Because black bears blend so well into their natural habitat, they can emerge suddenly and silently, like an apparition.

"As you leave the bright sunlight and walk through the dense undergrowth, you come upon a dark veiled, almost primeval, clearing surrounded by palmettos and palm trees. As your eyes adjust to the shrouded light, you hardly notice a black bear staring back at you. I wanted the viewer to feel anxious, but not afraid."

- John Seerey-Lester