Svalbard, Norway

Imagine staring down a polar bear at eye level from 30 feet away. He’s a playful bear, picking up chunks of ice with his mouth and throwing them at you. He doesn’t take his eyes off of you or your boat.

Then suddenly, he jumps into the water and starts swimming toward your boat. The once playful bear is now possibly plotting how he’s going to obtain his next meal. Your guide sees the change in behavior and quickly puts plenty of distance between you and the apex predator.

I can confidently say that this ten day trip to the arctic waters of Svalbard will always be one of the best I’ve ever taken. We spent nine days aboard a former research vessel called the RV Kinfish, navigating ice filled sea surrounding the island of Spitsbergen, Svalbard. The main objective: finding and photographing arctic wildlife, specifically polar bears.

The endless arctic light, magnificent wildlife and spectacular landscapes provided more photo opportunities than I could have imagined. Apart from photography, the simple fact of being off the grid, without worry of cell signal or reality, was enough to make this trip worth it.

The following photos are a failed attempt to convey the actual beauty of the arctic world in Svalbard.