The 'Ice Bear'

Gallery: WildlifePosted September 2, 2011163 views9 comments

We have had some excellent bear images to date here, but thought I would post a different version, as there hasn't really been any of these posted for a long time.

As a good friend of mine has just come back from the same trip he did last time, and one still out there, I thought it was time to post this one. Shot lying flat on the deck of the ship, lens resting on my jacket to absorb the ships engine vibrations. Would like to have had more room to the LHS, but hey that's life and a fixed lens.

Steve

Subject: Polar bear on pack ice yawning (Ursus maritimus)
Location: Svalbard
Camera: Canon MKIII
Lens: 500f/4
Exposure: 1/640s at f4 ISO400 0 stop compensation
Crop: Almost FF, slight crop (original capture vertical)

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Roman Kurywczak on September 2, 2011 at 9:21 AM

Hey Steve,
Wandered over here too! I am OK with the space but wouldn't mind a bit more.......this is just fantastic!

Registered on November 20, 2009, 56 Posts, 748 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on September 2, 2011 at 12:34 PM

HI Steve, what pulled my eye immediately is teh placement and detail of the feet; perfect! But the downside of course is that that's where my attention went and not to the head first. The head also has a strong pose and there is good shadow detail there, yet perhaps if it would have looked to the opposite direction (its head in the light) it would have attracted more attention than the feet (although I doubt it). Would have been nice as an abstract showing only the legs and feet.

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

Comment posted by Darren Colello on September 2, 2011 at 12:42 PM

Powerful image Steve. My heart is racing with excitement and I wish I were there. WOW

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on September 2, 2011 at 12:44 PM

Cheers Roman.

Hi Vincent, I was more geared for the head to be facing right until the bear turned and yawned, so I had to quickly re compose. Certainly a detail of those feet would have been sweet, but at what cost to life?

The 800 lens would have been ideal, but to get the POV might have been tricky. Perhaps next time.

Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on September 3, 2011 at 12:58 AM

Steve....FABULOUS! That is all I have to say

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on September 3, 2011 at 1:14 AM

That's really cool! Awesome detail in his fur, it looks like you had some great light to work with. I really like how it looks like he's roaring.

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on September 3, 2011 at 10:04 AM

Hi Steve,

I really like how you handled the light here - love the subtle tones in the legs and back of the bear (because you shot this with 0 exposure compensation I'm assuming most of the "right" decisions came during post-processing). Exposure balance is really good - love the transition of "rim" lighting on top of the head thru to the facial region. Top notch processing.

Compositionally I like how this image is set up too. I suppose one could argue for a sliver to be cropped off the top, but that would be splitting hairs. About the only "nit" I have about the image is the actual behaviour of the bear - even tho' I'm "guilty" of photographing every bear yawn I see myself, the reality is that I simply don't find the behaviour that visually appealing (mouth agape, eyes almost always closed, etc.). So...pretty much the best image I've ever seen of a yawning polar bear (you did a great job), but still a yawn!

Cheers...thanks for sharing this very-well executed image...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on September 3, 2011 at 7:48 PM

The fur looks soft enough to reach out and touch. Love the yawn since unlike Brad I have never seen a wild polar bear yawning. I always like it when the animal does something rather than just stand there. I agree with Vincent, my eye went to the beautiful details in those feet first but did find their way to the face with only a short delay. Love the light.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on September 4, 2011 at 4:43 PM

Excellent work, Stephen.

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