During a summer expedition to Svalbard, wildlife photographer Felix Belloin pushed deep into the remote Arctic pack ice, reaching an astonishing 83° North. In these vast, frozen expanses, polar bears roam completely wild and free.
While his ship drifted lazily in the ice on a quiet afternoon, the expedition was unexpectedly approached by a group of eight polar bears. One of the curious apex predators took a particular interest in the vessel, wandering right up to investigate the hull.
Lowering the Camera into the Wild
Initially capturing traditional stills with his standard photo setup, Felix quickly realized the bear was exceptionally calm, comfortable, and inquisitive. Sensing a rare opportunity, he decided to try something entirely new.
Grabbing his Insta360 X5 and the extra-long extended selfie stick, he leaned carefully over the ship's railing. Without time to fiddle with complex framing, he lowered the camera all the way down to the level of the sea ice and waited.
Within seconds, the curious bear tentatively marched right up to the lens—getting close enough that Felix had to pull the stick back slightly just to maintain a safe margin. With his focus entirely split on ensuring the bear's comfort, avoiding loud noises, and keeping a safe distance, framing shots on the fly was impossible. But because X5 recorded everything in full 360, he didn't miss a beat.
A Game Changer for Wildlife Filmmaking
Once the close encounter concluded, Felix transferred the footage straight to the Insta360 app. He was completely blown away by the results.
The ability to capture the entire scene in 360 and effortlessly reframe the perspective later in post-production proved to be a massive advantage. For a wildlife photographer working in extreme, unpredictable environments where split-second decisions dictate success, X5 instantly earned a permanent spot in his content creation toolkit.
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