“Polar Bear,” Brennevinsfjorden, Svalbard, Norway, by Jon Cornforth, Kilauea, Hawaii, USA.

Cornforth says: “I came upon this curious female polar bear during an expedition to Svalbard in June of 2015. During this once-in-a-lifetime encounter, I reached over the railing of our boat and lowered my pole-cam to be level with her on the ice. She checked it out repeatedly, which allowed me to photograph this incredibly close and intimate portrait.”

This delightful photograph was not physically present in the exhibit, but a picture of it was included in the entry display as part of the competition: “Highly Honored” in the “Polar Passion” category. I just adored it, as well as the artist’s description. This one is best viewed in original.

‘Harp Seal,’ posted earlier: