at home, and disconnect yourself from the virtual
world as much as you can. Stay alert, focused, and hyper-aware of everything in your surroundings at
all times. Doing so is beneficial not only for you as a photographer but also simply as a human being.

CAMERA SELECTION
CHAPTER TEN
GEARING UP
The camera you choose for photographing bears will depend on your budget, location, and the overall
intention for your images. If you intend on capturing and producing images for professional use, you
will obviously be using professional-grade equipment—or at least the best you can afford. If your
intention is more focused on simply capturing quality images to document a memorable vacation, or
as a hobby, a much more reasonably priced camera will do the job. No matter the intention, there are
some basic features that a camera to be used for wildlife photography should have.
While there are some very nice point-and-shoot style cameras on the market these days that can
take truly professional grade images, I highly recommend a DSLR camera for any kind of serious
wildlife photography. DSLRs are much more versatile and can be adapted to capture photos in a wide
variety of situations. Since you’ll be outside in some possibly not-so-great weather conditions while
photographing bears, I recommend a camera that is fairly weather resistant and very rugged. You
should also look for a model with selective focus features, the ability to process and store large
number of images, the ability to shoot multiple “bursts” of images at fast shutter speeds, and superior
low-light capabilities. Any quality DSLR can do these things, but shopping around, comparing models
and features, and reading reviews can go a long way in choosing the best camera for your money.

Having the proper photography gear will enable you to capture a wide variety of bear images.

LENSES AND FILTERS
Secondly, and extremely important for bear photography, is a high quality zoom/telephoto lens with
image stabilization features. As I’ve repeated many times, you should always maintain a safe,
respectful distance from bears; a good telephoto lens will help you do that.
Camera lenses are certainly not cheap, and the longer the lens, the more expensive it will be. As a
bare minimum for zoom/telephoto purposes, I recommend a 300mm lens—but an even longer lens
many be necessary to get those iconic, dramatic close-up shots.
While a zoom lens is an essential piece of gear, don’t forget about having a shorter (wide-angle)
lens that is more suitable for landscapes. This will allow you to capture broad shots of bears enjoying
their habitat. Popular choices include an 18–55mm lens, or my favorite, a 12–24mm.
A polarizing filter for your lens of choice is another item to have handy, which can help cut down
on glare in many situations
TRIPOD OR MONOPOD
Along with a camera and lenses that are appropriate to photographing bears, a quality tripod or
monopod that you can operate quickly and quietly is another essential tool. While you can certainly
get good images while shooting freehanded in some situations, having your camera firmly mounted on
something stable and secure will increase the quality of your work quite dramatically—especially
when shooting in low-light settings.
MEMORY CARDS AND OTHER ACCESSORIES
Having several high capacity memory cards for your camera is another important consideration. It can
sometimes take hundreds of shots to get that one, incredible photograph of a lifetime. Get high-quality
cards, keep them readily accessible, and protect them from the elements at all times. A few other
necessary photography items you should have are some extra, fully charged batteries (kept in a warm,
dry place), some lens cleaning supplies, and some weather protection for your camera gear (such as a
dry bag, or an umbrella to shoot under if photographing in inclement weather).
COMFORT AND SAFETY GEAR
Much of the other, non-photography related gear that you will take out on a bear photo-shoot will
depend on the situation, location, and your personal needs. I recommend a good backpack and a
lightweight, sturdy, comfortable chair (or a waterproof seat cushion of some kind, if setting up a chair
will not be possible).

Have several high capacity memory cards available. It can sometimes take hundreds of shots to get that one, perfect image.
When venturing into a remote area, it’s also important to have some emergency/survival gear and
bear self-defense/deterrent devices on hand. There are many options for these, such as pepper spray
and various firearms. No matter what you choose for emergency defense, though, it’s extremely
important to first make sure it is legal where you will be photographing, that you are properly trained
and confident in using it, and that you practice proper safety procedures at all times for the well-being
of yourself and others.

M
CHAPTER ELEVEN
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
iserable. Sopping wet. Wind-beaten and disgusted by a slow day of fishing. That’s how I found
myself one autumn afternoon while wandering about on one of my favorite rivers. As I sauntered
back to my truck, I looked out from underneath the canopy of my hood and spied what I initially
thought was a washed up log lying on the gravel bar. As I got a little closer, I discovered that it was,
in fact, not a huge chunk of wood, but rather a big ol’ brown bear, soaked to the bone, sprawled out,
and dead asleep! I decided to keep my distance and watch him for a bit to see what he was going to
do when he awoke. Well, he was in no hurry to move on. He’d lazily wake up for a few minutes,
stretch, yawn, and then flop right back down in the dirt to go back to sleep as the rain continued to
drench his thick, fall hide.
He’d lazily wake up for a few minutes, stretch, yawn, and then flop right
back down in the dirt . . .
I eventually went around him, giving him plenty of space to keep enjoying his nap. While I
continued to watch him from the other side of the river, another bear came along. This one was not in
such a lazy mood. It aggressively ran up to the sleeping bear and proceeded to kick his butt down the
river! The poor, tired bear that was so rudely awakened ran for his life, all the while looking back at
his violent pursuer with a very confused look. Later that afternoon, I found that same bear a hundred
yards or so down the river, flopped over a big log, with his head hung down—way down . . . low
down! He had the most humiliated, depressed look I’d ever seen on the face of any animal. I snapped
a few shots while he sulked and respectfully moved along. Sorry bear.

