Polar Bear in Liquid Gold

[Rachel Hollander]

Another one taken when the polar bear crossed into the golden light area. Taken at about 7 a.m. in Svalbard, Norway. I went for a vertical here to be able to show a little more of the expanse of the pack ice.

Canon 5D3
300 II plus 2x III
1/5000
f9
ISO 400
Monopod from moving boat, ff, levels, curves, luminosity mask, sharpened in CS6.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

P.S. I will be mostly out of pocket through the weekend but will try to catch up on images next week.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Excellent look at the environs on this amazing bear Rachel, I like the vertical crop and the light is really cool.

[Martin Dunn]

I very much like the idea of showing a bit more of the polar bear's environment but for me the vertical crop doesn't quite work as there isn't enough detail in the dark patches of ice at the back to make them interesting.
I would prefer a more horizontal crop that cuts out some of the dark ice and that glowering sky.

[LinzRiverBalmer]

He needs a hug.

nice shot, love the light.

i was going to say something close to what Martin did.... Though I would keep it vertical, I was thinking just some off the top of the sky.

[Diane Miller]

This is beautiful! I have to vote for the OP -- I love how the stark landscape falls away in the distance. There is enough interest in the sky, with the hint of clouds, to justify it -- I might even try to bring out a little more detail there. If anything, I might see taking away a little of the FG water, just because it's more monotonous, but I wouldn't crop more than half of it.

[Clyde Hopper]

I'm going to have to place a second vote for the OP . I like the added information as to the environment . I get the feeling of vast openness . A lone bear ,in a lonely , mass of emptiness . One of my personal test , as to if a photo "Works" or not is how I feel about it as a thumbnail . Seems to me if I can't recognize the story at a smaller size it fails . Point is, this works for me at the smaller size . Did I say I liked it ? lol.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, another cool image, but like Morkel's elephants from Mana, it's the light that really makes the image IMHO. Love the colours and a nice departure each time in the way you portray your images, it's great to see how you and Anette can shoot the same subject, but the environment and thinking is so diverse, albeit at different times, great. You dealt with the exposure well and the highlights in the water helps to set the scene nicely. Shooting from a boat is never easy and you did well in achieving the shot. Wouldn't change a thing.

TFS
Steve

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Rachel, another vote for the OP. To me, cropping out the sky loses the habitat and the perspective. The inclusion of the sky helps orienting the viewer and gives the image a 3-D look. Well done here. The light is beautiful. Loi

[Sandy Witvoet]

Another vote for the OP... just with little to no water at the bottom. Fabulous image!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Love the light, mood and scene here Rachel - good call on the vertical framing and expertly exposed/processed.
I like it as is but could also take off just a wee sliver from the bottom?:5

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel,

very nice image. For me, I would change not even a flea in this image. Very well done with vertical, we just had not that light what you had up in the pack ice. I assume yours was a tad lighter than ours. People being there often mentioned, that earlier trips the light is brighter. September trips you have the sun setting/rising, that takes hours :Whoa!:, no running no rush to get the last 5 seconds of the golden light :S3:. But than you need to have also a PB just on the spot, that is a little bit difficult to arrange. On top you always have a "romance" feeling, nearly all day :2eyes2:

Have a fantastic weekend :wave:

me

[Steve Canuel]

Nice one Rachel. Wouldn't change a thing. I especially like the background and sky of this. The image just gives off a nice feel.

[Markus Jais]

Wonderful Polar Bear shot. I like the vertical composition a lot. The moving pose with the raised left front leg adds some action. Wonderful light.

Markus

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everybody for the kind comments and suggestions. They are very much appreciated.


Rachel

[edwardselfe]

Love this - do you have any landscape orientation too?
Ed

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Ed, I have to go back and look if I shot any at this particular time in landscape format. There is the pano that I posted a couple of weeks back but it doesn't have the golden sparkle.

Thanks again,
Rachel