An Eye Out...

An Eye Out...

Anyone who has spent a lot of time watching bears, and specifically watching them sleep, will know that they're quite different from us. When it comes to sleeping, they don't seem to ever afford themselves the luxury we strive for - that is, zonking right out and forgetting about the world. Even in their soundest sleep their ears are always pivoting around, always listening for sounds. I guess when you could be attacked at any time (be it from a larger bear, a wolf, or a human with a gun) it pays to stay alert. Kind of makes the worries that fill our heads on sleepless nights seem pretty trivial...

We watched this bear "sack out" on a grass-covered island in the middle of the estuary at the top end of the Khutzeymateen Inlet. The grass was deep enough to obscure the bear from sight, especially when you were at ground level (like I obviously was when I shot this). But, despite dozing off, every few minutes the bear would raise its head, scan around to ensure the coast was clear, and then lower its head again. Always, always keeping an eye out. I have no doubt that once its head was down those ears were pivoting away!

Whenever I get back from a photo tour I email out a few images that I processed during the trip to a few friends (before I roll up my sleeves and really dig into the images). This one has seemed especially popular amongst my friends and and CBC Radio in British Columbia has even chose to feature it on their website (right here - or at least it was on June 10, 2012 when I posted this!).

When I shot this image I really liked what I saw through the viewfinder and knew how the 400mm f2.8 lens I was using would render the shot (just like this!). But what I really like about this shot is that it nicely encapsulates my "philosophy" and/or approach to wildlife photography. Those who were on the instructional photo tour with me when I shot this image will be able to particularly relate to this! The image is simple (with the subject isolated), follows some pretty basic compositional principles (how do you say "rule of thirds x 2!") and employs some strong visual contrast. Anyone who is interested can go to my website (link below) for a more long-winded discussion on how this image conforms to my wildlife photography philosophy (the info is under the "In the Field" tab below the image on my website).

Subject: Resting grizzly (Urus arctos) keeping an eye out...
Location: Khutzeymateen Inlet, Great Bear Rainforest, BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D4
Lens: Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VRII lens - hand-held from floating zodiac. VR on and in "Normal" mode.
Exposure: 1/400s @ f3.2; ISO 800. -0.33 stop compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.
Crop: This is about 95% of full-frame shot

Additional details about the image (including processing details) available here

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/latest/detail_2.html.

Comments and critiques welcomed - probably best to view the larger version prior to doing so!

Cheers...thanks for looking...

Brad