This soaking-wet bear had the most humiliated, depressed look I’d ever seen on the face of an animal.
KEEP THE HABITAT IN MIND
Before you head out to photograph bears, consider their natural habitats. Some bears live in warm,
dry areas, but most photographers pursue bears that live in places that can be very cold, wet, and
windy. Even on what seems to be a pleasant day, the weather in such places can change quickly and
bring about dangerous, hypothermic conditions in a matter of minutes. Also, most bear country is also
bug country! Proper clothing and insect protection/repellent is a must. Even if you’ll be photographing
bears in a tamer setting, such as zoo or nature preserve, being outside for long periods of time can
still take a toll on you.
Wearing the appropriate clothes in any outdoor environment is critical.
Wearing the appropriate clothes in any outdoor environment is critical; it’s even more important
in cold, damp weather. You should always use the “layer system” and choose the right fabrics. A
common saying in regard to outdoor active wear is “Cotton kills!” Comfortable cotton clothing is fine
for traveling or lounging around on a nice day. Blended fabrics that contain a small amount of cotton
are acceptable for casual outdoor activities, but 100 percent cotton clothing is not suitable for serious
outdoor use. Cotton is very absorbent. When you work up a sweat or get wet from snow and rain,
cotton clothing holds that moisture in, close to your body. Combined with a drop in temperature and
wind, that moisture greatly accelerates heat loss. So, let’s explore some better fabric choices as we
take a quick look at the layer system.

This brown bear, as well as the photographer, endured pouring rain all day. Proper clothing is a must for your bear photography efforts.

First on the list is a base layer of clothing, which essentially is socks and underwear (“short”
and/or “long” underwear). Your undergarments should be made of a moisture-wicking material that
helps in regulating body temperature. Popular wicking fabrics include synthetic blends of polyester,
nylon, merino wool, treated silk, etc. There are many options these days, so I’d suggest experimenting
to determine what base layer you find to be most comfortable and effective at wicking away sweat
and moisture from your skin.
The middle component in the layering system is clothing that acts as insulation by creating dead
air space to trap your body heat. Wool is a popular choice, as it insulates in both wet and dry
conditions. Various blends of fleece and down are also common.
Finally, the shell layer is what goes on top of everything as your protection from wind and
precipitation. Once more, there are lots of choices here for one to explore, but an important point to
keep in mind is the quality of the shell layer. You can purchase generic brands of your base and
middle layers of clothing to save a few bucks, but do not skimp on the shell layer! I’ve seen low and
even respectable quality wind and rain jackets literally rip right off of people in severe weather or
while walking through heavy brush. While lightweight, “breathable” fabrics may be fine in moderate
wind and precipitation, they are worthless in heavy-duty, multiple-day onslaughts. If you are going to
be in extremely turbulent climates, I’d suggest investing in an industrial-strength shell layer, such as
those garments worn by construction workers, mountaineers, commercial fisherman, etc. Your shell
layer needs to be able to withstand an unimaginable beating from Mother Nature—and readily ask for
more!
A layering system helps to ensure your comfort and safety when venturing out into wild territories.

Don’t overlook basic comfort and safety items when packing for your excursion.
The first and best line of insect defense is simply wearing durable
clothes that cover the body completely and adding a fine-mesh bug head
net.
INSECT REPELLENTS
In regard to insect control, while bug repellents that contain DEET work very well at keeping pests
away, it is important to keep in mind that DEET is a heavy solvent that will literally melt plastic and
other materials, which (by the way) is what a lot of camera gear is made of. If you use a DEET-based
repellent, use it sparingly, never get it on your terminal gear, and wash it off your hands immediately.
There are some non-DEET products out there these days, but few that can rival its repelling power.
The first and best line of insect defense, in my experience, is simply wearing durable clothes that
cover the body completely and adding a fine-mesh bug head net. When photographing bears in buggy
places for long periods of time, there is nothing that works as well and is more relieving than a good
ol’ head net. I keep one handy at all times.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
There are a few other things to consider in regard to clothing. First, choose fabrics that are as quiet as
possible; you don’t want your clothing to make a lot of noise when you are moving around. Second,
choose the proper footwear (such as waterproof boots). Finally, complete your bear photography
wardrobe with lightweight gloves and hats.
There is nothing that works as well and is more relieving than a good ol’
head net.
Sturdy footwear that is suited to the terrain should be a major consideration when planning your shoot.

