At Peace...

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 28, 2011732 views31 comments

At Peace in the Great Bear Rainforest

Sometimes the simplest looking images are the toughest to pull off! To me this shot just screams "Great Bear Rainforest" and goes a long way towards explaining why I return to the Great Bear Rainforest on an annual basis. As the largest remaining tract of temperate rainforest left on the planet (and virtually the ONLY one with all "original" members of it's historical ecosystem still present) it's just so spectacular and there's ALWAYS something new to photograph there.

I've had this shot (or one similar to it) sitting in my head for a LONG time - but it took several trips into the rainforest (over several years) before I actually got the opportunity to capture it. Between getting the soft light right, having a bear in the right spot, having the tide sitting at just the right level, and, of course, having the right gear ready to go...well...if you're persistent, eventually the planets have to align - right?

This was one of those very fortunate times when what I was forced to do (by the physical/technical constraints) perfectly matched what I WANTED to do with a shot. In this case, that basically meant shooting with the aperture on my lens wide open. I HAD to do this simply by the low levels of light - combined of course with my need to find as much shutter speed as possible - I shot this image while hand-holding a 600mm lens from a floating Zodiac and you don't want to pull that trick when shooting at a shutter speed of 1/30s! I WANTED to shoot wide open to throw virtually everything in the image out-of-focus except the subject - I wanted the foreground and background as soft as possible to make the bear stand out (or "pop") AND to give the image a dreamy feel.

Subject: Brown Bear (Urus arctos) wading in estuary at high tide just after sunset
Location: Khutzeymateen Inlet (Great Bear Rainforest), BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D3
Lens: Nikkor 600 mm f/4 VRII lens - handheld from floating Zodiac
Exposure: 1/200s at f4. ISO 1600. No compensation from matrix metered exposure.
Crop: This is about 95% of full frame horizontally - cropped to pano equally from top & bottom.

If anyone's interested, I discuss some of the issues of using a thin DOF while shooting animalscapes right here on my website:

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

(just click on the "In the Field" tab under the image to see the discussion).

Comments & critiques welcomed. Probably better to view larger version first...

Cheers...thanks for looking...

Brad

Comments

31 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 28, 2011 at 10:32 PM

Exquisite! ! You must have good Karma - what a spectacular scene presented itself to you.
Couldn't be better..
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 28, 2011 at 10:37 PM

A beautiful image Brad. Definitely has that dreamy feel you were after. Love the composition, simple and very effective. Did you apply selective sharpening to the bear, I assume yes?

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 28, 2011 at 10:38 PM

I can see this printed huge hanging over a bed at a rustic Canadian cabin. . . truly stunning (like usual). Impressive for the low shutter speed, big focal length and hand holding in a boat and I like how the horizon is high enough so it's not a 50/50 split

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 28, 2011 at 10:41 PM

Hi Gary,

Glad you like the image - I only re-discovered it a few days ago (it's from 2009). One of those images where the preview of the raw image (in Lightroom and Bridge) looked awful but the minute I put it in my raw converter it was "ahhh...I remember loving this through the viewfinder...".

Anyway...you ask:

Did you apply selective sharpening to the bear, I assume yes?

Yes, but only very light sharpening...

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Richard Teller on March 28, 2011 at 11:15 PM

I would say that you accomplished everything you wanted to do. You must have a study to shoot a 600mm at 1/200 and get a shot of the bear as incredibly sharp as he is. Well visioned and extremely well shot. This is just a great image. I to can see this in a very large print hanging on the wall.

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

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on March 28, 2011 at 11:20 PM

What a beautiful image Brad, and knowing the setting and how you managed to achieve such a wonderful result in such tight circumstances has me appreciating it all the more, extremely well done :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on March 28, 2011 at 11:45 PM

As soon as I saw this image, I knew I HAD to comment on it! This has CLASS printed all over it and one can understand why you love this so much. I just drew up your horoscope, and found that at the time you took this image, Saturn had entered Leo, and Venus was flirting with Uranus - just the perfect planetary conditions to get the image of your dreams!

Just one doubt though; why did you put the bear bang in the midline, and not in the lower right?

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

Comment posted by Ken Smith on March 29, 2011 at 12:13 AM

Congrats! Wonderful shot...the glassy water and stillness makes this zing ...why, there are no ripples from the bear... enchanting!

Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments

Comment posted by kiran khanzode on March 29, 2011 at 1:47 AM

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 29, 2011 at 7:04 AM

Simply Beautiful Brad

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Stu Porter on March 29, 2011 at 7:16 AM

What a super shot Brad ! handholding from a zodiac is equally impressive :) I like the crop and the bears intent look on something other than you - makes you wonder what he was checking out ? :) the place looks awesome too, cheers, Stu

Registered on March 10, 2011, 8 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on March 29, 2011 at 8:47 AM

Very beautiful, very peaceful n very serene ...
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Max Waugh on March 29, 2011 at 9:58 AM

The smooth water, short DoF and selective sharpening almost give this a tilt-shift feel. Cool shot, Brad.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 29, 2011 at 10:37 AM

Hi,

Just some responses...

Ajit - you asked:

...why did you put the bear bang in the midline, and not in the lower right?

