Photographer Roie Galitz is no stranger to capturing wildlife. But a polar bear ambling along a decomposing sperm whale above the Arctic Circle left him stunned. Sperm whales aren’t usually at a latitude so high, preferring temperate waters and staying away from ice. So when a friend spotted the carcass and messaged Galitz, the photographer redirected an expedition and took a full 24 hours to pilot an ice-breaker vessel through floes.

The resulting photos were so fantastical that some viewers on social media accused Galitz of creating or manipulating it with AI. But Galitz took thousands of photos—from all types of angles and in fog, daylight, and midnight sun—and video, too. 

Actor Robert Redford followed in the footsteps of the Wild West’s greatest outlaws for a National Geographic cover story in 1976. He ventured to saloons, old hideouts, and nearly abandoned towns to see what was left of the Outlaw Trail—the route from Montana to Mexico that killers and thieves once used to flee. In this photo from the article, the late actor sits with the sister of Butch Cassidy, who was immortalized in the film starring Redford.

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter, which was edited and curated by William O'Connor with the help of National Geographic’s photo team. It was produced by Rita Spinks. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here to catch next week’s Photo of the Week newsletter.