Y
CHAPTER TWELVE
SETTING UP FOR THE SHOT
ou’ve done all the pre-field study and preliminary work, are well trained in the ways of bear
safety, and finally find yourself on location—with bears ready to be photographed. Now, it’s
essential to be set up in a spot where you can safely, comfortably, and successfully carry out the task
of actually taking photographs. Keep in mind: you may be in that spot for a long, long time!
A MEMORABLE DAY
The featured photographs for this chapter are of a Kodiak sow and cub who I was able to watch and
photograph for an entire morning and early afternoon. They spent their time swimming together,
catching and eating salmon, climbing up and down a riverside cliff, and just having a great time! It
was heartwarming fun to watch the cute little cub follow her mother around all day, imitating what she
was doing, and even striking many of the same poses. The mother was very patient and seemed to be
enjoying the bonding time as much as her cub. The photos from that shoot remain some of my all-time
favorite and most popular bear images to date. The bears were well aware that I was present and that
I was photographing them for hours on end, yet were not alarmed at all. This was because I had an
ideal setup spot to photograph them. Such a spot should consist of the following characteristics:
• A respectful distance in a relatively open area where you will not surprise bears.
• A good field of vision in all directions to maintain situational awareness at all times. (Always be
aware of what is behind you!)
• A natural or man-made barrier between you and the bears.
• A comfortable area to sit, set up a tripod, and be able to quietly and quickly access your gear.
• A location you can quickly and safely exit if necessary.
• The potential for good lighting.

One of my most memorable bear photography shoots was of this beautiful Kodiak sow and her adorable cub. Having a great place to set
up and photograph for the day was critical to safely, comfortably, and successfully capturing some of my best images.

Many popular bear viewing areas, even in remote wilderness settings, have designated bear viewing spots like this elevated platform.
These are ideal and safe, as the bears become accustomed to the consistent, non-threating activity of small numbers of humans.
A BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THE BEAR
As a side-note, the natural or man-made barrier between you and the bears could be one of many
things—a river, a lake, a steep embankment, a vehicle, an electric bear fence, etc. The point is to have
something in between you and the bear that provides both a visual sense of safe distance and
something that would require a significant effort for the bear to move through; this buys you time if
you had to leave the area immediately. Photographing from behind a blind or up in an elevated tree
stand are not the best options, unless they are very strong, protective, permanent structures. Hiding
behind a blind can lead to surprising the bears (dangerous!) and, since many bears can climb trees,
being up in one is not the best idea either. Staying out in the open where bears can be aware of your
presence is the best choice in most cases.
Photographing from behind a blind or up in an elevated tree stand are
not the best options
BEAR VIEWING AREAS
Again, it’s ideal if a designated bear viewing area already exists at the location where you intend to
photograph. Find out if such areas are present before you get there. And if they are, use them. If not,
then make every effort to find the most ideal spots. Doing so will ensure a sense of comfort for both
you and the bears, and will ultimately enable you to capture great images.

I
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
COMPOSING THE SHOT
waited for days to capture the featured brown-bear photograph below. The huge boulder was a
great compositional element and positioned right along an actively used bear trail. I wanted so
desperately to get a photo of a big bear up on top of it, looking around like the king of the mountain—
but neither the bear or mother nature was cooperating. Many times when the bear came by the lighting
was totally wrong. And, almost every day when that same bear came wandering up and down the trail
he would go around the boulder instead of over it.
Developing and practicing compositional awareness was essential for capturing this long anticipated shot.
I had been imagining and mentally preparing myself for the perfect scenario to photograph that
bear, planning out the exact composition I wanted to put together well before it actually happened—if
it was to happen at all. Thankfully, it finally did! On a bright, sunny, late afternoon, that bear came by
for his usual inspection. Upon noticing him while he was still far away, I got ready for the shot,
knowing exactly the route he would travel. As he got closer, I ran though my compositional checklist,
hoping that today would be the day he cooperated. As he closed in on the boulder, he paused, looked

it up and down, and then hopped up on top of it for the perfect shot! It was as if he could read my
mind. He stood there on top the boulder for a few minutes, looked around, hit some great poses, and
then went on his way.
PRACTICE AND PREPARATION
I share that particular story with you to demonstrate the importance of compositional awareness. As
with any genre of photography, composing the shot before you actually take it is an important skill to
learn. It is one that takes study and ongoing practice. There are many books out there that cover the
topic of photographic composition and there are also countless Internet articles on the subject. If you
are not familiar with the basics, I’d highly recommend taking some time to study them in depth before
heading out on a serious photo shoot. Unfortunately, it is too vast of a subject to address completely in
this book. That being said though, in the next few chapters I will offer some compositional advice as
it applies more specifically to photographing bears.
Ask yourself, “What is it that will initially draw the viewer into my
photograph? Are there distractions that interrupt the flow?”
BASIC PRINCIPLES
When composing a shot, it’s always important to first be attentive to some basic principles. You
should be aware of the lighting as well as the background and foreground. Think about the aspect
ratio and utilizing the rule of thirds. Pay attention to the depth of field, the possible angles you could
utilize for the shot—and don’t overlook the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines that other objects
in the frame can create. Learn to always be aware of the overall sense of visual flow in what you are
trying to capture.
Ask yourself, “What is it that will initially draw the viewer into my photograph? Are there
distractions that interrupt the flow? What is the story or the message I’m trying to convey? What
unseen conceptual effect do I want to create?” Being well aware of all these elements before you
press the shutter release will improve your skill as a photographer and greatly improve the quality of
your images.
EVALUATE THE SCENE
When you arrive at your shooting location, make it a first priority to identify features in the landscape
that would make great compositional elements for a photograph. Be attentive to what the light is
doing, and what it will do in the immediate future. Run through any and all possible scenarios for
what may happen on your shoot and be ready to capture those scenarios at a moment’s notice.
UNDERSTAND THE SUBJECT

