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Thread: Sharing secrets - Polar bears

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    Default Sharing secrets - Polar bears

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Kaktovki, Alaska
    Canon 7D 500mm F4
    ISO 1000 F8 1/640

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    Sid,
    Again, great interaction, detail, and color. You've really captured the essence of their environment in this series.

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    Ok Sid, now I am thinking you borrowed these bears from some Siberian Circus that was in town. Are you sure they aren't trained because you have so many killer shots and the titles are all excellent. On this image their coats seem (on my monitor) to have a gray cast to them. Is it me? Nice capture and sharp details.

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    Hi Sid,

    Another great interaction image. Well done. I also see the grayish cast. Perhaps it is a little too much blue from the blue sky? The snow is a little blue too.

    Roger

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    Ken Watkins
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    Sid,

    Certainly some different colour looks like the sun is far more diffused, you must have been laying down for this one (Brrrrr) as the channel behind has all but dissappeared

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Redd View Post
    On this image their coats seem (on my monitor) to have a gray cast to them. Is it me?
    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Clark View Post
    Hi Sid,

    Another great interaction image. Well done. I also see the grayish cast. Perhaps it is a little too much blue from the blue sky? The snow is a little blue too.

    Roger
    Tom and Roger,
    You both are right. When the bears arrive at Kaktovik end of summer there wont be any snow on the ground. They live on the beach with dirt, gravel and sand and theirs coat collects dust and they look dirty. This is one of the big -ve point for photographers. Once it starts snowing they roll in snow and start looking little better with gray coats. Also polar bears have black skin and with summer coat (short fur) they look little gray compared to bears with nice winter coat in snow.

    Roger,
    I guess a very low contrast foggy and cloudy environment causes those blue tones in snow. In 4 days we practically saw sunlight for couple of hours.

    -Sid

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    Thanks Sid, makes sense.

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    Sid, you got some amazing shots of these beautiful bears. Esp, my daughter is so delighted to see these images as they are pretty much similar to her soft toy bears

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    The colours reflect a very wintery, cold day here Sid, with that lovely dusty blue sky you get. Having that slight overcast feel to the image has really helped bring out the depth and detail in their dense, thick coats. Are these two sub adults playing/sparing and was it shot mid afternoon?

    Cool image Sid.

    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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    Quote Originally Posted by girisholeti View Post
    Sid, you got some amazing shots of these beautiful bears. Esp, my daughter is so delighted to see these images as they are pretty much similar to her soft toy bears
    Girish,
    Thanks very much for your kind words. I am equally delighted to know you daughter enjoyed my work. What is her name?

    -Sid

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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski View Post
    The colours reflect a very wintery, cold day here Sid, with that lovely dusty blue sky you get. Having that slight overcast feel to the image has really helped bring out the depth and detail in their dense, thick coats. Are these two sub adults playing/sparing and was it shot mid afternoon?

    Cool image Sid.

    TFS
    Steve
    Thanks Steve. I would say later afternoon. Bear on the left is a 2nd year cub and on the right is an young mother of another cub.

    -Sid

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    Hi Sid,
    Another image with wonderful interaction. Sometimes one has to make good a bad situation and under the circumstances you have done well.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Mark.

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    Sid - I agree, the colors and tone of this one really convey a colder feel. More great interaction. Looks like they really put on a show for you this year.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Girish,
    Thanks very much for your kind words. I am equally delighted to know you daughter enjoyed my work. What is her name?
    Sid,
    She is Sravani, 4yrs of age .

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    Sid,

    It looks much better on my calibrated monitor. My comments last night were from my laptop. Seeing the image on my calibrated monitor, I would not change a thing. And your explanation makes sense.

    Roger

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    SID you do realise just how high you have set the bar for future polar bear images don't you??? I love the colour tones.

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    National Geographic Material.
    I hope you have a contract for these, because you should.
    As good as the poses, etc., are, your processing is top notch.
    Very nice for iso1000.
    Just a pleasure to view each day.
    Dan Kearl

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    Another cracker here Sid! I like the 'colder' feel here, yet feel you could take down the blues in the black channel a bit (showing up in the rightmost bear's mouth?). Maybe it's just that I haven't seen them in real life?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    I have no words now
    TFS

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    Quote Originally Posted by Morkel Erasmus View Post
    Another cracker here Sid! I like the 'colder' feel here, yet feel you could take down the blues in the black channel a bit (showing up in the rightmost bear's mouth?). Maybe it's just that I haven't seen them in real life?
    Morkel,
    I will try it tonight. Thanks

    -Sid

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    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Morkel,

    -18 on Blue during raw conversion
    Added only 10 points saturation in NIK filters ( previous one has around 20)
    Also added little more light to the bears with dodge tool. Little more tighter crop to maximize attention to subjects.
    What do you think?


    PS: taking a second look at the repost, I am not sure I did the right adjustment or not. During raw conversion I went to HSL/gray scale and decreased blue channel to -18. Is this the setting you are referring to ?
    Last edited by Sid Garige; 10-24-2011 at 07:31 PM.

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    Sid, you really manage to bring out such good detail and exposure on your polar bear images. Good interaction between the two, and I prefer your OP.

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    Excellent pose/interaction between the bears, with nice detail and exposure. Also prefer the OP. Very, very nice work, Sid!

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