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Thread: Tucking in...

  1. #1
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Default Tucking in...

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    So this is one of the two cubs we found on the beach, late afternoon where Mum was allowing them to feed on the last knockings of this Walrus carcass. Unclear as to whether the Walrus died of natural causes, but judging by the size I would think it was killed by a PB. Shooting from a 'bobbing' zodiac with a 500 was less than idea and if we knew we would have got this close the 100-400 would have been the better choice of lens. In addition thinking we might be shooting from a distance I took the 5D4 for cropping, but as it turned out, all good and at ISO5000 the files were awesome, albeit not having the fast SS rate of the 1DX MK2.

    OK so no eyes, but...

    Thanks to those who posted or viewed on the last posting.

    Steve

    Subject: Polar bear cub (Ursus maritimus)
    Location: Svalbard
    Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
    Lens: EF500mm f/4L IS II USM HH
    Exposure: 1/2500s at f/8 ISO5000
    Original format: Landscape, very slight crop from the top
    Processed via: LRCC & PS2020

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    This one is sitting uncomfortably with me Steve. I am sure you would have checked the colours and the bear is not white presumably being covered in various bits of dust and sand off the beach. The entrails and fat look rather brown, could be of course that walruses do carry a lot of fat and for high energy conversion it just might be brown fat. I get the impression some of the paler brighter components in the entrails/fatty tissue might have been blown. Probably simply because I wasn't there but it does look a little different to what I would have imagined.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I am sure you would have checked the colours and the bear is not white presumably being covered in various bits of dust and sand off the beach.
    Hi Jon, the bears primarily around the head are this 'brown' colour, basically from feeding where fat, blubber, dried blood and other debris has either stuck or colour the fur. In addition with the light everything was quite 'saturated'.


    I get the impression some of the paler brighter components in the entrails/fatty tissue might have been blown.
    The whites in the entrails aren't blown as such, just almost zero tone and this is where you make a decision, retain HL's and everything goes dark and so you have to 'retrieve/recover' the file, or exposure correctly knowing some minor elements may not record or be on the outer limits.


    Probably simply because I wasn't there but it does look a little different to what I would have imagined.
    Is white actually white, PB's vary in colour and their 'whiteness' Jon.

    Cheers
    Steve

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Steve ... well this is tough ... LOL . Great to see something so different from you .
    As not much is perfect here ...

    Does not grab me at all ... sorry .
    I am with Jon .. a major negative roll is the carcass playing , it is just too dominant . And even if you say the whites are not blown , they do look that way , specially the areas where they look greyish .
    Not knowing if it is the 5D or the light , the fur does look way rougher than your other postings of PB .

    TFS Andreas

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Andreas, Im not posting for likes, more sharing and in part telling a small story in the frame.

    These bears are hungry and will scavenge on/for anything to pack on the weight and so getting theirs heads right into the carcass may not be a loveable frame, it's just key to their survival. Remember ISO5000, light and to a degree sharpening all add into the effect, plus it will also be matted with the debris as I mentioned.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Steve I know how they behave .... they behave like most predators do .... when hungry sticking their heads into body`s or even when the carcass is big enough disappearing completely .

    It is not the graphic thing that is keeping me away from the LIKE .... it is a good behavior and/or documentation image . It is just the headless bear and the too dominat colorful/contrasty blubber ..... it is very restless looking image in that corner , grabbing my eye .... but nothing to look at .

    Technically speaking ... after checking your channels ... no wonder that it does look so flat ( recovered /blown) as the red channel is blown in that areas . No wonder as you had nice warm light .... and in nice warm the red channel tends to blow out even quicker . And the green channel cannot cope that .... not strong enough in warm light , not talking about the weak blue channel !!! But this going too far now .... for most of us ....
    To sum it up the red channels kills all the detail in the HL ....

    Cheers Andreas

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Thanks Andreas.

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    Hi Steve -- Pretty gory stuff.

    The image isn't grabbing me either , can live with no eyes but the carcass is bit too dominant. It has been nicely processed , nice details in the fur but my eyes are falling on the carcass rather than the PB.

    TFS !

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    Hi Steve. Am sure it was a good encounter and good moment captured. I would have liked a hint of the eye or less of the carcass and more of the PB. Well processed as usual.

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    Lifetime Member Colin Driscoll's Avatar
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    Real life in the apex predator world and good to see it posted.
    Mother nature is not as nice as we would portray it.

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    I take it this bear has been rolling or playing on/with this carcass. Agree with the others. Want more polar bear, less walrus.

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