Apayauq Reitan

I am Apayauq Reitan, a photographer, dog musher, and polar bear guide. I was born in Norway and went to school there, spending most of my summers in Kaktovik, a native village on the north coast of Alaska and also where my Mother is from. I purchased my first camera when I was 14, a Canon EOS 700D with a kit lens. I was stubborn about always using manual mode, as I thought that was the best way to learn how to take pictures. I took casual pictures until I started working as a polar bear guide in Kaktovik in 2016, when I became interested in wildlife photography. That was when I really became passionate about photography in general, and I decided that I wanted to be more serious about it. I guide trips for Kaktovik Tours LLC. A family company I run with my Father and Brother. The Kaktovik area is one of the best places in the world to photograph polar bears, and working here gives me a unique opportunity to practice and spend time with the bears. We have a team of Alaskan Huskies in Kaktovik, and I participate in long distance dog mushing races in Alaska. My family also travels with the dog team after the racing season, crossing vast areas of Alaskan wilderness and visiting Alaskan native villages.