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Brooke Bartleson

@brookelittlebear

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Alaska Bear Guide | Expedition Leader
See wildlife with me @thinkwildexp
Protect Bears @nojohnsontractmine
@omsystem.cameras Global Ambassador

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This weekend is my best friend’s fifth birthday. This dog and I have truly been growing up together. When Bruce and I first met, he was very small and I was a mess. I was in my mid twenties and completely unsure of how to blaze a path forward into the life I craved, and he was unable to hold his pee for more than a few hours. I was working a part time corporate job and trying to earn as much as I could with photography, and he didn’t have a job (actually, he still doesn’t. Freeloader!) I was inexperienced, and he was afraid of stairs. Over the years he got bigger, stronger, better, and I did too. Never has the world ever seen a better adventure buddy, a loyaler friend, or a tougher dog. Bruce and I have lived in more than half a dozen states together, driven well over 250,000 miles, he’s been to 35 states, splashed in the Atlantic and the pacific, and seen more wildlife than any dog ever has. He’s lived with me in a car, a condemned shack, a camper, and a cave. When we hop in the truck Bruce doesn’t know if we’re driving ten minutes up the road, or all the way from Alaska to New Jersey, and he doesn’t care - he’s just happy to be together. I don’t know how I got so lucky to end up with Bruce as my dog. Here’s to the best five years! Can’t wait to see how much more we grow in these next five. Happy birthday Bruce Hound!

#dog #dogsofinstagram #dogmom #mansbestfriend #hounddog #germanshorthair #gsp #germanshorthairpointer #germanshorthairedpointer #germanshorthairedpointerpuppies by @brookelittlebear

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a year ago

A flower crown for a wild king. In this place that I call home throughout the summer, the bears rule over everything. Our lives and lifestyles revolve entirely around bears. They are our purpose for being here. We move differently here than we do on the mainland. We move slow, predictably, and intentionally - just like bears. We take special considerations in food management and trash disposal to keep the bears safe. We spend most of our time in the field watching them, learning about them, and teaching other people about what it means to be a bear and to live in bear country. There is something so raw and wonderful about living in a place with a higher, more powerful presence than that of humans. We are so lucky to live in the shadow of these bears, by their grace and tolerance. The comment period for telling the National Park Service that the road and port for the Johnson Tract Mine is out of line has officially closed. But for the first time, I feel a glimmer of hope. So many people commented. So many people spoke up for these bears. Now, we wait. We’ll know soon enough what the outcome of our efforts may be. In the meantime, I am grateful for every day spent in this place where bears rule.

OM System OM1 Mk ii
ISO 200
150mm
f/2.8
1/1000

#mirrorlesscamera #microfoyrthirds #microfournerds #alaskaliving #alaskadaily #alaskalife #honesteadalaska #lakeclarknationalpark #nationalpark #nationalparkgeek by @brookelittlebear

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2 years ago

You have no voice, and yet you speak. Clear as a bell, you communicate. You tell us more about our world than we humans can perceive on our own. You tell us about the health of our rivers, the instability of our climate, the changing cycles of a world that no longer seems predictable. You teach us lessons, about resilience and adaptability, and most importantly about how badly we need speak up. Because we humans do have voices. And we can make them awfully loud. There’s so much to say about these bears and the ecosystems they depend on. There’s so much to say. Are you listening?

OM System OM1
ISO 100
150mm
f/4.5
1/1250 sec

#alaska #wildlifephotography #wildlife #smithsonian #marvelouz_animals #splendid_animals #usinterior #outdoorsman #lensbible #wildlifeig #microfourthirds #microfourthirdsgallery #katmai #katmainationalpark #wildlifephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotographer #microfournerds #cameragoals #mft #mirrolesscamera #mirrolessrevolution #mirrorless #nationalparkgeek taken in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve by @brookelittlebear

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3 years ago

Home is where the bears are.

#alaska #grizzlybear #wildlifephotography #natgeoyourshot taken in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve by @brookelittlebear

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10 days ago

Autumn whispers at first, through the fog and the wind and the sky.

