On the Edge...

On the Edge...

I mentioned in my last image post that I went into the Khutzeymateen Inlet in spring 2011 looking for some "different" types of images of grizzlies. While I tried to keep my mind open with respect to opportunities presented to me, I definitely was looking for images that conformed to this checklist: vertical format; a lot of negative space; good for a cover shot on a number of different publications OR able to stand alone; simple; and, last but not least, moody. With most of the images that I captured that fit that checklist I positioned the subject near the bottom of the frame (with the negative space ABOVE the subject) - like on this shot. But when we were out in our Zodiac and encountered this bear on the edge of an inlet, I saw the potential of leaving a lot of space BELOW the subject, especially when I noticed how the reflection of the bear was extended far into the foreground, producing an interesting graphic element in itself (and some not-so-bad leading lines).

When I was capturing this image the potential "busyness" of the background - and its potential to become distracting - was NOT lost on me. Yet I wanted to include enough detail "back there" to provide contextual information about the setting and habitat. So, I chose an aperture the nicely isolated the subject from the foreground AND background yet not one so wide that the background was dramatically blurred (which I think would have looked awful). Basically, I just wanted the background "softened up" a little. So I shot a number of images in the f4 to f5.6 range to ensure I had one that had just the right amount of depth-of-field AND the right amount of foreground/background blur to produce the type of image I envisioned. This one (shot at f4.5) is the one that I liked the most...

Subject: Female Grizzly (Urus arctos working the shoreline
Location: Khutzeymateen Inlet - Great Bear Rainforest, BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D3s
Lens: Nikkor 400 mm f/2.8 VRII lens - handheld from floating Zodiac
Exposure: 1/250s at f4.5. ISO 800. No compensation from matrix metered exposure.
Crop: Minor - this is about 85% of full-frame image

All the gory details about this shot (processing details, conservation, etc.)

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/latest/detail_2.html.

Comments and critiques welcomed - probably best to view the larger version prior to doing so!

Cheers...thanks for looking...

Brad