The Wait

[Rachel Hollander]

This bear was fishing from the top of Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Alaska. The salmon run had not yet peaked so he had a long wait between jumpers. This was taken in July 2010 in the evening.

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/800
f7.1
ISO 800
Tripod on the observation platform, cropped and USM applied.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Love the intense look of concentration here Rachel, wondering if you could extract a bit more light around the eyes?
I hope to make it here for May next year.
TFS

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Marc - I'll see if I can lighten the eyes, I forgot to mention that I have already selectively lightened them slightly. I'm always nervous about going too far.

Btw May is too early for Brooks Falls. The salmon run doesn't start until last week in June or later so no bears when the salmon aren't running. This year the run peaked in late July. My understanding is that May is probably too early for bears throughout Alaska. Also the road in Denali doesn't usually open until early June so if you're coming from Australia just to visit Alaska, I would plan on later in our summer.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Sid Garige]

Brooks falls written all over it Rachel. Nice intense pose well captured. Just enough shutter speed for interesting water.

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Marc - I'll see if I can lighten the eyes, I forgot to mention that I have already selectively lightened them slightly. I'm always nervous about going too far.

Btw May is too early for Brooks Falls. The salmon run doesn't start until last week in June or later so no bears when the salmon aren't running. This year the run peaked in late July. My understanding is that May is probably too early for bears throughout Alaska. Also the road in Denali doesn't usually open until early June so if you're coming from Australia just to visit Alaska, I would plan on later in our summer.

Thanks again,
Rachel

Thanks Rachel

Already have a confirmed booking for cruising the Inside Passage, a friend went same time last year and came back with some stunning Grizzly images.;)
I'm aware that there will be no salmon run at that time of year, but still hope to get up to Denali (or other NP's) after the cruise finishes mid May. Plus, there is always Bald Eagles, Dolphin and Whale (hopefully) and calving iceburgs to photograph.;)

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Sid.

Marc - Inside Passage is great. I hope your itinerary includes Glacier Bay National Park.

Here's a repost with the eyes lightened a little more.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Sid.

Marc - Inside Passage is great. I hope your itinerary includes Glacier Bay National Park.

Here's a repost with the eyes lightened a little more.

Thanks again,
Rachel

Repost is an improvement Rachel. We'll be 2 nights @ Glacier Bay NP;)

[Steve Kaluski]

You certainly you can see those nice, warm, chestnut eyes Rachel. Don't go too far in lightening them, otherwise they may stand out too much and the image will look odd. ;)

Steve

[Tim Munsey]

Wow, I hope to see this one day, are you too excited to be frightened?

Tim

[Robert Amoruso]

Hi Rachel,

Lightening the eyes and sharpening them creatively before the rest of the image is sharpened is something I do with most of my bear image. As you can see the lightening makes a big difference here. Try some sharpening to to make them stand out more.

Nice posed and good use of the diagonal water flow as a leading line.

[Ken Watkins]

I know from bitter experience that the eyes of bears are relitively insignificant and sometimes hard to spot, but they are also a key part of the image.

I agree with Roberts suggestions.

[Myer Bornstein]

The repost is much better than the original, very intense. Like it very much

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks all for the kind comments.

Tim - not afraid while on the elevated, fenced platform. The scary time is walking in the woods to get to the platform but we had no encounters.

Robert - thanks for the pp tip about bear images. I'll apply a round or 2 of selective USM to the eyes. At least with this bear the eyes aren't as sunken and surrounded with what looks like black eyes as many of the younger bears are.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Rachel, lots of concentration on his face waiting for the next salmon. Comp works well. Is that an old wound on the top of his head?

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Stuart. My guess is that it was a fairly recent wound because it still looked raw rather than scarred over.

[Hilary Hann]

Love the colour and intent gaze of the bear. Just have to hope that he was rewarded for his patience.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hilary - thanks. Unfortunately, shortly after this a big boar known for stealing others' fish came in and all the bears scattered so he didn't catch anything at that time.

Rachel

[Harshad Barve]

lovely perspective here , excellent
TFS

[Robert Amoruso]

Thanks all for the kind comments.

Tim - not afraid while on the elevated, fenced platform. The scary time is walking in the woods to get to the platform but we had no encounters.

Robert - thanks for the pp tip about bear images. I'll apply a round or 2 of selective USM to the eyes. At least with this bear the eyes aren't as sunken and surrounded with what looks like black eyes as many of the younger bears are.

Thanks again,
Rachel

You are welcome Rachael. I know what you are talking about. With this particular bear, his eyes were more visible then others. Many times shadows obscure them due to the shape and depth of the eye socket. Those are the ones I will lighten and sharpen. If I am happy with the tonality of the eye, I will still sharpen.

I am enjoying seeing your bear images from Brooks Falls.

[Shreyas Mantri]

The "classic" Brook Falls pose! The repost works better with regards to the eyes, Rachel. I also have had trouble dealing with the eyes while photographing grizzlies....example: http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ile-in-trouble

But the suggestions made here helped me, as you can see in the repost.
I really like the vibrant colors on this image, and the relative fresh wound on the head.
And yes, good to see a fellow NY-er :)

Bests
Shreyas

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Sheryas.