Norwegian Polar Bear

[Rachel Hollander]

Since Gregor posted a black bear from Finland, I thought I'd post another polar bear from Svalbard, Norway.

Canon 5D3
300 II with 2x III
1/1250
f5.6
ISO 800
Monopod from moving boat, slight crop for comp, luminosity mask, levels, curves, selective color adjustments, sharpened in CS6.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Awesome image of this magnificent animal. The whites and color are spot on, nice pose too!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, I think this might have been better with the 1.4x, I find it a little too much of a frame frillier, however perhaps when you initially started shooting he/she was a little way off and as they do, came in to investigate the new sounds & smells? Alway difficult shooting from a moving ship, however I do think it needs a CW rotation, but doubt if there is enough image to do so. I would look perhaps in a 'double process' to see if you can get anymore detail in the FG ice, it's just a little plain and I think would benefit from some tone and detail if possible? good choice in both camera and keeping the SS high, trust the little trick with the mono pod worked? Nice to see you got detail in the eyes & nose without it looking 'hammered' or overly processed, nice one.

TFS
Steve

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Rachel, nice and sharp details around the head and eye as Steve already mentioned. I would wish to see more details on the ice, I wonder it is because of the 2X that you lost some details here? I also find the transition between lighter fur and darker fur between the body and the rum sections a bit too well defined. Was it due to Quick mask? Loi

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel, beautiful shot. Steve mentioned already a few things. I as well would like a bit more room, but we take it as it is :))
but you said you cropped a bit, maybe you have some room.

have a great evening

ciao Anette

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everybody. She did approach, Steve. Here's the full frame image. I cropped a little from the bottom to get rid of the water and a bit from the rhs for the op. Loi, that was her coloring. Loi - No quick mask or differences in pp for any parts of the bear.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel, I like the edge on the bottom of the image very much. Just the polar bear should slide a bit to the right We cannot have everything, but for sure like it very much with the edge in the FG.

Have a great day

Ciao
Anette

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Anette, you too.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Rachel,
I like them frame filling ...so OK with comp. Your repost tweaks helped and a very nice image for sure!

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Roman, I tend to like them frame filling too. Btw no tweaks in RP, it is just the full frame before the crop and then sharpened when resized.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Roman Kurywczak]

I meant the added ice on bottom....:)

[Rachel Hollander]

Ah, thanks Roman.

[Morkel Erasmus]

I actually like the tight view here, and I usually don't. Go figure - I would go with the RP framing though (ice included at bottom).
I think your processing in terms of exposure, tones and contrast is spot on here Rachel.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Morkel, much appreciated.

[Andrew Merwin]

I also like the tight crop & the detail conveyed by the crop. I have enjoyed your Svalbard images Rachel. TFS 'em.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Andrew, glad you like them.

[Bhushan Dalvi]

Rachel, I like the tight crop in the original post. The details in the fur look spot on to me. TFS.

[Dperkell]

Hi Rachel, fantastic image! I shoot a lot of Polar Bears in the high Canadian Arctic. Love the composition and the contrast! I live in NY too would love to chat further about Norway. Just got back from Botswana and South Africa last week. So nice to shoot in warmth for a change:-) Please pm me as I have a lot of questions about Norway. Again beautiful image!

Sincerely,

Darren