Chillin'

[Rachel Hollander]

I really like the way the golden light hit the polar bear on this one and the way the polar bear is checking us out as well. This was taken at about 2 a.m. in a light snowfall.

Canon 5D3
300 II plus 2x III
1/1600
f5.6
ISO 1600
Monopod from a moving boat, cropped slightly from the left to move the bear off-center, luminosity mask, levels, curves, selective color adjustments and sharpened in CS6.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Martin Dunn]

What a wonderfully chilled Polar bear.
I was about to suggest that it could look better if you cropped from top and bottom but of course then you would lose the falling snow and that would not be good. Maybe still crop the water from the bottom, I find if I view the photo without the bottom stretch of water it brings me much closer to the PB. More intimate.

[edwardselfe]

Absolutely agree with Martin on the crop - I don't think the water at the bottom adds anything. But I LOVE to PB and his pose and the way he's looking at you. The contrast between the golden light and the blue on the RHS is perfect and I think it's a great image. I imagine it's a very difficult environment for photos and I think this is very good.
Ed

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Rachel, lovely light on the polar bear, and how is that lazy pose, with great eye contact too. I feel you have nailed the overall exposure. The falling snow adds interest, and Im fine with the comp as is. Shows the pack ice nicely.

2am!!!! Arent you supposed to be sleeping at that time.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Martin, Ed and Stu. Stu - it quickly becomes clear that there is very little sleep when in the pack ice and there are polar bears present or you are searching for polar bears.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Markus Jais]

Wonderful shot with great pose. Look's like the bear is contemplating climate change :-)

The snowfall visible at the top is a great bonus.

Markus

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Very cool image, love the light, the relaxed chillin pose and environment!

[Steve Canuel]

Great pose and look from the bear and very nice job on the exposure and PP. Warm and cool, soft and crisp, all at the same time. Kind of agree with losing the water at the bottom.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Rachel, you nailed the exposure here. Great light, good eye contact, sharpness. Another vet for asking one of the bottom. Loi

[Girish Prahalad]

really like the comp as presented. the light, setting & details are great.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions.

Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, I warned you, you are on call 24/7 on these trips, sleeping in clothes is a pain, but... you just always need to be ready.

Colours, tones 7 hues looks nice and I love the hint of that turquoise in the snow, now you know what I mean it just lifts things. I love the way they just cross there front paws, but the slight look to camera is priceless.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Steve and yes, you did warn me! The other side of it is that after spending hours outside on a moving boat in freezing temperatures you're too cold to change anyway and just shed the outermost layers.

Thanks again,
Rachel