Squaring Up
Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
One bear rears up on the flats, paw cocked, while the other drives in low with its head down. Water sprays off both of them, soaked fur throwing spray in every direction as they close the last few feet. The tide is out and the whole ground is wet and mirror-bright under a soft grey sky. All that weight and power, and it moves fast. A second later it's over. This is the one frame where they meet. Photo © copyright by Michael Schultz.