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Thread: Bear

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    Default Bear

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    I came across this big fella on Saturday whilst out exploring. This was taken clsoe by to my open car door.

    Techs: Canon 7D, 400MM f5.6L, F5.6, 1/500, ISO 400, Exp comp -1/3rd

    I'll post a Beaver for you next time Steve but I couldn't resist sharing this first.

    C&C Welcome.

    Jamie

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Jamie, you are now feeding my addiction for bears. To me, the fur looks a lot more dense than Grizzlies, giving less form to the body if that makes sense? Have only photographed these at a distance, out of Tofino.

    I like the posture and the front paw crossing over as the bear is looking at you. Am away at present so viewing on the laptop, but it 'appears' the light was quite bright judging on the grass, when was it shot? Would perhaps also think about running a bit more NR on the BG too. Is this full frame, or cropped? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but it is sometimes easier and then come back with additional feedback Jamie.

    cheers
    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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    Lifetime Member Jay Gould's Avatar
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    Question, instead of reducing exposure through the -1/3 EC, could the exposure been accomplished by a slight aperture change and thereby achieve a slightly greater DOF resulting in a bit more sharpness from the eye out?

    The exposure is correct as is; the blacks are black.

    They eye contact is spot on.
    Cheers, Jay

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    BPN Viewer Pieter de Waal's Avatar
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    Nice low POV and eye contact Jamie. I might consider toning down the brightness of the grass a liitle.

    Looks like quite a big fellow to have the door open.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    a real cracker Jamie!
    love the pose, the haunting eyes and the exposure on the big fella...

    agree with Steve on some NR for the BG, and also toning down overall highlights would work well!

    I like the compo very much as presented
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Hi Steve, This is about 97% full frame and was taken at 1:05pm. The light kept changing making this difficult and it started raining shortly after so had to make do. Thanks and yes a fed Black Bear looks very different to say a Brown or Polar Bear. This guy was moulting.

    Jay, the light from the grass and BG was giving me a hard time so went with what I found was best and then concentrated on making sure the Bear wasnt getting uncomfortable with me being around. I like to make sure I don't disturb them too much as I got a look once last summer from a Sow and that was enough to send me packing.

    Peter, I'll see what I can do with the grass. Does anyone have a best practice method to do this?

    Morkel, thanks and the eyes are awesome.

    Jamie
    Last edited by Jamie Douglas; 05-26-2011 at 10:08 PM.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Jamie, I did think of suggesting Roberts 'luminosity' method or his Highlights recipe which I think Morkel very kindly added into a recent thread Grant posted which I found, thanks Morkel.

    [QUOTE]Robert's multiplied highlights layer
    * go to channels palette
    * select highlights in RGB by clicking on circle icon at the bottom of the palette
    * make a layer from that selection
    * change blending mode to "multiply" and adjust opacity to between 20-50% to taste (I chose 50%)

    You could also go back to the RAW file to get the grass right and export to build a layer file too perhaps?

    What I am hoping to see Jamie at some point in time are some shots where the bears are just in a sea of grass & flowers are 'peppering' it with colour with just the head visible Also where the subject is smaller in the frame and a wider expanse of location, just a thought.

    cheers
    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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    [QUOTE=Steve Kaluski;674034]Hi Jamie, I did think of suggesting Roberts 'luminosity' method or his Highlights recipe which I think Morkel very kindly added into a recent thread Grant posted which I found, thanks Morkel.

    Robert's multiplied highlights layer
    * go to channels palette
    * select highlights in RGB by clicking on circle icon at the bottom of the palette
    * make a layer from that selection
    * change blending mode to "multiply" and adjust opacity to between 20-50% to taste (I chose 50%)

    You could also go back to the RAW file to get the grass right and export to build a layer file too perhaps?

    What I am hoping to see Jamie at some point in time are some shots where the bears are just in a sea of grass & flowers are 'peppering' it with colour with just the head visible Also where the subject is smaller in the frame and a wider expanse of location, just a thought.

    cheers
    Steve
    Thanks Steve. I will try "Robert's multiplied highlights layer" later this evening.

    I have one more week here before I am in the UK visiting my folks for 3 weeks so I'll see what I can do with regards to yoalpine meadows This type of shot is on my wish list but I might have to venture up to Whistler to get the alpine meadow images. It's all sage grass down here although I did miss out getting a nice image of a sow and new born the other night as she foraged in a field of bloomed dandelions. The grass was too tall and the bloomed dandelions were difficult to expose in the bright evening sun.

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    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Robert's multiplied highlights layer
    * go to channels palette
    * select highlights in RGB by clicking on circle icon at the bottom of the palette
    * make a layer from that selection
    * change blending mode to "multiply" and adjust opacity to between 20-50% to taste (I chose 50%)

    Steve,

    I used the technique and set the opacity to 50% and then set the fill to 20%. What do you think?

    Thanks for mentioning this Pieter.

    Jamie
    Last edited by Jamie Douglas; 05-28-2011 at 01:12 PM.

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    Awesome image , liked it very much
    TFS

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Jamie, am still away so having to rely on the laptop screen which is never ideal

    Initially I can't see a huge difference and wonder if it's because you set the 'Fill' to 20%? I might suggest leaving it at 100% and just adjust the opacity perhaps? Did you mask out the bear so the adjustment was only applied to the rest of the image?

    cheers
    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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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski View Post
    Hi Jamie, am still away so having to rely on the laptop screen which is never ideal

    Initially I can't see a huge difference and wonder if it's because you set the 'Fill' to 20%? I might suggest leaving it at 100% and just adjust the opacity perhaps? Did you mask out the bear so the adjustment was only applied to the rest of the image?

    cheers
    Steve
    Hi Steve. I had to reduce the fill to 20% to avoid the distortion it caused on the BG bush. Any suggestions?

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Need to take a look when i am back mid week.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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