This is where some quality time spent just watching and studying bears really pays off. The more
familiar you get with the physicality and behavior of bears, the more you will be able to consciously
anticipate and capture that perfect shot. Learn how to show movement, personality, intimacy, and
other characteristics by means of how you set up and compose the shot—before you shoot.
Have your camera and tripod at the ready, facing in the right direction, at the right height, prefocused
on the exact area you intend to photograph the animal. Try to get in sync with the bear’s
movements, anticipating what it will do, where it will go, etc. Get into the bear’s mind, so to speak.
Try to get in sync with the bear’s movements, anticipating what it will
do . . .
HONE YOUR SENSES AND FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS
Pay attention to the environment around you, as well. Any dynamic changes in the weather can be
fantastic compositional elements. Strive to develop an instinct about what’s going to happen, and get
ready to capture it all with your camera. Developing this greater sense of compositional awareness
will pay off tremendously in your photography efforts.

W
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
INCLUSION AND ISOLATION
hen considering possible compositions, try to think in terms of two polar opposites: inclusion
and isolation. This is a creative concept that I often write about—and one that can be applied to
any genre of photography. It certainly works great for bears and other wildlife.
Bear photographs based on inclusion feature as much as the bears habitat as possible.

INCLUSION
Bears live in incredibly beautiful places. Their habit can be filled with snowcapped peaks, bountiful
rivers, wild flowers, lush forests, and grassy meadows. The places that bears call home are fantastic
photography subjects in and of themselves. Including the beauty of a bear’s habit will produce some
truly spectacular photos.
Watching any animal peacefully enjoying its home is an emotionally stirring sight to behold, as we
humans also strive for such moments of tranquility. Try to include as many features of a bear’s habitat
as you can in your photos. As discussed in the previous chapter, pick out areas around you that have
great compositional potential, and do so before a bear actually comes on the scene.

Images that are based on isolation are more reminiscent of a classic portrait.

ISOLATION
On the other side of the compositional spectrum are images of isolation. Sometimes, a location where
bears are active is not so scenic. Perhaps the lighting is wrong or you might not be in the best position
to capture an all-inclusive image of a bear and its surroundings, for one reason or another. In such a
circumstance, it can be beneficial to capture more isolated images of bears. These are not necessarily
extreme close-up shots (which we will look at in the next chapter) but more like traditional portrait
photography—images that capture the character of the subject with very little emphasis on the
background.
It can be beneficial to capture more isolated images of bears.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
As with any other technique or photography concept, practice makes perfect. Make it a point to think
in terms of inclusion or isolation with any subject you may be shooting. Doing so will further your
sense of compositional awareness, thus enabling you to capture a variety of images, no matter what
the particular location or situation.

O
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EXTREME CLOSE-UPS
ver the years, when I’ve shared extreme close-up bear images like the ones featured in this
chapter, the reaction is always much the same: “Oh my gosh! Are you crazy!?! You could have
been killed!!!” It’s certainly true that close-up images of bears and other potentially dangerous
animals can cause instant reactions of terror. Seeming to be that close to such a creature is indeed a
tremendously foreboding experience! Such photos can also be perceived as an unwelcome intrusion
into an animal’s personal space—almost as if the photographer crossing a sacred barrier, looking into
and capturing the animal’s very soul! The intimacy of such in-your-face images can, no doubt, be very
provocative on many levels.
Extreme close-up shots make great photos, but must always be captured in the proper manner, with the proper message.

In many of my close-up photos, I was actually so far away that the bear had no idea I was photographing it.

THE REALITY
While extreme close-up images can seem both frightening and disrespectfully close to many viewers,
the reality is something quite different.
Truth be told, in many of my close-up photos, I was so far away that the bear had no idea I was
photographing it. As you have learned by now—I’ve been drilling this into your head in practically
every chapter of this book—when photographing potentially dangerous animals, you must always use
a zoom lens of significant power, maintain a safe distance, and make it a point to have a natural or
man-made barrier between yourself and the bear. Precautions such as these are an absolute necessity
in keeping both you and the bear safe and comfortable.
CONSIDER THE MESSAGE
Extreme close-up images of bears do not necessarily have to invoke a sense of fear—and really, they
shouldn’t. Most of the close-ups I capture are intended to show the different physical features of
bears, such as facial characteristics, claws, and things that most people simply never get a good look
at. As we will see in the next chapter, close-up photography can be used to capture more of a bear’s
beautiful, expressive nature—instead of the ferocious beast within.
Close-up photography can be used to capture more of a bear’s beautiful,
expressive nature.
An important point with all your bear photography, especially the close-ups, is to be aware of the
message you are sending. Unfortunately, many uninformed folks see such images and think that the
photographer was right in the bear’s face, mere feet away, and snapping photos with a smart phone.
Unfortunately, I’ve been in places where I have seen people try to do this!
When displaying your close-up work, get in the habit of letting people know that you got those
images in a safe, respectful manner. For example, I have a number of bear videos on YouTube that
showcase what appear to be some close encounters with very large bears. In every one of them, I
display a quick overview of how I captured the images/footage and the basic safety procedures I
employed. Again, I can’t stress enough how important this is to do with all your bear photography
work.

