Sitting in Manchester airport waiting for my flight to Helsinki, I'm pondering, not for the first time, the merits of traveling to far flung destinations in pursuit of 'trophy' images. There is little more that I am likely to be able to contribute to an already vast array of images of European brown bear that have already been taken. So why am I going? It's simple. Selfish gratification.

Of course I am hoping for that extra something special that might turn a good picture into a great one, but this is largely out of my control. Weather, behaviour and a good slice of luck will all play their part. But it's the experience of coming literally face to face with an adult male bear, with a head the size of a beach ball that makes a visit to Martinselkonen on the Finnish-Russian border so special. This is no ordinary wildlife experience, this is one of the very best wildlife viewing locations in Europe. This is special.