Another Lake Clark Bear

[Katie Rupp]

This image is 95% full frame so picture how big my eyes were as I looked back at our guide as this sow kept coming towards us. Our instructions were to stay put if the bears came close but I have to say my instinct was urging me to move out of her way. I stayed put and she moved on.

1dm3; f4.5, 1/1000; Tv; ISO 2500 (auto ISO) 500f4

C&C encouraged and greatly appreciated.

[Tim Rucci]

Hi Katie,
You've captured really nice detail in this image, and I love the eye contact. Seems you really connected on this one - well done indeed. While it would have been great to have gotten the ears in the frame, I realize it was impossible with the bear approaching. It's remarkable how different these bears look, compared to those at Brooks Falls. In most of the photos I've seen from Lake Clark, the bears look like they have been able to fatten up a lot sooner than most of those we saw at Brooks. TFS

[Robert Amoruso]

Katie,

This is a very strong closeup a one great looking bear. We had many good looking bears at Lake Clark this year. Two things I suggest to strengthen it further, a tighter crop and toning down the highlights. Both I have done in the repost. I left more room on the right since that is the direction of the bear's gaze.

The highlight correction in a nut shell is (a) channels pallet - CTL Click on the RGB channel to select highlights, (b) layers pallet - on BKG copy, create a layer mask with this selection which creates a grayscale mask weighted towards the highlights and (c) change blending mode the multiply to darken the highlights - set opacity to taste.

Sometimes shadows get too dark and I paint black in those area. Here I left it at 100% opacity.

I use this highlight technique all the time on my high contrast images and especially those of the bears where I push highlights to the extreme, recover them in ACR and then perform this correction.

Saturation got bumped up some in the conversion in PS.

[Katie Rupp]

Thanks Tim, I'm enjoying all the bear images from both locations, too.

Robert, thank you for working on this and I like what you've done as it makes it a stronger statement. Thank you also for explaining the process.

Katie

[Morkel Erasmus]

Katie - wow MY eyes were stretching as I saw this...awesome close-up and love the intensity. My first impression to tone down the highlights has been addressed nicely by Robert.

[Hendri Venter]

Nice in your face and outstanding detail. Fantastic close-up Katie.

[Rachel Hollander]

Katie - Great shot and I totally understand your urge to want to move away from the bear. Tim's comment about how different they look from the bears at Brooks is spot on. Robert's repost takes this over the top.

TFS,
Rachel

[Charles Glatzer]

I prefer the original crop, and would only slightly darken the muzzle. I think over darkening the muzzle puts it to close in tonal value, drawing attention away from the fabulous eyes.

Wonderful close-up.

Chas