#natgeoyourshot #alaska #grizzlybear #wildlifephoto taken in EARTH by @brookelittlebear

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14 days ago

The Prince of Whales. (Beluga whales that is)

#polarbear #thinkwild #wildlifephotography #natgeoyourshot taken in Churchill, Manitoba by @brookelittlebear

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15 days ago

14 wildlife photography tips from years of following animals across North America! With @brookelittlebear / “I follow wildlife across North America season by season: bison, bears, foxes, elk, moose, eagles, and owls. These wildlife photography tips come from that life, and they fall into three groups: respect, craft, and patience:

1) Keep the wild, wild. Our first and most important mission is never to harass wildlife or encroach upon their space. Taylor and Knight (2003) found that animals fled recreationists at a mean distance of 151 m, while visitors rated 59 m as acceptable.

2) Leave before your subject does. That is how you know it was a good wildlife shot.

3) Carry bear spray and avoid going alone. In some areas I hire a guide. In others I shoot only from a vehicle.

4) Read the animal. Yawning, jaw popping, and drooling are signs of an uncomfortable bear. When you see them, leave and give it ample space.

5) Use manual when you can. When things move quickly, I switch to Aperture Priority at the widest aperture possible.

6) Get eye level with your subject to create a sense of intimacy.

7) Isolate your subject. Find the angle where the animal stands out from the background.

8) Keep changing your settings and your position to maximize your angles, without disturbing the animal.

9) Move for the light. I once crossed a meadow to shoot into the sun, and the whole composition changed. Backlight gives a dreamy look and more depth.

10) Learn breeding patterns. They are one of the best ways to predict activity. Elk mating season is in the fall.

11) Time trips with the seasons, such as migrations and spring baby season.

12) Be ready for the three seconds. In a nine-hour day, the moment an animal makes eye contact while your gear is ready makes the exhaustion disappear.

13) Accept the trade-offs. I gave up the stability we are taught we need.

14) Lastly, support each other. Wild women absolutely must stick together. One woman’s success doesn’t diminish your chances.” @nomadict: What’s the longest you’ve waited for a wildlife shot, and was it worth it?

Read the original article with @brookelittlebear by visiting the link in bio! by @brookelittlebear

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18 days ago

Fire and ice.

#polarbear #natgeoyourshot #wildlifephotography taken in Churchill, Manitoba by @brookelittlebear

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22 days ago

The bear who came to be known as The Bear With the Pretty Face. It was a treat to spend so much time with her and her two cubs this summer. What a bear, what a face!!

#alaska #grizzlybear #wildlifephotography taken in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve by @brookelittlebear

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a month ago

The same bear in the same place, all these years later. The first photo was taken this July of 2026. The male bear in the photo is about 6.5 years old. The second two photos were taken in June of 2024, when he was 4.5 years old and we had a warmer summer and a lot more lupine flowers. It’s so cool to watch these bears grow up. It’s cool to watch the way the seasons change. Bears are awesome.

#alaska #wildlifephotography #grizzlybear by @brookelittlebear

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a month ago

Today was my last day in the field for my Alaska bear season. I wanted to take a second to say the biggest thank you to all my guests who I had the privilege of sharing this place with this summer. These bears mean so much to me, and watching their stories unfold with each and every one of you is an honor. 100 days in the field in a row is a whole lot of days, and you gave me energy despite how exhausting those long days can be. Seeing this place through your eyes adds so much depth and beauty. Thank you all, and THANK YOU BEARS for another great season. Part one of bear season is done, now it’s time for fall bear season! Bring it on!!! Thanks to the awesome @michaeldeyoung for the sunrise portrait.

Huge shoutout to @sloppyphotos for this insanely epic portrait of me and my favorite bear cubs ON FILM

My bestie @clairebearinthewild got this one of me on the most epic sunrise morning of the season

One of my favorite moments of the summer, captured by @royalwildlife

A very accurate portrayal of my daily attire and exhaustion captured by the impressive @aaminks while working on documentary scenes

And of course a huge shout out to @jamesdoingstufff for coming all the way to Alaska from British Columbia and Churchill just to spend time with me in my element taken in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve by @brookelittlebear

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a month ago

The Cub That Could Fly
Just over a week ago, one of the cubs in this photo series was badly injured. She seemed to have a broken foreleg, which forced her to walk with a serious limp and eventually lead to her death. But a few weeks ago when I took these photos, she was a healthy little cub who could run so fast it looked like she could fly. These are the moments I’ll remember her by.

#alaska #grizzlybear #wildlifephotography taken in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve by @brookelittlebear

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2 months ago