Moments like this, I don’t quite know where to begin in order to describe this feeling in words. The Arctic fox is a very rare animal in the Swedish mountains, critically endangered, and severely impacted by the rapidly changing climate. Finding an Arctic fox is no easy task. It often takes years of preparation and searching before you even begin to get close to them.

On this day, I was moving through an area where I knew there was a chance, albeit a very small one, of seeing an Arctic fox. Then, out of nowhere, I spotted a white Arctic fox sitting and gazing out over the white and, on this day, very stormy landscape. The joy was indescribable. I stopped at a respectful distance, slowly and carefully preparing my camera equipment. I lay down on the ground, terrified every second that the fox might leave before I had the chance to photograph it. But this fox was very relaxed, showing no signs of fear or that I might scare it in any way. It sat calmly, almost half asleep, occasionally glancing in my direction. I captured some incredibly beautiful images, and I felt a deep warmth and happiness in both my heart and soul.

After spending quite some time with the fox, it almost began to feel a bit monotonous as it remained in the exact same position, barely even opening its eyes. I reached a point where staying longer no longer seemed necessary. I decided to wrap up, carefully packing my equipment and preparing to leave. The very moment I made a slight movement and gently started to rise from the ground, I saw the fox jump, move slightly to the side, and then nervously stare at the ground. Had I frightened it? I had been so extremely cautious and calm in my movements.

But in the next second, I witnessed something I could never have dreamed of! The beautiful white Arctic fox moved a little to the side to make room for another fox, curiously peeking up right beside it. A dark brown, majestic one—what a perfect combination. To capture a white and a brown Arctic fox in the same picture, sitting side by side in such a relaxed and beautiful way, was beyond anything I could have imagined. The joy was immense, and I can’t even begin to describe all the emotions running through me. Since I still had my camera ready and was in the perfect position, it was very easy to just calmly and relaxedly continue photographing. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much while taking pictures.

After a while, I felt that I had captured everything I could. There was nothing that could make the moment any better, so I decided to leave them in peace and move on. Moments like these are so emotional—there’s so much joy that it brings tears to your eyes, and you simply can’t put into words everything you feel. But at the same time, as you’re overwhelmed with happiness, a certain fear and anxiety begin to creep in. Thoughts like “what if the memory card fails” or “what if something happens on the way home” start to cross your mind. When something is at its peak, as good as it can get, it’s easy to start worrying about losing what you’ve gained. But luckily, nothing like that happened, everything went well, and the result was truly breathtaking. The light and all the parameters at the moment of the photo were absolutely perfect—I don’t think I’ve ever edited an image as little as this one. This was truly a magical moment that I find hard to believe I will experience more than once in a lifetime. I feel so lucky!