Series description
Polar bears rely heavily on sea ice for hunting, mating and resting, but face significant challenges due to rising Arctic temperatures. Every November they gather near Churchill, Canada, to wait for Hudson Bay to freeze, so they can venture onto the ice for winter. However, the warming sea has disrupted this routine. In recent years, the ice in Hudson Bay has not solidified until early December, leaving the bears stranded on the land for several weeks with no food source. Driven by hunger, these bears sometimes venture into towns, endangering their residents.
Biography
I’m a retired tech exec who decided to pick up a camera and become a photographer. I’m all about telling stories through my photos, and I’m particularly drawn to travel and people photography. Lately, I’ve been exploring the world and capturing the beauty of nature and the connections between humans and wildlife.
Waiting Game
When the temperature is still warm, and the sea ice has not yet formed, a bear can do nothing but wait on the shore. Due to rising Arctic temperatures, sea ice is now forming several weeks later than it used to, threatening the bears’ survival.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Bear on the Move
A roaming bear is dangerous if it gets into a town searching for food, as it endangers both local people and itself. To prevent this from happening, local conservation agencies and residents monitor bears closely when they approach the town limits.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Take a Shot
A Canadian conservation officer attempts to tranquilise a bear. Polar bears that repeatedly attempt to enter the town of Churchill are captured and taken to a holding facility for several weeks before they are released.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Lifting
A Canadian conservation helicopter collects a bear from the holding facility (‘bear jail’). The bear will be taken far away from the town and released back into the wild. This human/bear conflict has been created by environmental changes.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
More Rooms?
Two curious bears check a tourist lodge near Hudson Bay. These bears are simply ‘killing time’ while they wait for Hudson Bay to freeze solid, so they can go onto the ice and hunt seals.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Cuddling
A female bear and her two cubs, napping on a snow hill. Without the sea ice, the mother bear cannot hunt to feed her hungry cubs. All they can do is sleep to conserve their energy.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Captured Bear
A Canadian conservation officer walks away from a captured bear that had been attempting to enter the town of Churchill, despite multiple efforts to deter it. Captured bears are kept in a so-called ‘bear jail’ for up to one month without food.
© Kevin Shi, United States, 3rd Place, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards