Taking the Plunge...

Gallery: WildlifePosted November 25, 2009639 views26 comments

I just picked up a new computer yesterday and decided to put it through the paces by processing a few shots in my way-too-big backlog. No big take-home lessons on this one, tho' it would be a natural one to use to continue our eye contact discussion of last week (

)! At the time of the image (this past June) I remember thinking how cool it was that the grizzly decided to "Take the Plunge" and swim right by our boat, even tho' it had hundreds of meters of shoreline to choose from. Shot just after the sun had dropped behind a mountain, but clouds above were golden coloured (thus the reflections in the water).

Subject: Male Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) about to take the plunge
Location: Khutzeymateen Inlet, Northern BC Coast (Great Bear Rainforest), Canada
Camera: Nikon D3
Lens: Nikon 600 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR lens hand-held.
Exposure: 1/250s at f4. ISO 1000; no compensation from matrix metered exposure.
Crop: None - this is full frame

Any comments welcomed - but probably best to view larger version first...

Cheers...

Brad

PS: By the way, this is a shot of a wild, non-baited bear which is roaming freely and not feeding in a salmon-infested stream with any other bears, let alone 28 of them! (sorry Marsel, I couldn't resist -

)

Comments

26 comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on November 25, 2009 at 9:51 PM

Superbly composed, as usual, but what I like most is the subtle implied action of a very dry bear, partly submerged, with the bit of water swell in front of him demonstrating that in this exact instant he is sliding into the water! Thumbs up!

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on November 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM

Just when I think you can't improve on your work, just when I think it cannot actually get better than the images I've already seen, you throw up something like this. Fantastic rippled reflection, super low angle, colors, detail and composition. The golden tinge on the water makes it just that much better.

As for it being a non-baited bear, I'm going to call you a liar on that one. Pretty sure YOU constitute bait

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

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on November 25, 2009 at 10:29 PM

Wow, this is stunning Brad. I love the low perspective, the beautiful colors in the background and the position of the bear. Just fabulous!

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on November 25, 2009 at 10:36 PM

Very interesting view Brad. Image quality is very high, I would have guessed iso 200. Did you do any noise reduction, etc.? I like the 1/3 foreground , 2/3 background comp.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on November 25, 2009 at 11:02 PM

Hi Gary,

Just the "automatic" (and extremely light) noise reduction built into my raw converter (Phase One's Capture One Pro - version 5). Final tone mapping and tone tweaking performed using Light Craft's LightZone (which I use in about 1/2 of my images).

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Guy Runco on November 26, 2009 at 1:13 AM

Wow Brad, another great shot - the angle, color and sharpness are all spot on, no nits whatsoever!

Registered on September 9, 2008, 77 Posts, 705 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on November 26, 2009 at 8:14 AM

HI Julian,

Thanks for the kind words - appreciated. I have a version taken from a few feet (or possibly meters) back where the entire reflection in included. Because of the limitations associated with online display, I decided to go with the slightly closer shot where better detail is clearly visible (on almost all monitors) in the facial region. There's always trade-offs!

Thanks again...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on November 26, 2009 at 9:39 AM

Looks as if Bear is posing like a mouse.

A great capture, very well presented.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on November 26, 2009 at 11:30 AM

Love the low angle of view...great shot.

Registered on November 20, 2009, 89 Posts, 808 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on November 26, 2009 at 12:16 PM

Wow. I always love your images but there is something about this one that I like even more. I think its because you have captured this very large animal going into the still water and there is only the smallest of wake disturbing the water. Your timing is excellent and I am also impressed by the bear who can do that. Beyond that the colors are wonderful and I like that the bear isn't even acknowledging your presence.

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

Comment posted by Dan Walters on November 26, 2009 at 12:24 PM

I like the low angle and the way the bears head is just above the water.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Don Wagner on November 26, 2009 at 2:09 PM

The shape of the bear and the way its entering the water reminds me of a very large beaver!?
This is a perfect image, I love the low angle!!

Registered on November 19, 2009, 12 Posts, 21 Comments

Comment posted by JACK NEAL on November 26, 2009 at 3:10 PM

Love your pictures! Very elegant picture for such a big and dangerous animal! Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 26, 2009, 131 Posts, 554 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on November 26, 2009 at 4:14 PM

Great moment and perfect shot.
Congratulations

daniel

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Brandon Sideleau on November 26, 2009 at 4:21 PM

Beautiful shot and bear....fantastic composition. I have yet to get into the more temperate/polar regions to photograph, I might have to make the trip soon. Great story to go along with the image.

Registered on October 6, 2006, 79 Posts, 173 Comments

Comment posted by Carl Donohue on November 26, 2009 at 4:56 PM

Hey Brad

The composition and sweeping curves here make this such a tranquil shot - very nice. The placement of the bear in the frame works perfectly.

Seems to be a red or magenta cast on the bear.

Cheers

Carl

Registered on November 1, 2003, 46 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on November 26, 2009 at 8:27 PM

W!!! Amazing and simply beautiful and hand holding a 600mm!!!
Great photo Brad!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Nilanjan Das on November 26, 2009 at 10:31 PM

I didnt have to look the name below the image to know that it was yours Brad :). Another amazing shot. I was trying to imagine that being there at that moment must have meant more than anything else in the world.

Registered on June 5, 2008, 94 Posts, 383 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on November 26, 2009 at 11:33 PM

Simply beautiful! That golden refelection is certainly the icing on the cake. Sorry, I have nothing else to add or critique Brad.

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

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on November 27, 2009 at 1:06 PM

Excellent shot Brad, no nits from me either. That's probably the biggest beaver I've ever seen.

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on November 27, 2009 at 4:50 PM

Absolutely wonderful image

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Cliff Fincher on November 27, 2009 at 5:06 PM

Congratulations on an outstanding shot!

Registered on June 21, 2009, 6 Posts, 35 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on November 27, 2009 at 11:33 PM

Hey Brad.
What a treat to find after a couple of days away from viewing fauna. Outstanding! The near pastel colors are striking. Nothing else to add from everyone above.
Thanks, I'll dream of bears tonight!
Nicely done.
Neil

Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on November 28, 2009 at 2:05 PM

Brad,

The low angle you achieved was great, I love this as posted and can not think of a thing to improve the image.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on December 3, 2009 at 12:52 AM

Sorry for the late comment, Brad. What a fantastic low angle on this. I can almost feel the water!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Hayden on December 7, 2009 at 9:54 PM

Brad,
I like everything about this shot: the light on the bear's fur, the catch light in his eyes, the way you isolated the subject, the golden wave of water, the perspective. To hand hold that monster lens in a boat and get such a sharp image, even with VR, is impressive.

Registered on November 21, 2009, 41 Posts, 201 Comments