Jam, the grizzly bear, in Yellowstone National Park

"Jam" is the first grizzly I ever photographed in Yellowstone National Park back in 2023, so I was thrilled to see her again a couple years later. I spent the sunrise hours driving around Yellowstone Lake hoping to find her sister who had cubs. Instead, I caught sight of something large and dark walking between the road and the lake. I stopped immediately, and because she was so close, I was able to capture this photo of her walking the shoreline. I was so excited to see her, especially with the snow-capped mountains and the vast lake creating such a dramatic background, that my camera settings were actually a mess! Thankfully, the camera's great dynamic range allowed me to save what has become my new favorite image of her.

Jam (Ursus arctos horribilis) is a well-known resident of the Lake Yellowstone area, often distinguished by her dark coat and the familiar territories she patrols along the eastern shoreline. Seeing her against the backdrop of the Absaroka Range and the vast, icy expanse of the lake provides a true sense of the scale of the Yellowstone backcountry. In early May, as the ice begins to break up on the lake, grizzlies like Jam are frequently on the move, scavenging for winter-killed carcasses or foraging for the first emergent greens of spring. Capturing her in this environmental portrait, where the landscape is as much a character as the bear herself, highlights the rugged beauty and survival of North America’s great predators.

The technical challenge of this shot was managing the bright reflections of the morning sun off the water while preserving the deep shadows of Jam’s dark fur. By utilizing the wide dynamic range of my Sony A1, I was able to maintain the detail in her coat without blowing out the highlights of the snow-capped peaks in the distance. This photograph is a standout choice for those looking to bring a sense of wild serenity into their home. When printed on high-gloss metal or archival canvas, the clarity of the Absaroka mountains and the powerful silhouette of Jam create a sophisticated, dramatic centerpiece for any wildlife art collection.