Polar bear in water. Canon 1D Mark IV, 100-400mm (400mm) 1/400 @ f/9, ISO 200
This male polar bear had been swimming from island to island in a glacier fjord along the northern coast of Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago. I shot this frame just as the bear was about to swim to another nearby island. I took a lot of pictures of this animal, in many different situations, but I liked this shot for its simplicity and the pleasing interplay of positive and negative space. These animals are amazing swimmers and the big forepaws provide a wide paddle to pull them through the water.