B
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
EXPRESS YOURSELF
ears are very expressive animals whose facial features can be quite similar to those of humans.
While so much emphasis is, unfortunately, put on capturing images of mean, snarling bears, they
have so much more to offer a photographer than their wrath!
RESPECT THEIR COMFORT LEVEL
Out of the hundreds and hundreds of bear images I have taken, only a few depict angry, obviously
unhappy bears. I thankfully (and luckily) have hardly ever encountered a truly savage, bloodthirsty
bear as portrayed in popular media. I have no doubt that this is because I have always followed
proper bear safety protocol and remained as respectful as possible while being a guest on their turf.
This bear was tired of being photographed and wanted me out of his area. He firmly backed me out of the general vicinity. And, I was
happy to oblige! He was not necessarily aggressive, but it was obvious from his change in demeanor that I was no longer welcome.
Paying attention to the expressive body language of bears is essential for safety.
I have certainly encountered a few bears that obviously did not want me around, and who let me

know it by firmly (but not aggressively) pushing me out of what they perceived as their personal
territory, but again, I have hardly ever been in a situation that I truly feared for my life. In fact, the
only time I’ve seen a bear display any serious, extremely violent ferocity was when fighting with
other bears over a food source or a claimed territory, or when a sow was chasing a threatening boar
away from her cubs.
Bears will let you know what their intentions are and what kind of mood
they are in.
As I have already mentioned in some of the previous chapters, bears will let you know what their
intentions are and what kind of mood they are in. They will communicate their comfort level and
make it obvious if and when you start to become an unwelcome guest. Constantly watching their body
language and closely monitoring their mood and behavior is very important for staying safe, but it is
also a means of capturing some of your best possible bear photographs. Please allow me to share the
following stories to illustrate my point.
HER SMILING FACE
A few summers ago, while working as a fishing guide, I was camped out on a remote Alaskan river
with bears everywhere. During one particular week it rained all day, every day. Along with the nonstop,
constant downpours, Mother Nature also pummeled us with fierce wind storms. It was brutal! It
seemed like the bad weather would never stop. Finally, at the end of the week, the weather cleared
out. I woke up on a Friday morning to the sound of silence and a warm, yellow glow illuminating my
tent. Sunshine—at last!
I got up, went into the cook tent, and had a nice breakfast for one, as I did not have any clients that
day and had the camp to myself. After my meal, I stepped outside the back entrance of the tent. To my
surprise, I saw a huge Kodiak bear, just sitting in the tall grass like a big dog. The bear was very
close but sitting on the other side of the electric fence that surrounded camp. She was not displaying
any food-interest behavior. Rather, she was very peaceful and appeared simply to be enjoying the
moment.
I got my camera out and proceeded to talk to the bear in a calm voice. She got up for a moment,
moved away from camp a bit, stretched, and then flopped back down as a subtle, warm breeze blew
across the land. She closed her eyes, basking in the sun, lifted her head to smell the freshly rainwashed
grasses, and then a big smile eased across her face for quite some time. It was absolutely
beautiful! The picture below is from that encounter and remains one of my personal favorites.

Bears can be very expressive animals. Always keep a close eye on their facial features to capture beautiful moments such as this.
Bears have so much more to offer a photographer than their wrath!
SLEEPING BEAUTY
The other photograph in this chapter is of a grizzly bear I call Sleeping Beauty. I photographed that

ear at a wildlife conservation area on the mainland of Alaska. While it looks like winter, it was
actually a rather warm, spring day—by Alaska standards. The bear had been quite active on the
morning I photographed him. He was wrestling around with another young bear, eating and chewing
on whatever he could find in the area, and appeared to be having a great time! Eventually, he just sort
of wore himself out and laid down to take a little bear-nap. He rested his head on his hands, struck a
very familiar sleepy-time pose, and was out cold. He even started to snore at one point and make
funny faces, much like a human having crazy dreams. That photograph, too, has become one of my
favorites.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Again, the point here is always to be intently watching the mannerisms, behaviors, and facial cues of
bears—not just for safety’s sake but also to capture the often elusive, incredibly wonderful moments
in which bears express themselves and show the beauty of the beast.

M
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
FAST ACTION
uch of the time, bears tend to appear rather lazy in their natural habitats. They slowly lumber
across the land, to and fro, without much sense of hurry or haste. It’s common to see bears lying
around, taking naps for hours at a time, dreaming away the summer days—only to follow it up with a
really long nap in the winter. Like any other wild animal, bears do all they can to preserve their hardearned
calories, which they need for survival, and do not waste their precious energy reserves
needlessly. But, make no mistake, they can move lightning-fast when they need to or want to!
They can chase down and tackle animals like caribou with the tenacity
of an NFL superstar!
Bears can run in a dead sprint at 35 miles per hour and even faster. They can chase down and
tackle animals like caribou with the tenacity of an NFL superstar! When startled or threatened, they
can violently lash out in an instant—like a savage uppercut from Mike Tyson! Watching a bear dive
into a pool of salmon at full throttle, like the photographs featured on the next two pages, is indeed an
impressive sight to behold. Capturing the fast paced action of bears is incredibly exciting and can
produce awesome photos.
APPROACH IT LIKE A SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER
When capturing action shots of bears and other wildlife, it helps to wear the hat of a sports
photographer—creatively and technically speaking. There are some basic shooting principles to
apply.

