Black bear on the move

Late May puts black bears deep into their spring foraging routine, working the forest floor for new shoots and the odd carcass left over from winter. This one, in the classic all-black color phase more common east of the Rockies, crossed a gap in the pines without breaking stride.

Getting the shot

Dappled light under a lodgepole canopy is unforgiving — patches of direct sun next to deep shade blow out or crush detail fast. I waited for the bear to walk through a more evenly lit gap before firing, trading a slightly less dramatic pose for a properly exposed one.