Lesson Learned

Gallery: WildlifePosted June 20, 2011172 views4 comments

A female grizzly bear with cubs is an exceptional mother. She protects them from virtually anything and teaches them all they need to know to survive as adults. I was privileged to be able to share time with this female as she taught her cub how to select some delicious sedge grass.

Photographed in BC's khutzeymateen valley. Thanks for viewing and comments always welcome.

ISO 250 1/400, f/6.3 @100mm

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on June 20, 2011 at 8:02 PM

A really exceptional portrait of mother and young. I like the way they are both engaged in the act of eating the sedges, combined with the mothers attentive gaze her nurturing is well documented. Looks like you had some very good light to work with, hey I thought it rained there all the time?

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

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on June 21, 2011 at 9:17 AM

A beautiful moment you've captured here Darren :^)

Much as I like this, I think if it were mine I'd try and decrease the brightness in the surrounding grass, as I find it's competing a little too much with the primary subject for my attention.

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

Comment posted by Darren Colello on June 21, 2011 at 11:41 AM

Thanks for your helpful comments thus far. I too agree it was much brighter than I expected. William for this image I was using the Canon 7D and 100-400 mm lens at 100mm. She was so wonderful and surprisingly tolerant and relaxed around us, thankfully.

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on June 22, 2011 at 7:48 AM

Hi Darren,

So - did you try the sedges yourself? I did and didn't find them too delicious, but possibly they are to a bear?

Great job getting both bear's heads in the frame (and in focus) at the same time. It's always tough to work with multiple subjects. This image really shows well the "monkey see, monkey do" nature of the observational learning a cub goes through. While I know the grasses in there CAN be almost fluorescent in there when the sun comes out, I think I'd agree with the others on toning them down a bit. I hope you didn't have TOO much sun to work with during your time in there - can be quite challenging shooting in there without at least a thin cloud cover.

Cheers...looking forward to seeing more...

Brad

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