While bears often seem to move slowly and carelessly, they are incredibly fast when they want to be and can spring into action when
least expected!
First and foremost, as with most all of your bear photography efforts, you will need a good long
lens and the ability to stay in the moment and shoot fast. A 300mm lens is a good place to start—but,
naturally, an even larger one will get you in much closer to the action. To stay in the action as much as
possible, try to avoid “chimping” when you are engaged in any kind of fast-moving photo shoot. If you
are unfamiliar with the term “chimping,” it refers to the habit many photographers have of constantly
looking down at their camera’s LCD screen to examine each shot. Doing so will be a major
distraction and will quite possibly result in missing out on some rare opportunities. There will be
plenty of time when you get home to have a good, long look at all your photos.
Strive to create a sense of motion, atmosphere, and energy by giving
your primary subject room enough to carry out the action they are
performing.
KNOW YOUR GEAR
As with all your photography efforts, make it a point to experiment ahead of time with your particular
camera gear. This is the most productive way to find out what exact settings will work the best for
you when shooting fast wildlife action. As a rule of thumb, the faster the action, the faster your camera
settings will need to be, which translates into high ISOs and fast shutter speeds. How fast? If your

images are coming out blurry and dull, crank up the ISO and shutter speed settings until you get the
results you are looking for. On the other hand, a blurred effect is sometimes desirable to express fast
motion. In that case, cut your shutter speed in half, or perhaps even more, to create a “blurred motion”
image. Again, experimentation and further study with your particular camera and lenses will help
prepare you to make the most of your time in the field.
COMPOSITION AND CROPPING
Another important point to consider when photographing high-energy bear action is to pay extra
attention to how you compose, frame, and later crop the shot. Strive to create a sense of motion,
atmosphere, and energy by giving your primary subject room enough to carry out the action they are
performing. For example, as seen in the earlier photos in this chapter, if you are shooting a bear
charging after some fish, you should frame (or later crop) the shot so your audience can get a good
look at the bear as well as the area that contains his immediate target. Pull your viewer into the image
with a good sense of visual flow.
SLOWER DRAMAS
Action wildlife photography is not just about getting great high-intensity shots, though. There is a lot
of slower moving drama, both before and after those fast-moving sequences, which a good
photographer should seek out just as much as those high-energy moments. In the photo below, a young
bear had just finished trying to catch a salmon—for hours! He was relentlessly diving into pools of
fish, clawing and biting at the dozens upon dozens of pink salmon that exploded out of the water. He
tried again, and again, and again to catch a fish, but just couldn’t do it. Finally, he gave up and slowly
walked over to a shallow riverbank. There, he hung his head low and sulked for quite some time.
Capturing the slower moving “before and after” shots of a high-intensity moment can be just as
compelling as the fast action.

After hours of unsuccessful fishing, this young bear sulked on the shore.

T
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AFTER THE SHOT CONSIDERATIONS
hroughout this book, we have explored many topics—from the historical, cultural, and scientific
significance of bears to researching and planning a bear photo shoot. We’ve also looked at ways
of developing the proper mental outlook, optimizing your gear and setup, refining your compositions,
and many other related topics that all lead up to the moment of truth and actually taking pictures of
bears. An equally if not more important subject is the proper behavior at the conclusion of a photo
shoot. What happens after you have a memory card loaded with potentially spectacular bear images
that you’ve waited and planned so long and hard to capture?

Being safe and respectful of bears and their habitat when the photo shoot is over is equally (if not more so) as important than before and
during the shoot.
WHAT NOT TO DO
If you are like many not-so-well-trained, would-be wildlife photographers, you jump up from your
setup area and scare the bear away as soon as you are done photographing it—so you can rush back to
your camp or hotel room and check out the results of your photo shoot. Along with that, you halfheartedly
break down and clean up your area, leaving trash lying around, and exiting the bear’s home
turf in a careless, hurried, disrespectful manner. Obviously, these are not the correct actions to take.
The same degree of intense preparation, patience, care, safety and respect you put into your planning
and preparation efforts to make the bear photography shoot a reality should also be applied to your
actions after the shoot.

Make every effort to keep your presence as respectful and unnoticeable as possible—before, during, and after the photo shoot.
WHAT TO DO
First and foremost, after you have finished photographing a wild bear—especially if you have done
so in an undetected manner—you should make every effort to continue to remain undetected until the
bear leaves the area on its own, undisturbed. While this may take a while and you may need to be
very patient, doing so helps to ensure that the bear will not alter its behavior due to human presence.
Bears, and any other wild animals that are pressured too much or greatly disturbed in their primary
habitat, will often move out of the area. That could result in them not getting the proper food they
need. It could also cause undue stress and danger to a sow and her cubs, forcing them to leave an area
that has been a safe sanctuary from dangerous male bears who may be actively seeking to kill her
cubs.
Bears that are pressured too much or greatly disturbed in their primary
habitat will often move out of the area.
IT’S ALL ABOUT RESPECT
Nobody likes to have their privacy or their home rudely invaded and disturbed. If someone broke in
and ransacked your home, or a stranger jumped out of the closet while you were enjoying a romantic
meal with your spouse, you’d be pretty dang upset! The same applies to wild animals and the places
they call home. A photographer must make every possible effort to keep his or her presence as

espectful and unnoticeable as possible—before, during, and after the photo shoot. Even if you are
photographing bears in an area where they are well aware and tolerant of your presence, it is still of
the utmost importance to exit the area in a safe, respectful manner. If possible, leave it better than you
found it. Doing so ensures the safety and well-being of the bears themselves, the places they call
home, and the future humans who may enjoy the treasured opportunity to be a guest in the bear’s
domain.

