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Thread: Backlit Brown Bears

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Backlit Brown Bears

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    I hope you're not bored of bears between Jon and my postings. As many of you know, I like to experiment with backlighting. I had a few opportunities to do so with the bears including one particular evening. Given that I was there the week before the summer solstice there was still lots of light at 8:30 p.m. when this was created so I underexposed to emphasize the rim lighting. This is the mother and one of the second year cubs.

    Canon 5D3
    100-400 II @ 400mm
    1/3000
    f5.6
    ISO 800
    HH, slight crop for comp, levels, curves, sharpened in PSCC.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    Bored of bears....? Perish the thought!
    You have held the highlights well to keep the feeling of soft light and I really like the shaft of lit grass just behind their back legs and how it helps to keep a separation from the bear profiles. I see you also managed to keep their backs a smidge below the grass 'horizon' - well composed.

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    Hi Rachel
    I really like the back lit effect here. The OOF foreground and background forces your eye onto the bears.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    All works here Rachel, not seen you go to such a high SS too , but we need to get coupled with pushing the ISO too at times.

    As an alternative fractionally upping the Temp and even adding some Saturation provides a nice 'oomph'. The image takes me back to Katmai, good memories.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Very nice indeed Rachel - good point raised by Mike regarding the horizon, did you have that in mind at the time (I am not so sure I would have done I would have been so exited seeing the bears in the circumstances!)

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Mike, Mike, Steve and Jon. I'm glad you like this one.

    Jon - Not sure if I had it in mind at time of capture but I did in selecting which image to process (and I also liked the HAs and open mouths on this one).

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Great Rachel! Like you I've been experimenting with backlighting a lot lately. It came about when a particular bird I wanted kept perching in the "wrong" light. Your exposure on the front of these handsome bears left the perfect amount of detail to compliment the backlighting. Good choice on HA and I love that the trees in the far BG have just a bit of shape left and aren't completely blown out. If this were my shot I'd probably increase the orange and yellow a touch - but that's 100% preference and not critique, your processing here is great. I'm not sick of bear photos by any means. Next month I'm spending a month between Glacier, Olympic and Yellowstone National Parks. I'm comfortable with birds, but not other wildlife. I need inspiring shots like this to get me on the right track.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Daniel. Sounds like a great trip. Btw if the bears don't cooperate the bison will.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel, this is a nice image of the back-lit bears. The DOF works well and the mood & tone makes this image.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Rachel I meant to say, the 'blob' bottom RHC must go, it's not part of the grass, but for me, like the clamming image, both marks detract from the image .

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel oh does look so good with the backlighting , well controlled to get the details in the HL , well done in the field .
    Like the overall mood and the landscape of that area ....as you know i have been there , just in rain . Color and tone looking basically good , but i would give Steve´s thoughts a shot regarding the color .
    How about a kinda pano crop , loosing a bit of the grass in the FG but keeping the forest in the BG ?

    Have you added a vignette ? If not i would overcome the limited quality of that lens that is creating the vignetting ....have you used the lens correction ?

    Really like the overall image ...nice work , TFS Andreas

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  21. #12
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Sanjeev, Steve and Andreas. Andreas - yes, a pano crop would work also. I have not added a vignette or used the lens correction.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Landscapes Moderator Andrew McLachlan's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, very nicely captured. I love a good backlit scene...beautiful rim light on the two bears!

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    Hi Rachel -- This is one of your all time best that i have seen , such a serene image and what a feel to it ! Thanks a ton for sharing this fantastic image , Beautifully done . TFS !

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Andrew and Haseeb

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Hello Rachel,

    Wonderful scene, perfectly exposed and loaded with mood. The evening light seems to be melting away, flushed and delicate. Love the shape of those dark trees in the BG, they are barely visible but still there.

    It must have been awesome, watching those bears. And I really think you captured them beautifully. I like the framing and colours and wouldn't change a thing (errr...save for the tiny spot in the RHC).

    I truly enjoyed viewing, thank you so much for sharing,

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Gabriela

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