Heidi and Hans-Jürgen Koch approach their subjects with respect, taking portraits of the creatures in a sociological or even documentary context. The two photographers are not satisfied with superficial aesthetics. They describe themselves not as wildlife photographers, but as “depicters of life forms.” Whether they are accompanying Mongolian nomads on camelback or moving among the eternal ice, the Kochs never completely exclude mankind from their work. Instead, human influence is always present, lurking beneath the surface in the photograph. The series The White Bear focuses on