Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska is world-renowned for its brown bears that while away their days fishing in the Brooks River. But the park also has a rich archaeological history, one that shows human life there dating back at least 4,500 years.

Love at first sight: A photographer's connection with Lowepro's Flipside 500 AW backpack.

“Walk quickly!” the ranger urgently called out to the two of us as we were halfway across the floating bridge between Brooks Lodge and the Lower Platform. Without another word, my fellow photo tour attendee and I hefted our tripods with supertelephotos attached and “walked (very) quickly” across to the opposite gate nearest the platform before they closed down the bridge for a morning “bear jam.”