Photographer Spent 33 Days with Arctic's Polar Bears. His 10 Photos Give a Peak into Their Unique Life
Published Feb. 26 2026, 8:03 a.m. ET
(L) Tender Teeth, (R) Purple Ice - Striking photographs Martin Gregus captured while spending 33 days with polar bears in the Canadian Arctic
Torrents of rain, deluges of salty waters, howling winds assaulting the camera gear, and four elusive polar bears constantly staring at him—all these obstacles could have easily made Martin Gregus believe that he should make a retreat. But thanks to his photographer father, who brought him up in a life surrounded by art, National Geographic magazines, and David Attenborough’s wildlife documentaries, that wasn't the case. His dream was too big to give him. So when the opportunity presented itself, he couldn’t say no, even though it was the time when the whole world was grappling with the pandemic.
Today, Gregus divides his time between his favorite wildlife photography, TEDx talks, and being a high-stakes drone pilot for Disney and Netflix. In 2015, when he was still a juvenile in the craft, his father once visited the Arctic to capture some shots of beluga whales. When Gregus spotted some whales playing with a polar bear, he became obsessed. Between 2020 and 2021, he ventured out of home and spent as many as 33 days with these lazy, hulking bears at Hudson Bay, Canada. Some days were spent perfecting the angle of the lens, while some were spent babysitting the cubs whose mothers had gone out to catch fish for dinner.
During his time with the bears, he recorded a series of shots that have been circulating across a morass of media outlets and photography award websites. Here are ten of them, depicting massive, stylish ice-colored animals, showcasing episodes of raw power, as fierce as they are intimidating to the naked eye, each playing their own character.