A kiss on the nose

It was an uneventful start to the day in bear country. The warm weather seemed to induce a sleep-coma, which spread across the population. Camera equipment rested at our sides and we spent the first few hours simply observing the sleeping giants in their natural habitat. The change was refreshing in an ordinary sort of way. We forgot our work as our group enjoyed the pure pleasure of bear watching. “After all, this isn’t the kind of place you can come to anytime, and it would be a shame to let this experience go by unnoticed”. Wise words, spoken by Michio Hoshino.

Suddenly, the bear cub woke and the trance was broken. Mama bear sauntered over and the cub gently welcomed her with a tiny kiss on the nose. This time, I captured the image and shared pure wilderness bliss with the world.

Coastal Brown Bear, Katmai National Park, Alaska, 2013

Canon 1DX, Canon 600mm F/4, Canon 1.4x III Teleconverter,f/5.6, 1/1250s, ISO 1600, monopod