Dangerous Crossing

Gallery: WildlifePosted September 7, 20091,250 views12 comments

Sony A700
Tokina 300 AT-X Pro, Kenko 2xTC
ISO 200, 1/80 @ f8

Brad/Vincent: If this is too much HOM and not enough fauna please feel free to move it to M&N. This is in Banff NP just north of the Bow River junction. It turns out that the Canadian Pacific grain trains leak as they pass by and all manner of critters, including this grizzly, come to the tracks and pick at the gleanings. A pair of rangers charged with monitoring the bears in the park said that several bears have been hit by trains this year. After taking this shot I drove along the road that parallels the track hoping I could get a closer look. At the point where I judged the bear might be there was a low rise covered with saplings and some moderately dense brush. Another photog and I made our way through the trees and came out about 50-75 yards from the bear. Before we could clear the trees we heard a train coming. I'm not sure the bear noticed us but at least he decided to get off the tracks, unfortunately on the other side. Once the train had passed we never saw him again. Looking back on it I'm sorry I didn't get a closer shot but I'm glad he did exit on the other side of the tracks. All comments welcome.>=))>

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on September 7, 2009 at 12:21 AM

Interesting shot - I like the comp and how the bear looks like he/she has been in some altercations previously. This completely gets your point across. Why did you choose to use such a low ISO though? A little more DOF would go a long way as I find that a little too much of the tracks are OOF.

- Luke

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Bob&Charly Nelson on September 7, 2009 at 7:20 AM

The tracks lead into the subject and trhe fog holds you there. Great eye. I'm glad to here the bear made it to safety. GOOD JOB.
Bob

Registered on October 27, 2005, 289 Posts, 4202 Comments

Comment posted by Pedro Matos Silva on September 7, 2009 at 9:25 AM

Great !
Love the way the track takes you to the Bear and Fog.

Registered on September 3, 2009, 8 Posts, 20 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on September 7, 2009 at 9:34 AM

Great story to go with this image Bill. I quite like the tracks leading to the bear into the fog. Really an image for a story about the animals feeding on the stuff we humans 'lose' at the tracks! Thanks for posting this!

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on September 7, 2009 at 9:39 AM

Why did you choose to use such a low ISO though? A little more DOF would go a long way as I find that a little too much of the tracks are OOF.

Luke: With my camera ISO 200 is its sweet spot so to speak so it is my default setting. I would estimate that the bear was 200 yards away so the FG tracks are going to be blurred some no matter what. With my 300mm f2.8 using the Kenko 2X renders the effective aperture 5.6. I try to stop down one step if possible although this rig is pretty sharp wide open. It was an artistic decision to render the FG OOF so as to give more emphasis to the bear.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Pramod Viswanath on September 7, 2009 at 10:56 AM

Bill, I love this image. Extremely powerful and very well depicts what man does to the beautiful nature. I really admire the courage of these bears walking on the rails. I just hope there are no "rail kills" here! I also like the unusual subject-leaving-the-frame composition a lot.

Registered on December 4, 2008, 60 Posts, 697 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on September 7, 2009 at 1:31 PM

Hi Bill, I have no problem with this image being in the Fauna Gallery as it is a free roaming wild bear. I like how you used the leading lines of the railway track. The fog adds to the scene as well. Not that I have a very big problem with the DOF at all, but I can understand the comment about it. I do find it a pity the bear is angling away from you rather than towards you, but that was entirely out of your control.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Sam Rua on September 7, 2009 at 3:07 PM

Well seen and presented, Bill. Nice story and this image is a great souvenir from the experience.

Registered on September 9, 2006, 130 Posts, 2281 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on September 7, 2009 at 5:40 PM

This is a real interesting shot, Bill--both as an artistic piece and as something with a story to tell. I have to agrere about the OOF fg though--I think the tracks are every bit as important to the bear here--in fact if the fg tracks were sharp and the bear were OOF i think this would still be an equally cool shot!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on September 7, 2009 at 7:43 PM

Bill, this is a neat effect. If only he had been coming up the tracks towards your lens, rather than angling away!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by john hansen on September 8, 2009 at 10:30 PM

I like this. I can't figure out what I like the most but I like it. A bear is always a winner but I love the effect of the fog, the tracks or the fadeing in and then out. really nice

Registered on September 11, 2007, 95 Posts, 369 Comments

Comment posted by Lynn Markarian on September 15, 2009 at 9:18 PM

Great shot Bill. I like the way the tracks go straight to the focal point, the bear and the fog afterwards. Great story, too, it makes this shot that much more interesting!

Registered on August 17, 2009, 35 Posts, 168 Comments