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Wildlife Moderator
Hi Gerald, some may find this rather gruesome, but this is REAL life and Polar hunts mostly end up with a zero kill, so pleased you got to see a kill and close by too.
It can be 'Chalk & Cheese' with the weather so having this in good light makes a huge difference. I do like the stance and head slightly cocked to one side, there is just enough light to light the LHS albeit perhaps a slight lift in the shadows??? He looks a good size and well fed so nice to see. The inclusion of the Gulls just adds, they are a pain in the ..... in Katmai with the Grizzly's, but here it helps tell the story.
Perhaps a sliver more at the foot would be good, also, am I to assume the 1.4 bumps up the f-stop? With snow I try to get the texture in the FG, that all comes back to the Histogram and how far you pushed it, as when reviewing the files can look thin and ghostly, great you have capture as much data as possible. I might just try darkening the shadows a fraction , sample of theses shadow with the Pointer.
Not much more to say.
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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Hi Steve,
Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, it was quite harrowing to watch - particularly as the bear literally eats the seal alive! Forty minutes after the original capture, when we were photographing them, the seal was still struggling to escape! I guess for the bear it makes sense to have the body warmth of the live prey.
Yes, the 1.4 does bump up the f-stop, but in this situation, it is negligible. As well as getting the 'action' images, part of the objective was to place the action in the larger environment - so I chose a slightly smaller aperture than I would normally use.
Looking at the image now, I think that it could be a little brighter...
Over time I will post some more images from the trip, if you are interested. As you know, Svalbard is an extremely rewarding photographic environment!
Cheers, Gerald
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Wildlife Moderator
Hi Gerald, it's no more harrowing than in Africa, or even a Sparrow hawk taking a small Blue Tit, the fact they have to eat to survive, but PB as now close to extinction with the habitat diminishing at a rate of knots.
The zoom was the perfect choice as it gave you both wide & narrow options, plenty of choice to fill your boots with.
Looking at the image now, I think that it could be a little brighter...
Not sure, it might be a mix including WB, or selective whites....?????
Please do, you have sparked a revisit to the vaults!!!!!
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
Hello Gerald,
Great image of this feeding Polar Bear! For me personally not gory as I am used to seeing predators feeding.
Nice pose from the subject, looks as if he is looking around and making sure no other predators are near. Image well exposed with good detail, the presence of the gulls does not detract and like Steve said above, they help tell the story.
Unlike Steve, I have no experience whatsoever with shooting in those conditions but I trust his suggestions will help take this frame to another level. Enjoyed viewing, a lot - thank you so much for sharing!
Kind regards,
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Post a Thank You. - 1 Thanks
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BPN Member
Well captured Gerald. Very dramatic. Every picture tells a story and this one sure does. All looks good here, the trail of blood and the gulls all add. Nothing I would change.
Well done
Will
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Macro and Flora Moderator
Good shot indeed, I think this is the first time I have really appreciated the colour in a polar bears eyes.
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