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Scavenging for Mussels
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Scavenging for Mussels

by Jerry Austin

Gallery: WildlifePosted November 1, 20171,854 views13 comments
I captured this black bear scavenging for mussels at low tide. We were on a boat coming back from a day of shooting on Gribbell Island in the Great Bear Rainforest. Processed with Lightroom, Photoshop and Lightzone. Comments and critiques welcome.

Canon 1DX Mark II
Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS
f3.5
1/200s
Focal Length 200mm
ISO 640

Comments

13 comments
Comment posted by Ed Williams on November 1, 2017 at 2:03 PM
Wow, looks like a slippery slope its on Jerry. Nice techs here. I completely understand that you wanted to provide the setting here of the forest and the waterline, but the bear feels a bit lost in the frame.  I wonder if it would work to crop this vertically?  This has been a great series Jerry. It looks like you got your money's worth out of this trip.
Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments
Comment posted by Max Waugh on November 1, 2017 at 4:29 PM
Wow, what a wonderful pattern on those rocks.

Techs look good, and though I don't feel the bear is lost in the frame, I do think a slightly crop might help to remove some distractions and offer a better placement of the subject without sacrificing much of the cool patterns.  I think you could consider cropping out the green foliage from the top, and maybe a bit off the right (just inside that white branch hanging down), and you'd still have plenty of frame left for a fine image.  You could even crop the water out, but keeping it does help tell the story a bit and offers a better understanding of the setting.

Max
Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on November 1, 2017 at 9:54 PM
Jerry this is wonderful...and I think it can be even stronger if you crop the top to eliminate all greenery.  Then it truly becomes an "art" piece, with a bear situated against an intriguing and beautiful abstract background!  Take a look at it that way and see what you think!
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Sandor on November 2, 2017 at 9:12 AM
Jerry: while viewing large, I cropped the greenery and the water and some of the right hand side as well and felt that the image became very powerful. Now the bear stands out against the beautiful abstract background. This photo deserves a prominent spot on your wall. Congrats! Richard
Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Austin on November 2, 2017 at 9:55 AM
Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Austin on November 2, 2017 at 9:56 AM
Thanks for all the comments. I tried the crop as suggested. See what you think.
Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Gavin on November 2, 2017 at 6:25 PM
I think both are wonderful. The original because it shows the beautiful scenery where the bear calls home, and the repost because it appears to me to be a "modernistic" painting with the photograph of a bear added. I also see what appears to me to be a huge bear paw print just to the left of the bear (its right).
Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments
Comment posted by Ingrid Vekemans on November 3, 2017 at 7:50 AM
Gorgeous setting and as cropped it is very artistically abstract. Nice!
devil

Grt, Ingrid.
Registered on August 2, 2010, 138 Posts, 780 Comments
Comment posted by Max Waugh on November 3, 2017 at 8:25 PM
Jerry, I really like the edit, and I do think it helps the bear stand out more too.

Max
Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Archer on November 5, 2017 at 3:59 AM
A beautiful photograph of this handsome bear in a seemingly unusual setting. I like the cropped version better also.

Very Nice Work Jerry laugh
Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments
Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on November 5, 2017 at 1:17 PM
Great capture n terrific setting !
Repost is absolutely stunning !!!

Jagdeep Rajputdevil
Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 5, 2017 at 7:38 PM
Jerry, the the bear shows nicely in the larger view.  I like the tongue lick.  My favorite parts of this image are the reflections, they're great.  That leads me to suggest a crop that removes the hanging down sticks and branches at the top.  The result should be a nicely abstract look at this bear, which I see you've done in the repost.  The repost looks great.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Watkins on November 7, 2017 at 5:58 AM
Jerry,
This has to contain one of the most remarkable backgrounds I have ever seendevil
Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments