I always felt a little different from the other kids when I was younger. All of my friends wanted to be Firefighters and Police Officers, me, I wanted to be a wildlife photographer. As a child of 7 watching Kratts Creatures and PBS Nature, that was set in my head. When I grow up, I’m going to be a wildlife photographer.

Fast forward over 20 years. There I crouched along a river's edge on the barren Alaskan tundra, across the river from me, a focused Brown Bear watching the Salmon swimming just below the surface. I had been with this bear for nearly an hour now. Time and time again I watched as it would spot a fish, focus and charge into the cold water. Time and time again, I watched as it failed and returned to the shore to repeat the process. The determination of this bear was astounding! As I observed, I thought back to my younger self and pondered the journey so far. Over 20 years had passed since I was a boy with that dream of being a wildlife photographer. Over 20 years of people telling me to get a new dream, or to settle for something more “normal”. Years of failed attempts, years of chasing a fish through the water, metaphorically of course. 

Suddenly the bear erupted into the water once again, bringing me back to reality. I quickly raised my camera and fired away. This time though, things were different. I watched as the bear kept at it, chasing its quarry into shallower water. The fish appeared above the surface in the shallows and the bear charged forward with renewed vigor, its gaze never once leaving the target.

Moments later, the bear returned to the opposite bank, salmon clenched in its jaws. After relishing its meal, it returned once more to start the process all over again. Determination and persistence, you’ll get that fish!