Backlit Bear

[Rachel Hollander]

It has been a while since I posted a backlit image. Here's one of one of the bears taken in the evening. Again, because I was there just before the summer solstice, I underexposed in the field to emphasize the backlighting and rim effect. I am curious to hear people's thoughts on the water element of the scene, it was a small flooded area of the marsh. I have others that I was able to shoot without it in the fg but I sort of liked the additional layer it added to the image.

Canon 5D3
100-400 II @ 278mm
1/2000
f5.6
ISO800
HH, slightest crop to straighten, levels, curves, sharpened in PSCC.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Stuart Philpott]

Rachel instant preference for the water it does exactly that, adds another layer,plus that hint of reflection. Rachel I like the dof choice here with the rearmost trees all but identifable but still soft and ethereal they add so much depth for me
Add in the back lit element and for me it's a thing of beauty.

Rachel these back lit images are so finely balanced to get the exposure and detail right against the rim light for me this works ,I'm very curious to hear what the others say

lovely mate just plain lovely TFS

stu

[haseeb badar]

Hi Rachel -- I loved this scene and the water in the FG is a nice addition IMO. The inclusion of the habitat really what makes this image apart from having that nice rim lighting on your subject. I love these kind of shots and you have made a very nice image. The Bear images have been really very good , keep them coming .

TFS !

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, I like the shot and the bear, but I would get a bit more 'Contrast' (not via Contrast, but Curves & Midtones) back in to create some more tonal depth and Saturation to give it some richness and depth. Just feels a bit flat and it would help the rim light, what EV did you have for Backlit?

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Stu, Haseeb and Steve. Steve - I don't remember and because I almost always shoot in full manual which I did here, the information is not available in the EXIF. (I think the only camera body that DPP and PS have this available for is the 1DX.)

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Steve - I don't remember and because I almost always shoot in full manual which I did here, the information is not available in the EXIF. (I think the only camera body that DPP and PS have this available for is the 1DX.)

Seems a bit odd that the 5D3 doesn't show, the 5D2 does, could you ping me a raw when you get home, anything will do from the 5D3.

Thanks.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the image very much, I see the logic in your underexposing, I wonder if you had not the colours and textures may have been a little more evident, you could have selectively adjusted lighting as you saw fit.
Having said that I like the image very much, the composition is pleasing.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Rachel a very nice " bear on a mission " frame and the rim lighting does work well .
Depending on the original situation i think this might be good , but i see where Steve is coming from with his thoughts . At least worth to try out and see how it does look for you .
I think the colors are quite nice , but a little more punch would not hurt .Lovely different subtle shades of green/yellow in the grass and treeline.

You have really a lot of lovely images created on that trip to Silver salmon , keep them coming

TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

Steve - I don't remember and because I almost always shoot in full manual which I did here, the information is not available in the EXIF.

It's all there Rachel, just checked the CRS file you kindly sent through, as it would seem strange PS no longer supports the 5D3.

[Rachel Hollander]

Steve - as we just discussed offline, the info is not accurately listed in the RAW file info in PS. It shows 0 EC for all files shot in manual mode.

[Steve Kaluski]

Fine, just seems odd to me that PS has stopped supporting this camera, but as no EV is ever posted it has little baring I guess. Certainly I would shoot the shot for rim lit subjects differently and push it more.

BTW this was where I was going on the shot, as I feel after it's taken the image needs to then be processed to build on the capture and 'develop' it more to highlight the backlit/rim light and to convey more the setting scene.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks for the rp Steve but it looks overcooked to me. I prefer the op which is more true to the scene.

My understanding is that it is not due to PS or Adobe that the info is no longer available but due to Canon. If I recall correctly Artie has discussed with Canon and confirmed that the info is only recorded/available with 1DX series bodies now, despite being available in the past.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks for the rp Steve but it looks overcooked to me. I prefer the op which is more true to the scene.

Unfortunately I can't tell as it's on the laptop, but to me the whole point of backlit is to emphasis the rim/backlight and so this is partly through the settings input 'in camera' and then in PP. If you go for 'as shot' then the image will perhaps be more reflective of the scene, but then lacks the oomph & punch IMHO, it all comes down to what you want as an 'artist' and with something like this I think it requires more input to give that dramatic look & feel common to rim/backlit images.

When you have a minute checkout Bence Mates image of two Eurasian brown bears backlit/rim light, with what looks like falling snow - it's all about the impact and less on detail, but just my take.

[William Dickson]

Lovely BG and FG. Love the rim light. Great pose on the bear. I do prefer the original post, as it looks very natural.

Will

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions, much appreciated.

[Glenn Pure]

Rachel, I'm fond of backlit images and this one looks good with nice framing and background as well as nice pose from the bear. My first impression was that this looked flat and I note the discussion that has resulted on that. I'd prefer Steve's repost but everyone has a different taste and yours is what matters here as the photographer/artist. So I won't profer anything further on that. I am unsure about the water but hard to comment much more without seeing frames without it. Maybe you will post more (I hope). I do like the brighter band of grass heads in the background then the dark trees. All adds to make this a nice image.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Rachel,

I am quite jealous of your inexhaustible stash of wonderful bear images from this trip. Love this scene overall and the framing is superb. But my vote goes to Steve's "overcooked" version because I like the vibrance and warmth in his RP. I know and understand that your aim is to produce an authentic representation of your experience, but to my mind a frame like this benefits tremendously from a few extra tweaks. In the RP the tips of the grass are gleaming and sweet light penetrates the minutest parts of the vegetation. The sun strikes the subject in a way that reveals the bear's outline creating a golden glow. In other words, the scene is more alive. I admit I often fail to achieve this with my own images, but I have learnt something here which I will try remember when processing. Also thinking of experimenting more in the field when I have a chance, just like you

Thank you so much for sharing Rachel, I hope you have a pleasant week-end my friend:)

Warmest regards,