When the golden eagle landed on the side of the road, I knew it was going to be ok despite the blizzard we were driving through on the way to photograph Bear Dancer.

As we came up over the mountain and dropped into the valley, the skies cleared and there had never been a more magical light. My heart raced. I wanted to shoot quickly before we lost the light. The dancer said, ok, but first we must honor the Earth.

It was one of those moments when I realized there are things greater in this life than are on the surface. I took a deep breath and somehow the world slowed down. The light stayed. We honored the Earth and our ancestors. Then, the dance began.

At first, I photographed the dancer, intrigued by his face and the swaying regalia. But as he danced on, I watched him embody the Bear. At once, the Bear was with us. This image captures the intersection of spirits and a moment when all things merged to become one.

Shot on 35mm BW film. The original negative mysteriously was lost.