Dirty Dozen

After spending so much time right here overlooking the falls and river I knew I wanted to capture something wider than usual, something to help people understand the place and comprehend how crazy it really is. This image is a stitched panorama of what I'd call a 'normal' evening at Brooks Falls. It's a longer exposure, to give the viewer a feel for the movement of the water. It has a lot going on: A bear at the top of the falls has just caught a salmon, while the bear next to him is watching a pair fight in the foreground. Bear Force One sits comfortably in the "jacuzzi" at the base of the falls, and there's a bit of a lazy chase happening behind him on the rock there. Another bear enjoys a meal in the "office" on the far bank under the tree, and yet another has one in the water just in front of him. You can also spy Otis a little further downstream on the far bank. All in all, a dozen bears in the scene. Over the course of my visit, I saw as many as 43 in this area, including more of the river downstream. Incredible!