This “once in a lifetime” encounter with an adult polar bear in the choppy Beaufort Sea was a real test to capture. Keeping the camera and its long lens steady in this situation is close to impossible. My frame would move as the small boat moved – sometimes quite violently.

When the light is poor, the photographer has no chance with these moments, but on this glorious morning I did have a chance as the light was so strong that I could work with a very fast shutter speed. That way the impact of the movement of the camera and the boat could be nullified.

It is moments like this that make the job so rewarding – but they are few and far between. It is imperative to put in the hours. What a majestic mammal.