Our final landing on Svalbard was at an old abandoned Russian mine. The buildings provided some industrial detritus to photograph and there were some birds and a few Svalbard reindeer in the area but the harsh light and heat were not conducive to good images.

Hiking beyond the settlement area we headed up toward where some reindeer were grazing. A rising hill offered an uninspiring background and heat haze made sharp photos difficult to achieve.

The valley behind us headed up to the right so by angling left I could open this up as a distant background if a reindeer co-operated by moving.

With patience and hope the male moved off, ran along the ridge and stopped on the grassy knoll rising a forefoot in pose. A final gift and reward for anticipating what could be possible and positioning to exploit it if it occurred. Wildlife photography is continual observation, planning and hope scattered with luck when it all comes together.

Photos with Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 800mm f6.3 VR S and Nikon Z8 and Nikkor Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR