Hard to believe but it was ten years ago in June of 2012 when I was last in Waterton Lakes National Park. The kids were young when my husband planned the family trip to Yellowstone, Waterton Lakes and Glacier National Park. The timing was to arrive in early June to best spot bears as they emerge from their dens. That trip made a lasting impression on all of us with over twenty five bear sightings along with some other fun wildlife finds.


So it is no surprise that after changing careers to become a wildlife photographer five years ago I have returned to many of these same parks. This time as a wildlife photographer using professional camera gear and wildlife photography ethics. While over the last few years I have had success in capturing many amazing fine art prints of wild animals including grizzly bears my black bear pictures were not of the quality I desired. With memories of our fun time in Waterton Lakes where we saw the most black bears on any of our trips, my husband and I eagerly awaited for a return trip which finally happened in June of 2022.

It was our first day in the park when we embarked on an outing in search of black bears. Evening was fast approaching as we drove the roads seeking that first encounter. This is when we were graced by this beautiful “chocolate” colored black bear foraging on a hillside some distance from the road. The setting of yellow wild flowers was the perfect back drop to compose my fine art photo of this beautiful bear in it's natural habitat. While it looks like the bear is preparing to “Smell the Flowers” it is actually deciding which flower to eat as plants are a primary part of their diet.