Polar Bear

Hi everybody,
It has come to my attention that Steve K. has birthday today :t3

I do know that Polar Bears are his favourite animals, as they are soooooo dangerous :w3:bg3::Whoa!:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE HAVE MUCH FUN IN YOUR HIDE OUT THERE IN THE ABOUT :t3

This animal I saw when on assignment in Svalbard. Sent off to nowhere, yes Steve with guide and rifle :w3, never thought to find a Polar Bear, but there he is!!

This chap gave me lots of opportunities while he was searching the whole island in front of the glacier for food. Yep he saw us, but did not came over. I would have loved to have him coming closer, but not the guide :t3
However, camera was with big lens on a rock on my jacket, me freezing my b... off. On the tripod was my second camera with shorter lens. I jumped between both however I wanted to :S3:

Comp wise.... this is what I want the image to look like :bg3:

Processing..... LR usual - Photoshop levels, midtones and some fiddling for the glacier in BG.

Enjoy

Canon 1D MKIV
f/8,0 1/400sec ISO 800
300mm f/2.8 & 2x ext. III

Wow, that is a powerful image, it just demands attention! the composition, colours and the scale are just amazing. The bear is so small and yet so big and the fact the head is raised. Magnificent:cheers:

I agreer with Jon. A great and powerful shot.. Shows that a small subject can work well when done properly.
JohnR

HAHA Anette, just in, although being 'out in the field' didn't hampered our exchanges, (thank God for technology), gorgeous image.

You are right, I do love my Bears, but also this location, one of my favourites and now quite a few of us on here now have enjoyed the wonders and the magic of this location, like you. However it keeps pulling me back, we should team up next time. :S3:

I like the placement & scale, how come you didn't shoot with the 1DX, as I would have pushed the ISO and perhaps gone to f/11? If you have it, personally I feel a tad/sliver more below. The Glacier illustrates that this location is not as pristine as we are all lead to believe, in fact it's more like a garbage dump with all the unwanted stuff washed up and a huge issue for wildlife!!!!!

Quote:

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Sent off to nowhere, yes Steve with guide and rifle, never thought to find a Polar Bear, but there he is!!

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In this location a firearm is a must and I certainly would not be on foot without one, as they appear out of nowhere and often when you least expect it, but the most dangerous animal on this planet.

Nice to have you back posting, perhaps we might get to see some of those big orange cats too at some point????

Cheers Anette, catch up soon. :wave:
Steve

PS I'll send you something from this morning, he's looking in prime condition.

Thank you very much Jonathan, John and Steve for your time to comment.

Steve, why not 1DX, bcs with the MKIV I get closer!

A tad silver on the bottom, I wish for that too. There I had a huge Photo bomber sitting, a seagull settled on a rock about 30m from me away. Right where I wanted to have more bottom. I was not allowed to move more further from the cabin, also there was no higher rock around. So was a tad stuck. The back of the guide would have been not that good either. :t3

I think even with this sliver missing bottom the image hits the point :w3

Thank you very much everybody.

Enjoy your evening, have much fun :c3:

Ciao Anette

Hi Anette
Been back to this a couple of times. Such a striking image in many ways. Something that confuses me. Would the man with the rifle fire warning shots or what would he do if one did go for you ? Dreadful thought but I just wonder. I don't suppose a warning shot would be much use !!( And dreadful thought no 2- what if he missed ?
Cheers
John
Keep safe.

Hi John,

i really had a great laugh about your comment regarding rifle and shots. Do you think we would have used the rifle at all? No way. what for? We had a cabin right behind us. The polar bear was far away. Just imagine, 300mm & 2x ext = 600mm x 1.3 sensor equals ? How far was this polar bear? Pretty far. Even if this polar bear would have come over, which I am sure he did at night, in the cabin we were quite safe, more or less. A rifle is there to shot into the air to scare the bear off if he comes close. There is no guide in Svalbard which would shot a bear unless the bear has their leg or any other part of the guide's body in it's mouth. Only idiots out there which have no idea get themselves in danger with these animals and get attacked. You should follow certain rules and this is a must. You do not comply, a bear attacks you, you actually KILL the bear with such doing, even when you are dead afterwards.

2 years ago a group of students being in the same location have shot more than 50 shots into the air to scare a bear away. This bear was VERY hungry. They called via radio Langyearbyen for an rescue to get all students out as this bear was desperate. No one shots a bear in Svalbard. You will face a huge fine and much more.

Hope to have answered your questions with this.

have a great evening

ciao Anette

Wow Anette !! what an astounding image,the scale is breathtaking as already mentioned,but it was that single facet that hit me on viewing. I also love the depth of blue in the glacier,it's an image that really compels my attention Anette ,I can't comment much more,but really do think this is special. There is a tinge of sadness for me in Steve's post though (HB mate) but what a stunning execution of small in frame subject.

take care anette

Stu

Thanks Anette. I was somewhat confused.
John

Hi Stuart,

thank you very much for your time to comment. Glad that you like this image. One of this series is my fav. Maybe later this year I can post it. We will see.

Have a great evening

Ciao Anette

Awesome image, Anette, especially depicting that size difference with the massive glacier and a bear that we consider massive! I can now personally relate to this kind of image and scale. We also saw such a scene from our boat. The bear never even came near to us. I remember your spectacular "image of the year" of the polar bear and the moon.

Hi Nancy,

thank you very much for your nice comment. I highly appreciate your time. Yep, sometimes it must be true. Be there at the right time and the right spot or so :bg3:

I say, I was a lucky duck :t3

have a great day

Ciao Anette

Anette this is a blinder of a shot. Soooo good! Love the colours, composition, story and textures. :5 :cheers:
Good to see you posting again!

