The Crosslake Community Center hosted nearly 70 residents on Wednesday, June 10, for the monthly Chautauqua presentation, where Brainerd Dispatch photographer Steve Kohls shared photographs and stories of his experiences traveling to northern Alaska on an annual basis to photograph bears.
"I like the Crosslake Chautauqua," Kohls said. "I know these people are probably not going to come to my other shows. This is when I'm going to reach them. I think the audience appreciates the show, and they realize it is not an Alaska Travel Log. We don't try to say it is; this is about these bears."
After a brief introduction, Kohls presented two slideshows. The first showcased his photos of polar bears in and near the Eskimo village of Kaktovik - along with a show of the northern lights - while the second gave viewers a glimpse of brown bears "fishing" in Katmai National Forest.
"I saw my first bear ... and I was hooked," Kohls said. "I kept scheming ways to go back (to Alaska). I don't claim to be an adventurer. I just like to photograph bears. I like to spend days with the bears."
Kaktovik, located in the very northeast corner of Alaska, has managed to maintain Eskimo traditions thanks its remote location. Due to the inability to grow food north of the Arctic Circle, much of their food comes from fish, caribou and the three bowhead whales they are allowed to take legally each year.
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"This is not a tourist place," Kohls said. "There are a lot of polar bears in the area, and they feed on the (whale) bones. It is a fascinating place ... The people are doing just fine. They hunt and they fish ... and they are really nice folks."
Using a 500 mm camera lens, Kohls gets no closer to the bears than he has to during his excursions. Nearly all of his photos from Kaktovik are taken by boat. In other locations, he does his best to keep his distance.
"I am not going to make a stupid, stupid mistake," he told the audience. "I've ran (from bears) a few times, but we scared each other. It is not worth dying over."
When asked how many photos he will take in a day with the bears, Kohls' answered surprised much of the crowd.
"On a good day, I'll take 10,000," Kohls said. "I'll shoot until the camera can't take it."
Chautauqua is a monthly forum held to provide a range of educational experiences for Crosslake residents and visitors. It is held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month from April through September at the community center. Admission is free.
