Photos by beckythale | Without a doubt, my assignment to document the first year of life for a giant panda named Bei Bei drew more interest than anything I’ve photographed in my career. Friends confessed a love of pandas and offered to be my assistant. Over the course of the year, Bei Bei grew from the furry ball I encountered on my first day to something that indeed resembled a bear, with very sharp claws. For me, it was a chance to look behind the curtain at the Smithsonian National Zoo, home to the giant pandas right in my backyard, in Washington, D.C., and the amazing people who care for them. For more on the story, go to the link in bio. #NationalPandaDay