Judith G. Yaker

The Coastal Brown Bears were photographed at Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. This was a 3rd year in a row I've been to do the bears: The first time, they were Salmon fishing and the 2nd and 3rd times, they were clamming. The advantage of going during clamming season AND if you're lucky, you'll see first season cubs. Later on in the summer, during the Salmon run, the cubs are a little bigger. They're still cute but 'not as' cute when a couple months younger. It all depends on the kind of photography you want: Clamming Bears or Fishing Bears. If it were up to me, I'd be there the whole summer and get ALL of it!

I was in Manitoba Canada in MINUS 55 degree weather photographing Polar Bear moms and their cubs. For days we'd watch a certain "area" that our guides would say would be a den and hope that a mom and at least one baby would come out, but we found that this wasn't to happen for quite some time. Soon after I arrived, we had a den that didn't have any activity, that is, there was a mother in it, but she'd never been outside the den all winter. But we watched this one particular den anyway hoping that it was due for their "coming out" appearance. Nothing happened. We gave up and found another den, and watched that one. Nothing happened. We went back to the first den and finally, a mother taunted us with her NOSE and then she immediately went back down. Then she'd pop up and show us a little face and again, go back down again. This went on for what seemed an eternity, and FINALLY, on day 6, a mom and TWO babies finally made an appearance! What joy to see these little dudes - this was their first day to be outside. She keeps them in the den until the time is right to bring them out, and we were there on their "emerging" day. It was fantastic! This happened the first time I was in Manitoba. The following year was a little more fruitful - we had a couple more active dens and active moms and kids. However, I can see where one can get hooked on going back year after year after year to photograph them. I plan on doing just that as long as I'm able. But it IS a crap shoot with no guarantees that I'll see even one bear. I can only hope.

When starting out in photography, my 'nature' was going to the zoo and photographing my beloved Tigers. I have a love for cats - big cats, small cats, house cats, any kind of cat as long as it's a cat, but Tigers are the number one cat for me (except for my sweet boys at home, Ike and The Schnickel.)