CHAPTER NINETEEN
PROCESSING YOUR BEAR PHOTOS
This fun picture of a bear scratching his chin is one I did not even realize I captured. Many of your best, previously unnoticed, photos will
become obvious during the processing stage.
W
hen you get back home and regroup from a long awaited bear photo shoot, especially if it was a
once-in-a lifetime opportunity, beginning the task of organizing and processes all your images
can be an incredibly intimidating one!
LOTS OF IMAGES, A FEW GEMS
When I get home from a single day of photographing bears, or even a shoot that was just a few hours,
I will usually have several hundred images on a memory card. If the photo shoot was a week-long
adventure (or more), I’ll have several memory cards full—and possibly thousands of bear images to
go through. When it’s all said and done, out of all those photographs, I’ll have about a dozen really

good, top-quality bear images that will make the final cut. And out of those, there are usually just one
or two that I’ll consider the real gems. That’s one of the major benefits of modern, digital
photography: there is no reason to be stingy. Shoot all the photos you possibly can in the field! Those
unnoticed or split-second moments that a camera can record (things that the human eye misses) will
often be your best photos.
MY WORKFLOW
As far as processing a large quantity of digital image files, I’d like to share with you my tried-andtrue
routine as an example. Naturally, this is only a suggested method. You may want to modify it
according to your own needs or preferences, or you may wish to ignore it completely and do
something altogether different.
As a starting point, I first view all my RAW files in a software program such as Lightroom or
Photoshop. (By the way, I recommend always shooting in RAW format if you are eventually planning
to print your photos or use them for any professional grade work.)
My initial step is to simply delete all the images that are out of focus, badly composed, have
terrible lighting, or just plain look off. Getting rid of all the bad shots will most likely cut down
significantly on what I have left to work with. After that first go-round, I’ll step away for a while to
rest my eyes and get a fresh perspective. Then, I come back and go through the files again, this time in
a more refined manner. On this pass, I’ll get rid of images that don’t have serious potential for a
finished photograph. I make sure all my “keeper” files have good composition, lighting, sharpness,
etc. While some of these elements can be tweaked later with a good software program, I only keep
images that don’t need too much work.
I may be tempted to keep a good shot simply because it was such a
memorable moment at the time.
CROPPING
After the second round of narrowing files down, I again give myself a break for a few hours, or even
wait a day or two in order to get a fresh perspective. When I return to the images, I’ll crop my
“keeper” photographs to get a better idea of how they may look when more developed as a potential
finished product. If an image seems to lose its appeal or compositional quality after being cropped, I
toss it. This, once more, cuts down on the material I need to work with and keeps the refining process
going.
GET A LITTLE DISTANCE
Once I have my hundreds of files narrowed down significantly, keeping only those that are of the best
quality and which show true potential, I then take a longer break—usually several days or even a

week or two—before the next step. I do this in order to lose the emotional attachment I may have to
particular images and to keep things moving forward as objectively as possible.
There are sometimes images that are good but not great. I may be tempted to keep a good shot
simply because it was such a memorable moment at the time. In such a situation, I move the file to a
different folder (for nostalgia sake), but I delete it out of the batch of images from which I’m trying to
produce my best possible work. This is often a hard step to take, but it is absolutely necessary.
HDR processing can produce interesting results for images that need a little extra “pop.”
HDR AND OTHER PROCESSING EFFECTS
When I finally have all my images narrowed down to the serious contenders, I begin the more
detailed work of making adjustments to the lighting, color saturation, clarity, contrast, etc., of each
individual image. I also experiment with making color images into black & white ones, adapting HDR
(high dynamic range) techniques to certain photographs, and playing around with different processing
techniques.

Sometimes an image that does not look all that great in color can make a fantastic black and white image.

Sometimes an image that does not look all that great in color can make a fantastic black & white
image, and vice-versa. Or, an image that needs a little extra “pop” might benefit from HDR. As a final
step, I add a title, caption, keywords, meta-data, and copyright information to each image. This not
only helps to keep my images organized for myself, it also makes them more marketable for
professional use.
Your photos can inspire people to be safe, or they can promote behavior
that is very dangerous for both humans and bears.
YOUR STYLE
Much of what you choose to do as far as specific processing and photo editing procedures will
depend on the style of image you are ultimately trying to produce. There are those who seek to
produce photographs that are purely of a documentary nature, trying to reproduce the scene and
subject exactly as it was observed and experienced by the naked eye. Others may wish to produce an
image that has more of an artistic flair to it, to manipulate colors, lighting, contrast, compositional
elements, etc., to evoke a particular emotional response. Each approach has its place, as long as it is
done with honesty and integrity.
ON-LINE SHARING
As a final consideration, be aware of how you share or post your photos on-line. Protect your hardearned
work by posting only low-resolution versions of your photos on the Internet. Be sure to
include your watermark or copyright notice, too. Additionally, always make it a point to caption your
photo and share both the story as well as the safety precautions you used when shooting the image.
Don’t forget: your photos can inspire people to be safe, or they can promote behavior that is very
dangerous for both humans and bears.