Hmmm...doesn't look bang in the middle to me - I'd say upper right!

But...here's my answer to why I put it where I did: In the field - gut feel based on liking the foreground more than the background and wanted to retain the diffuse reflection of the bear that's in the water. In processing: same reason as in the field, plus I wanted the bear to appear "deeper" into the frame than it would have if I had removed foreground (by "deeper" I'm referring to what I think of as a 3D equivalent to the "rule of thirds" - I don't like to always have the subject on the front-most plane of the frame's total depth).

Max: you said:

...short DoF and selective sharpening almost give this a tilt-shift feel

A 600mm tilt-shift lens! Man, I don't even want to THINK about what that would cost! Ouch!

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 29, 2011 at 11:04 AM

Lovely peacefull mood here Brad, I especially like the pano format you've used here to amplify the looking direction fo the bear!

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on March 29, 2011 at 12:06 PM

Hi Brad, very tranquil, superb setting and you achieved your goal, a dreamy feel. The low POV ticks my box.

BTW What's your thoughts on horizons cutting through the subject? Just curious on peoples take on this.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Huff on March 29, 2011 at 1:09 PM

WOW, what a perfect image. I really like - as you say- the dreamy feel it creates. I have been looking at your web site and I really admire your work. It is just outstanding!!

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on March 29, 2011 at 1:35 PM

I love how the bear really stands out, it looks like you got exactly what you wanted to get

! There is some great detail in the fur (especially seen in the larger version). When I looked at the larger version I saw that there was a bit of a glint in his eye...that's just awesome!

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

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on March 29, 2011 at 6:40 PM

Great image, Brad. Wonderful "feel" to this photo. Just beautiful.

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 29, 2011 at 9:30 PM

Simply said, you nailed it. Your description of what you wanted put my reaction when I first studied the larger version into words.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Mclean on March 30, 2011 at 7:05 AM

I've found myself just drifting away for a couple of minutes looking at this.At peace....
Beautiful.

Phil.

Registered on March 16, 2010, 30 Posts, 153 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 30, 2011 at 9:34 AM

A few additional responses...

1. Thanks to all! This image worked pretty well for me and it's nice to see that others like it too...

2. Steve - you asked:

BTW What's your thoughts on horizons cutting through the subject?

I can't say I have a "firm" guideline - it varies with a lot of factors. Obviously I don't like to see a sharp horizon bisecting the head of a subject, but if the background is quite soft and out-of-focus I think it doesn't necessarily "kill" an image. In this image, for example, two lines (I hesitate to call them "horizons") intersect with the bear's head, but based on the feedback on this image I think it's safe to say that for most it didn't harm the image too much. I think sometimes as photographers we can get a little too fixated on "rules" or guidelines that can get in the way of appreciating (or even noticing) the gestalt of an image - sort of a "can't see the forest for the trees" thing. I think if about 99% of the images published in National Geographic got posted here first they'd get panned - yet obviously someone likes them (and someone else is making money selling them!).

Hope that answers your question...cheers...

Brad

PS: Don't get me wrong - I think there's value to discussing things like "horizons cutting subjects" and also in seriously critiquing images...but I think at the end of the day we have to remember that "dissecting" images based on arbitrary "principles" that are ultimately rooted in personal aesthetics is just an exercise...

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

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on March 30, 2011 at 11:17 AM

Just the type of image I would always try to create if I had the choice! I always love the wider view when it complements, and this does! Well done as usual Brad.

Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on March 30, 2011 at 11:27 AM

Amazing shot Brad congratulations, sometimes we get exactly what we want !

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Canuel on March 30, 2011 at 11:56 PM

Very nice shot Brad, one of my favorites of yours. Really gives off a nice feel for the environment up there (and I've never been)

Registered on September 12, 2010, 53 Posts, 660 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on April 1, 2011 at 5:34 PM

Just now getting to this one, wonderful image that really draws me in, I like the subtle line of in focus reeds after your eyes leave the bear and start to move around the image. For me, this really displays a sense of place or I guess the habitat and that looks like a good size healthy bear. Excellent in getting this shot with the 600mm, the larger image was a pleasure to view.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Zemmin on April 2, 2011 at 2:09 PM

This is a beautiful image. Can't think of anything to critique.

Registered on November 4, 2010, 8 Posts, 170 Comments

Comment posted by Andrei Malashenko on April 3, 2011 at 12:09 PM

Wow! Did the planets align for you or what. Congratulations on this magnificent photo ! The light is superb , the composition is amazing and the dreamy feel is definitely there. Really an example of something to aspire to . Best regards, Andrei

Registered on March 18, 2011, 13 Posts, 68 Comments

Comment posted by Ruben Vicente on April 10, 2011 at 9:44 AM

Love this photo. The dreamy feel you describe is present and I'm a total fan of it. Great work, persistence often pays off =)

Registered on April 9, 2011, 4 Posts, 59 Comments

Comment posted by Harshad Barve on May 10, 2011 at 7:50 AM

Insanely beautiful image

Registered on July 25, 2010, 39 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on May 28, 2011 at 11:28 AM

Brad. A lot has been said already. For me, I like the low angle you achieved from the Zodiac, the shallow DoF and the soft reflections in the water. Very nice image.

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments