This image was five years in the making. After countless trips to Alaska in pursuit of a true wide-angle encounter with one of North America’s most iconic animals, the moment finally arrived. This female brown bear and her two cubs made their way along the riverbank, pausing just long enough for her to investigate the camera I had positioned on the ground. For a brief moment, she stepped directly into the frame—close, curious, and perfectly aligned—offering the intimate perspective I had been chasing for so long.