Ilkka Niskanen, MNFFF/g

Ilkka Niskanen, Finland. Awarded MNFFF/g in April 2021.

 Wild brown bear-season 

Wild brown bears have been one of my favourite subjects to photograph for over twenty years. The bear has had an almost mystical position in Finnish folklore and several names have been coined for it because it has been feared and respected. Maybe that’s why it has achieved a special position in my heart. Today, I believe the bear is a wise and adaptable animal that is trying to find its place here among us people. 

In this portfolio, I wanted to bring out the bears in different seasons from spring to fall, or snow to snow. The bear-season begins in April when bears wake up and ends in late October when the snow comes to the ground. This seven-month period includes a variety of activities and seasonal changes for the bears, and I wanted it to show in these pictures too. 

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