Rachel Bear
, CA
Member since January 11, 2021
Most Viewed
Sunshine Deer
At first glance this looks like a cold winter’s day in the Canadian Rockies. This image was actually captured during an unexpected summer snowfall whilst hiking alone along the border of Alberta/British Columbia. The young mule deer carefully greeted me at the base of a meadow and we shared a peaceful moment surrounded by the peaks of Banff National Park.
Elk Fight Under Moonlight
What I thought would be creatively impossible in a single exposure - wildlife and astrophotography - proved to be a small miracle when a perfectly timed press of the shutter synchronized with the interlocking of antlers of two bull Elk in Banff National Park. This incredibly short and lucky window allowed me to capture both Elk in the foreground competing for status - whilst Cascade Mountain glowed in the background under the light of a full moon.
Elk Beneath the Stars
What I thought would be creatively impossible in a single exposure - wildlife and astrophotography - proved to be a small miracle when a perfectly timed press of the shutter synchronized with a still moment of curiosity from two bull Elk in Banff National Park. To add to the technical difficulty of this shot, I had to shoot this image on a tripod from the floor of our van to avoid stepping out of the vehicle and causing alarm for the Elk. There were three other people in the vehicle, and so it became a team effort to remain perfectly still during the slow exposure to avoid losing clarity in the stars of the background.
The Punchline
Two brother Grizzly cubs appear to roll around in uncontrollable fits of laughter. In a moment of perfect timing, I snapped this endearing moment one summer's day on the meadows of Lake Louise Ski Resort. The cubs are the young of Grizzly Bear 122 - who appeared to ignore her rambunctious offspring's behavior whilst she concentrated on nibbling dandelions. To experience this moment seemed such a privilege - as someone who has lived and worked for Banff National Park, I have seen firsthand just how human activity requires a Grizzly mother and cubs to stay constantly alert and on edge. Here, in such a vast protected area, these bears were given the right to relax and play - and to me, to be ignored as a human being was to be trusted in their 'safe space'. Moments like these are rare, full of emotion and deserve to be cherished in a world that is fragile and increases their vulnerability.
The Guardian
The imposing presence of this Raven struck my attention one winter in the Canadian Rockies. The afternoon sunlight illuminated a spectrum of celestial colours against the Raven's inky black plumage. His stance, perched atop the entrance to Lake Louise, prompted me to name my shot 'The Guardian'. Upon further research into the animal, I was astonished to find that Native American lore depicts the Raven as a creature of transformation, a creator bringing light into darkness as well as a guardian spirit. The Raven symbolizes a bridge between the human and spiritual worlds, and it is said that within their midnight-black feathers, messages nestle from spirits beyond space and time.