GO WITH THE FLOE

(Above) Svalbard’s dramatic landscape of sea, ice and craggy peaks makes it irresistible for photographers. “The water is so pure, it has a silky sheen to it,” says Stephen. “If our boat was still, then it was completely silent. You’re really, really far from anything—and you feel it. It’s remarkable.” (Left) The sun sets over hundreds of ice floes.

(Opposite, bottom left) The town of Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost permanent settlement in the world. “It’s all scientists who live there. In winter, fewer than 40 people stay,” says Stephen. (Bottom right) A polar bear peeks through a gap in the ice. “We saw nine bears, which was really lucky,” recalls Stephen. “They’re so cuddly looking but they’re really dangerous—they can swim faster than you, they can run faster than you. When we got off the boat, we always had to carefully check and make sure there were no bears in the immediate vicinity and we had an armed guard with us at all times. Most of the time we saw bears from the boat—only one time did we see a bear in the distance when we were on land. When we did, we were instructed to slowly walk to our Zodiacs and get back to the boat.” (Top) M/S Stockholm, the ship Stephen and 12 other photographers called home for 10 days. “The Stockholm is usually taken into the Arctic by scientists, but other people can rent it” says Stephen. “The crew is great and the cook was fantastic.”