Just Wade Right In!

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 13, 2011478 views21 comments

Hello,

Guess what fellow Wildlife Photographers? We've got ourselves a brand new discussion forum available exclusively for our use! Got a wildlife photography story you want to share? A concern related to wildlife photography to raise? Have a technical question or need help with an animal ID? Well...

JUST WADE RIGHT IN!

The discussion forum is right here: Wildlife Photography Forum

One other minor announcement: We no longer have a Fauna Gallery (hey...I had to trade something away to get that forum!). Kidding - the reason we don't have a Fauna Gallery is that it's been renamed as the Wildlife Photography Gallery...

About the teaser shot: Caught this male griz just as it was going for an evening dip. Had some sweet light happening (sun had JUST gone behind a mountain but clouds overhead were GLOWING a beautiful golden colour - thus the reflections in the water and the warm tones) and a very helpful bear - what more could you ask for? Colour DESATURATION in both raw processing and then in Photoshop (one of those rare situations where the original scene was TOO rich in colour to appear natural!).

Subject: Male Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) wading in...
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. VR on and in "Normal" mode.
Exposure: 1/250s at f4. ISO 1000; no compensation from matrix metered exposure.
Crop: This is about 95% of full frame

Any comments - on the new forum OR the image - welcomed.

Cheers...

Brad

PS: I posted a "similar" to this image (taken seconds before this shot) about a year ago - thought this one was a good shot to introduce for the wildlife photography forum and got to experiment with/test a new raw conversion app at the same time (killing two birds with one stone!).

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on January 13, 2011 at 5:07 PM

Super shot, Brad. Gorgeous light and color. The expression on the bear's face is priceless. Interesting action/behavior and a nice reflection. Love it.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by kiran khanzode on January 13, 2011 at 6:26 PM

Stunning perspective, Brad ! Love the comp, complimenting colors, clarity. Great stuff for hand holding at 1/250, the larger version is excellent !

Registered on February 21, 2009, 83 Posts, 428 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 13, 2011 at 6:52 PM

Stunning perspective Brad. I can't help but think he looks a lot like a gigantic muskrat. Nice use of narrow dof focused on the face, that's why we pay the big bucks for those f4 and f2.8 teles.

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

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on January 13, 2011 at 7:19 PM

Brad:
Stunning low angle capture. Were you rolling on the ground on the other side of the water or were you in the water? Love the reflection and ripple in the water.

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on January 13, 2011 at 7:46 PM

Hi Gary,

I was in an inflatable Zodiac boat. To get this low I was hanging right out over the edge of the boat with my hips resting on the pontoon and my back arched to get level (think "planked"). Not the easiest feat when holding out a 600mm lens (good old Pilates helped me manage this) but fortunately I had someone holding my legs down to keep me from tipping into the water! But...it paid off...got several shots that have sold well...

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Butch Lama on January 13, 2011 at 8:23 PM

The BG & FG calm water with reflection is awesome. The low angle POV with that bear's expression is priceless.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 13, 2011 at 9:00 PM

Awesome perspective Brad! Love the anlge and glad you shot this wide open. The relfection is icing on the cake

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

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on January 13, 2011 at 11:27 PM

I love the perspective Brad, as if you were swimming

. Great use of selective focus and that golden ripple puts it over the top. I only find it a pity that the reflection is just clipped at the bottom. If it is also not there in the FF version I would be inclined to crop a bit more off the bottom. Then it would not bother me at all.

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

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on January 14, 2011 at 6:47 AM

My first reaction when seeing the thumbnail was: "I've seen this one before!' Lucky for you, it's slightly different

Lovely image once again, the timing is just right with the bear slightly above the water and the colours are smashing! Looks like your acrobatics paid off

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laredo on January 14, 2011 at 12:41 PM

Excellent image Brad.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 71 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by Edwin kats on January 14, 2011 at 2:29 PM

Breathtaking as always

Must visit that place someday. Looks like paradise.

Edwin Kats

Registered on April 24, 2006, 177 Posts, 399 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on January 14, 2011 at 3:55 PM

Wonderful!

D&L

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

Comment posted by Richard Teller on January 14, 2011 at 5:38 PM

Very interesting perspective. The light and comp. are great.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on January 14, 2011 at 5:42 PM

This is one of my favs Brad. Love the low angle and great variety of tones in this one. To me it has such an engaging feel to it, a real winner. The Khutzeymateen seems to be a real special place. Long live the grizzly.

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

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on January 15, 2011 at 7:36 AM

Awesome image with that POV!

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on January 16, 2011 at 8:46 AM

Another great shot, Brad! The water looks so placid, and the bear sooooo relaxed.

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

Comment posted by Oscar Benavides on January 16, 2011 at 3:29 PM

Stunning photo, Brad. I like the low perspective you took and the waves on the water.

Registered on January 2, 2011, 12 Posts, 141 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on January 16, 2011 at 8:10 PM

A unique image, Brad. The pov really sends it over the top. I'd like to see it in its natural, un-desaturated state.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on January 17, 2011 at 7:01 AM

Great POV and terrific image !
I do remember the earlier post but this shows more of Bear.
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on February 5, 2011 at 7:06 AM

Great shot - sorry I missed this. I can still remember the other version, which is a compliment. I think I like this one even better.

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

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on February 27, 2011 at 11:18 AM

Awesome image! I love all the detail in his face! I also really like the reflection in the water, the colours, and the catchlight in his eyes.

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