C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 9 135
POLAR BEAR FAMILY OVER MY HEAD
"This is my dream picture. I waited 40 years to make it. I wanted to photograph the polar bear in its underwater habitat in order to show it in a more
intimate and authentic light. To change the way we look at the animal and see it not just a predator but one that cares for its young just as we do.
"The story of this photograph is told in the documentary "Picture of His Life" by Dani Menkin and Yonatan Nir. We were in the Canadian Arctic for
seven days and were lucky on the last day to see the mother with her two cubs. It was breathtaking.
"Filmmaker Adam Ravetch and I got in the water 90 meters in front of these bears. They came directly toward us. She saw us the whole time and came
exactly where we were treading water. Their curiosity was amazing…not at all aggressive. As a result, we created a natural moment with these bears."