Grizzly Family

Very nice shot Roger. I love the composition of them enjoying the spring sunshine. Even though they are backlit, you might be able to lighten up some of the shadows a tad but still a very nice shot. If this is 399 with her three cubs, this would have been just before she sent them packing. We saw all four of them near Oxbow Bend the previous summer when the cubs were only a year old. They had just shed their winter coats and were real scruffy looking. Needless to say they are a lot more photogenic in this post. Thanks so much for sharing this, she was a lot of fun to watch and it's nice seeing her again. Cheers!

Tough lighting conditions and you came out with a very interesting capture! I can see why you like it. The only thing I can think of to enhance it would be to experiment with some minor crop...perhaps a sliver off the bottom and the left? Still, it is quite enjoyable as presented!

What a family picture. I agree that it looks like you had tough light to work with but you did well with it. Must have been wonderful seeing all these guys together.

Hi Roger,

What a great experience to observe - must have been fantastic. It's a shame you had to deal with such harsh light - but I would say that you did a good job handling it! I think Lon's suggested crop is worth experimenting with...

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

Yes, the lighting in this scene was quite tough. In fact, most of my bear photography involves difficult lighting. The bears eyes often are too dark, unless they happen to be in perfect light. And because these guys often are most active in low light, the usual set of challenges is multiplied. Nevertheless, it's always exciting spotting grizz.

Some really relaxed poses there, great family get-together type image. Maybe just a slight ccw rotation when you crop a sliver off the bottom as per Lon's suggestion?

One of her cubs was shot this fall by a hunter, up Ditch Creek. I have 100s of photos of one of here 3 year old cubs.

thanks for the technical comments on this image.
Interesting to connect with so many others who encountered these bears. Yes, one of the three cubs was shot and killed up Ditch Creek. The mother, 399, mated with several suitors last year, but apparently produced no cubs this year. One photographer friend told me she spotted 399 with scars as if she'd been in a recent scrap. We can only speculate, but it is possible she produced cubs, only to lose them to a boar with whom she tussled. Just a theory.

What a lovely family the light is a bit harsh, but what can you do..