Arctic Arches...

Another one from "way back" in 2004.

Back-lit male Polar Bear stalking a dumb photographer (that would be ME) at sunrise. It was fascinating watching the bear travel in 180¢ª arc before having the sun at its back and approaching. I spent a week with the bears in 2004 and this was the only day we had any sun at all - and it just happened to correspond with have the most cooperative bear! Very lucky!!

Subject: Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) approaching with sun at its back
Location: Cape Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Camera: Nikon D2H
Lens: Nikon 200-400 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR lens @ 400 mm (600 mm equivalent with digital conversion factor) supported on bean bag.
Exposure: 1/250s @ f6.3; ISO 200; +0.3 stop exposure compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.
Crop: This is about 95% of full frame

All the contextual information surrounding this shot (field notes, all camera settings and processing details, conservation, etc.) can be found at:

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/mammals/bears/detail_21.html.

Comments and feedback greatly appreciated...probably better to view larger version prior to doing so...

Cheers...

Brad