Photographer’s Image of ‘Smiling’ Black Bear Overlooking Pasadena Goes Viral

A captivating photograph of a black bear appearing to smile while overlooking Pasadena has become a viral sensation on social media. The image, captured by Los Angeles wildlife photographer Johanna Turner, highlights the proximity of wildlife to urban areas in California.

In an exclusive interview with Pasadena Now, Turner, who lives in Reseda and has friends in the Pasadena area with private property where she has cameras set up, shared her inspiration behind the photograph. 

“I’m always looking for ways to show how close wildlife is to Los Angeles and the city,” she explained. “This spot is a ridge line that as I’ve hiked it, I’ve seen a lot of animal tracks, so I know that animals use it and the view lends itself perfectly to the kind of image I’m trying to get.”

Turner’s initial interest in the spot was to photograph mountain lions, which are her favorite subject. She set up her trail camera, a regular Canon handheld camera with a motion sensor, on April 21. The camera uses a long exposure, with the shutter open for about 30 seconds, and only triggers once when an animal approaches, unlike camera traps that take a burst of photos. 

“The animal approaching triggers the camera to go off and a person is nowhere near. I am at home in bed when the photo gets taken,” she said.

While there wasn’t much wildlife activity over the winter due to cold and rainy conditions, Turner noted that now that springtime is here, the animals are definitely up and about. She also mentioned that wildlife will be roaming everywhere this spring because of the water availability in streams and canyons from a good rainy winter, as opposed to drought conditions.

The bear’s relaxed appearance in the photograph has caught the attention of many. “It’s the relaxed face, which people take it as a smile, which is not really something a bear would be walking around smiling in the middle of the night, but that’s what catches our eye because that’s a familiar look,” Turner noted. 

“But to that point, this is a very relaxed animal who’s healthy and not stressed.”

Turner’s work aims to raise awareness about the diverse wildlife in the San Gabriel Mountains, including mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes, striped skunks, and several kinds of owls.

“What I hope to do is show people what we have because they might not be aware how beautiful and great and how rich in wildlife our mountains are,” she said.

As bears become more active this spring, Turner believes that fostering a connection with these animals can help prevent conflicts. 

“I believe that the more we can have a connection with an animal and see them as beautiful or valuable rather than a pest, people will be more likely to take steps to keep their trash secured and not leave food outside that would attract bears and get them into trouble,” she explained.

Turner collaborates with conservation groups such as the Cougar Conservancy and Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy to identify and preserve critical wildlife corridors. She also sells her wildlife photos and contributes a portion of the proceeds to various animal conservation groups. 

“We’re working on identifying where animals are crossing and preserving that land before it gets pinched off and preventing that natural flow,” she said.