Mammals

A cub of Obsidian, the grizzly bear, in Yellowstone National Park

On an early morning in May, I came across the famed grizzly sow, Obsidian, and her three 2.5-year-old cubs. This cub paused alone in a small, frosty clearing, its dark coat contrasting with the ground's thin layer of snow. Behind it, the morning sunlight burst through the trees, creating a glorious, ethereal halo. Obsidian, a well-known grizzly sow ( Ursus arctos horribilis ) in the Yellowstone ecosystem, is often recognized by her unusually dark, near-black coat—a trait she has passed down to her offspring. These cubs, at 2.5 years old, were in their final spring with their mother before facing the challenges of independence. Capturing a grizzly cub in this transitional stage offers a glimpse into the survival of the species within the park's Northern Range. The late May snow and the low angle of the rising sun highlighted the thick, insulating fur that allows these apex predators to thrive in the harsh high-altitude climate of the Wyoming wilderness. To capture this backlit "rim light" effect without losing the detail in the cub's dark fur, I utilized the high dynamic range of my Sony A1. This lighting setup, while visually stunning, requires precise exposure to avoid silhouetting the bear entirely. The resulting image captures the raw, quiet power of Yellowstone's wildlife in a moment of morning serenity. This photograph is particularly well-suited for a high-gloss metal print, which enhances the luminosity of the sunbeams and provides a deep, rich contrast to the cub’s obsidian-colored coat, making it a centerpiece for any collection of North American wildlife art.