A kayaker in Geikie Inlet maintains a respectful distance while observing a black bear foraging along the Glacier Bay shoreline. This moment captures a peaceful, yet powerful, interaction between human presence and wild nature within the protected Alaskan wilderness. Encounters like this are not uncommon, but it makes me wonder how many things that we pass by and don’t notice. Or how often do animals pass near us, when they see us, but we don’t see them. I bet it happens more than we think. In general, animals, even bears, want to be left alone and avoid close encounters with humans. Sometimes animals are curious, but more often they are cautious. Photographer: Sean Neilson