A
WRAPPING UP
s I bring things to a close in this final, brief chapter, I sincerely hope that this book has been a
valuable source of both knowledge and inspiration in regard to bears. It was my desire to offer
you a culturally rich, positive, balanced understanding of these magnificent creatures and the places
they call home—and to pass along some important concepts and strategies to apply to your bear
photography efforts.
As we have seen, bears and humans have shared this planet together for
thousands and thousands of years.
It was also a great joy to share with you some of my most memorable photographs and stories of
spending time among these fascinating animals. And, of course, sharing these pages with Dr. Van
Daele was a great honor and privilege, which I trust has been of substantial benefit for the reader.
As we have seen, bears and humans have shared this planet together for thousands and thousands
of years. Developing a deeper understanding of bears themselves, and the role they have played in
various cultures throughout the centuries, will no doubt assist in creating a greater appreciation of
them for future generations—not just as nature lovers and photographers, but as human beings and
stewards of the earth.

INDEX
A
Action shots, 109–13
Age of bear, 33, 70. See also Sows and Cubs
Attacks, 22–25, 63–64. See also Safety
B
Baiting bears, 66
Barriers, 88, 92
Batteries, 80
Bear viewing areas, 92
Bedding areas, 61–62
Black & white images, 121–24
Blinds, 92
Body language, bear’s, 34, 105–8
Burst rate, camera, 79, 112
C
Camera controls, 30, 46–47, 112
Camera selection, 46, 79
Chimping, 112
Claws, 14–15, 61–62, 103
Close-ups, 100–104
Clothing selection, 82–87
Composition, 48–49, 93–95, 96–104, 112–13
Conservation areas, 48, 92, 108
Cropping, 112–13, 120
Cubs, 19, 26–29, 34, 40–41, 64–66, 68, 88–91, 117
Cultural perspectives, 19–23

D
Danger, 22–25. See also Safety
Distance, 14, 17, 24, 26–29, 34, 38–40, 50, 55, 56 62, 88, 92, 100–104
Dominance markings, 61–62
E
Editing images, 118–24
Electric bear fence, 92
Exit plan, 88–91, 114–17
Experts, consulting with, 17–18, 44–46, 48–53
Expressions, 56, 73, 82–83, 105–8, 113
F
Familiarity, 55–57
Fear of bears, 22–25
Feeding bears, 66
Field of view, 88
File format, 119
Filters, 80
Firearms, 81
Food sources, 13–14, 15, 26–29, 34–38, 55, 56, 59–61, 63–67, 68–69, 109–12, 113
Footwear, 87
G
Gear, non-photo, 81
Gloves, 87
Guide services, 52–53
H
Habitat, 11–13, 44–46, 97. See also Location selection
HDR images, 121–24
Head net, 87
Hibernation, 20
Historical perspectives, 19–23

Horizon, leveling, 94
I
Inclusion compositions, 96–97
Insect repellent, 86
Intelligence, 32
Isolation compositions, 96, 99
ISO setting, 112
L
Lens selection, 79–80, 100–104, 112
Lighting, 48–49, 88
Listening for bears, 74–75
Location selection, 48, 50–53, 88–92
M
Memory cards, 80
Monopods, 80
Mothers. See Sows
Mythology, bear, 19–23
P
Parks, 52–53
Patience, 14, 68–71, 88, 94
Pepper spray, 81
Personal space, bear’s, 38–40, 105–6
Personal style, 124
P5 principle, 44
Planning, 18, 44–46, 48–53, 61–62, 94
Polarizing filters, 80
Postproduction, 118–24
Practice, importance of, 46–47, 48–53, 95
Predation, 34, 42

R
Regional differences, 17–18, 23–24, 30
Research, 17–18, 44–46, 50–53, 61–62, 71, 94, 95
Respect, 14, 17, 19, 24, 26–29, 34, 38–40, 42–43, 50, 55, 56, 104, 105–6, 114–17
Rule of thirds, 94
S
Safety, 13–15, 17, 18, 21–22, 22–25, 26–29, 31–43, 48, 62, 63–64, 81, 88–91, 92, 100–104
Scat, 57–63
Scouting, 55–62, 71
Senses, training your, 72–77
Sharing, on-line, 124
Shutter speed, 112
Sleeping, 108, 109
Slowing down, 77
Smell, bear’s sense of, 14, 15, 33, 70
Smelling for bears, 75–77
Sows, 19, 26–29, 34, 40–41, 64–66, 68, 88–91, 117
Species, 30, 32, 44–46 50–53, 62
Surveillance sessions, 71
T
Teeth, 15, 100
Telephoto lenses, 79–80, 100–104, 112
Territorial markings, 61–62
Time of day, 71
Tracks, 14, 57–63
Trails, 14, 57–63
Tripods, 80, 95
U
Unplugging, 77
V

Van Daele, Larry, 8, 9, 19, 31–43
Viewing areas, 92
W
Watermarks, 124
Weather protection, 79, 80
Wide-angle lenses, 79–80
Workflow, 118–24
Z
Zoom lenses, 79–80
Zoos, 48