Polar Bear, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

A polar bear walks toward the camera in warm late afternoon light along the coast of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The bear's head is raised, nose lifted slightly into the air, testing the wind. Golden light from the low Arctic sun warms the bear's chest and front legs while the snow and ice behind it fade into soft blue tones under a dark sky.

The posture suggests this bear is scent checking, pulling air across its nose to pick up information about what lies ahead. Polar bears have an extraordinary sense of smell, capable of detecting seals and other bears from miles away. That lifted chin and alert expression are not casual. The bear is actively reading its environment. The low angle and front on perspective give the image a sense of direct engagement, as though the bear is sizing up the photographer in return.

Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to one of the southernmost populations of polar bears in the Arctic, and the fall season along the Beaufort Sea coast offers some of the best opportunities anywhere to photograph these animals at close range on land. The light at this latitude in October stays low and warm for hours, and images made during that window have a color and quality that set Arctic Alaska apart from other polar bear destinations.

Photo © copyright by Carl Donohue.

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