Bubbleborn

Photographer

Michelle Valberg

Category

Nature Photography - Wildlife

Company

Valberg Imaging Inc.

Submission Group

Professional

Year

2026

Country / Region:

Canada

A grizzly bear moves through the water in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, his body just beneath the surface. As he lifts his head from below the surface, he exhales through his nose, creating a single bubble. For a fleeting instant, it holds a reflection of sky and distant mountains, a fragile moment suspended in action. A simple act, sensing the water, becomes something visual and unexpected. Strength and softness share the frame. Motion and stillness meet in that brief rise. It's still so hard to believe I captured this split second reflection from a bubble.