Oh, and again a happy BDay from me, Steve :5

Hi Anette - Had to wait til I was home on the good monitor to really look and appreciate this. I'm sure you knew I would love this one. Great tones in the ice and then the miniscule bear gives us a real sense of the immense size of the glacier. The placement of the bear and the look up pose are perfect and the birds on the lower left balance the bear. I sure hope your client appreciated this one.

TFS,
Rachel

Hi Morkel and Rachel,

thank you very much for your great comments. Highly appreciate it.

Morkel, I am quite busy. Hope to get some images posted in a month. Not always possible.

Rachel I thought you would like this, maybe I have some better ones in on my drives you might like more! :t3

The client appreciated this very much and another one very much. That did a mention in Travel Photographer of the year 2015 :S3:

Since freezing my b.... off there needed to be a good outcome. One hour just in underwear lololol merino wool jumping between 1DX & MKIV, kept me a tad warm, but not enough. Hot shower? lolololol not there, only Arctic sea dip :w3

I got afterwards a nice coffee and a great breakfast served from the guide. Lunch was survival food on glacier. Put hot water in packet, wait 10min, eat. Chicken Curry was my fav :t3

Have both a great day, thanks again for your time to comment.

Ciao Anette

Hi Anette, thanks for the file and all has become clear, I can sympathise in your frustration. Gulls should be banned, they are such a plague, but the worst was in Alaska with the Grizzly's as I'm sure Rachel can confirm.

I agree with Nancy, this location is a must for all at some point in their travels, irrespective of interests ranging from Avian, Wildlife to Landscapes.

Quote:

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Lunch was survival food on glacier.

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Oh 'K' rations, I think it's better than that 'Rivita' crisp breads, but an awesome setting to enjoy.

Only a photographers eye can capture a magnificent photograph for other eyes to view ...All been said ....beautifull powerfull image

Hi Steve,

gulls have a right to live too :w3 even when they are soooooooo often playing photo bombers. well in my case quite often. I have learned to "just" include them. well, not with this image, that would be the absolute photo bombing ever :Whoa!:

Enjoying your time waiting in hide??? :eek3: :c3: :2eyes2:

Ciao Anette

Hi Dennis,

Thank you VERY much for your great comment. I highly appreciate it! :tinysmile_shy_t:

Glad that you like this image :w3

Have a great day

Ciao Anette :wave:

Hello Anette,think all I can add is that you have the eye of an artist the composition on this is superb,i would never in a million years think of composing this the way you have. Wonderful piece of natural history photography.

Keith.

Hi Keith,

thank you very much for your comment. I really do highly appreciate it.

Wish you a great day

Ciao Anette :wave:

Hi Anette

All has been said, or I can add is WOW!

Stunning location with stunning results, but I still prefer the slightly warmer Kalahari in February, no Merino underwear there....:t3

Dearest Anette,

Late to comment so my apologies dearest friend, I did look the other night and thought "WOW, she has done it again"!

I am loving this - the immense landscape makes this rather large bear look small, all a matter of scale and yes, here size does matter:)

I am also thinking this bear has never climbed a tree - just my thoughts as I am viewing...Thinking his habitat is shrinking as the sea ice is melting, global warming is a reality and sadly the greatest threat to the species.

A very thought-provoking image, thank you Anette. Well framed and the colours are lovely. But most importantly - it moves me:5

Warmest regards from hot, dry Africa... now with a few drops of rain...

Hi Anette -- This is a magnificient image ! A real beauty , all the elements have come out so beautifully and the Raised head makes this image not to forget the majestic glacier . Very nicely done .

TFS !

Thank you very much andre, I only can add: YOU WOULD LOVE THIS PLACE!

Have a fantastic day

Ciao Anette

Hi Haseeb,

thank you very much for your nice comment, as well that you took the time to do so.

Wish you a fantastic day

Ciao Anette

Ciao Anette,
I just saw this thread. What an amazing story! All I want to say about the image has already been said. So just thank you for sharing!
K

Hi Gabriela,

thank you very much for all your great comments you give me. Did it again.... well if I wouldn't I would regret it today, no chance for that :w3:t3

Give me my peace of mind and it seems it works. This assignment taught me a lot regarding peace of mind. I have learned to switch off the mobile phone when out in the field. Leave it in the room or in the bag set to OFF! Such a useless disturbing tech thing, well not quite useless, but when out in the about useless & disturbing in case you have connection. Svalbard you are away from Longyearbyen not much connection to get there. Actually I never had, only in the town.
It is a bliss. My following destinations after this trip, my highest priority was, mobile off when in nature, switch on when I feel like it. Most of the time did not happen for 3-4 days.

Try it out, such a bliss, so relaxing, so rewarding :S3:

Thank you very much

Have a great evening with many pineapples. I come sooner or later and join in

Ciao Anette

Hi Kalin,

thank you very much for stoping by and taking the time to comment. Highly appreciate it.

Have a great evening

Ciao Anette :wave:

Can only agree with all the positive comments on this wonderful animalscape here Anette, the PB's arched pose as if to admire his work speaks volumes on his placement. :w3

TFS

Hi Marc,

thanks you very much for stopping and your nice comment. Highly appreciate it.

Wish you a great weekend

Ciao Anette :S3:

What an beautifully composed shot this is ........ Love the intensity placement of poler bear in the frame .... Fully love the frame.


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