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Thread: Curious Polar Bear

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Curious Polar Bear

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    So I'm unsure about this one. There's no eye contact and the reflection wasn't visible from where we were but there is something about the way the bear is looking at the water and the light on this one that I like. So I'm curious as to what everyone else thinks.

    Canon 5D3
    300 II plus 2x III
    1/1600
    f5.6
    ISO 800
    Monopod from moving boat, straightened, levels, curves, selective color adjustments, sharpened in CS6.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    Rachel, getting one of these guys is quite difficult I guess. The presentation is ok. A bit of overlap is there between the back of the bear and the bg. But that could be because its all white on white.

    If you ask me I couldn't have got it on a monopod from a moving boat, no way.

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    Hi Rachel,

    As you mentioned yourself, missing the eye contact but nevermore I think this image still is successful. Sharpness and light in this image are in my opinion superb. The image gives a good representation of the daily flow in the live of this polar bear. Could it be he was interested in what was going on bellow the ice?

    TFS
    Gert

    Looking again at it, may I suggest a different crop? More panoramic if the image allows.
    Last edited by GertOoms; 12-28-2013 at 01:52 PM.

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel,

    for me eye contact is not a must. I think sometimes it would better not to have some eye contact when you are after to show the environment the animals are living in. IMHO
    This image certainly does it for me. I like the lifted leg and that this PB sniffs the ice. Reminds me of arc, always sniffing, there could be some goodies! This PB might sniffed some goodies, which just had left the ice a few minutes or hours ago! Checking out the area for sure. Which I would think, just me.
    They told us on the boat PB's are hard to read. After the third PB I thought, they need to walk with arc a few times. There are certainly similarities in some things. Not only the sniffing part.
    Still at my third glass of Brunello wine, so not going mad, not yet

    Overall I really do like this image very much. Details and color great for me. might would get rid a tad of FG or Pano!

    Have a great eve

    Ciao
    Anette

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, I really like this because it's a shot of a PB going about its business.
    I would go pano, and perhaps rotate slightly cw as it looks a little skew to me.....
    Love the colours and the soft light.
    Ed

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    For me it is the textures and colours of the ice that provide most interest in this image.
    Detail is good throughout but you have posted many better shots of Polar Bears than this one. the lack of eye contact is a shame but the PB seems intent on his fishing.
    Composition wise i do not like the OOF snow/ice along the topof th eframe but appreciate that you do not really want to crop any closer to the PB.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Another lovely image from your trip, Rachel. Love that you can just see the eye (direct eye contact is often overrated ).
    To me, the bear's position is a much stronger "level gauge" than the ice bank in the BG (which is level). I would therefore rotate very slightly CW.
    Have a lovely New Year's celebration and I hope your photography grows even more than it did this year in 2014
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, I too feel that perhaps going pano would help. For me the grey FG doesn't add much, apart from contrast and shows the pack ice forming as such. The feet look level, but the eyes imply a slight CW rotation would be good as pointed out by morel, I feel it's a visual thing, rather than 'accurate' one. The curiosity of the bear is OK, but overall, I don't thinks as strong as previous images. Adding a mid tone Curves adjustment jus pulls thinks together and clarifies the more 'subtle' captures within the image.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Another stunner Rachel, and I personally do not need eye contact to love this! Beautiful colours, perfect exposure, and I too would prefer this as a pano as per suggestions above.

    I take this opportunity to thank you for your help and advice over the past year, as well as to wish you a wonderful 2014 filled with success in everything you do! Love your work, keep those images coming, Rachel!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. The straightening on this one has been a bit of a challenge. As Steve said, the feet are level. That's what I used to straighten and the ice in the bg and to the right is level. I think maybe it's the bear that is a little askew in its posture though which throws things off a little visually .

    Wishing you all a Very Happy and Healthy New Year!

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel, love the sharpness and the colors of the PB. He was hunting, not paying attention to you, so eye contact is not needed here. I too feel going pano could help. There is a blue reflection of the ice on the Right corner, which I suppose is correct, but the look just a bit distracting. Happy new year to you and thank you for your help this past year! Loi

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Loi, there's no reflection in the right corner. That's ice below the surface of the water.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi rachel,
    have a good and healthy , very important , 2014.
    Like this one , like many others of your PB images , for the colors , contrast and the behavior of the subject. Nicely processed with good detail , but i like to see a tad more sharpening in the bear, but i know you do not , so leave it as is.

    Cheers for now, see you next year.

    TFS Andreas

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    BPN Viewer Charles Glatzer's Avatar
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    Rachel,

    Removing the negative space at the bottom would further enhance the composition.

    Chas

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