Nat Hab's 2024 Guest Photo Contest

Species: Polar Bear | Location: Churchill Manitoba, Canada

A polar bear is looking up directly at me. It is cropped close to the front half of its body, showing its magnificent large head, nose, and huge paws and nails.

After dark, during dinner in the Tundra Lodge near Churchill, Manitoba, a sudden voice piped up, "The bear is outside again," and we all got up, leaving the delicious meals they had made for us, to jostle for position at the windows to see.

I decided that as I was too short to see over other people, I would step out onto the platform between the cars to check and I saw the magnificent polar bear slowly walking alongside the lodge. I ran into the other car where the bunk rooms are, grabbed my camera, and a coat, and went back out to find the bear had stopped by the platform. As I stood by the rail and looked at it and said hello my friend, it turned around and looked up at me.

There is something indescribable in standing alone and locking eyes with a wild polar bear, in its home territory. I was its focus for a few minutes, just me! I was so overwhelmed and happy and also incredibly grateful for the safety of the Tundra Lodge platform, the information, education and brilliant way Nat Hab had made this moment possible!

About The Photographer

I learned my basic camera knowledge from my Dad, when he gave me his fixed lens Kodak camera back in the 1970's and I grew to love taking photos. I moved over to the USA to work as an RN, from my forever home, the UK, and here I took a photo class which turned into a many photo courses, all pre-digital. My photo enjoyment has come from the opportunities given through travel, whether it be wildlife, scenery or candid life moments and I become a part time professional, along with my nursing job and dog training. I found the Nat Hab catalog about 10 years ago and dreamed of being able to take several of the trips offered, including the polar bear adventure for many years and in October 2022, my dream came true, thanks to the love of my family. I continue to photograph life as and when I can, and I continue to dream of other trips... Greenland is on the horizon I hope.