Brown bear in a spin

Whilst sitting in Manchester airport waiting for my flight to Helsinki, I was pondering, not for the first time, the merits of traveling to far flung destinations in pursuit of 'trophy' images. There is little more that I am likely to be able to contribute to an already vast array of images of European brown bear that have already been taken. So why am I going? It's simple. Selfish gratification.

Of course I was hoping for that extra something special that might turn a good picture into a great one, but this is largely out of my control. Weather, behaviour and a good slice of luck will all play their part. But it's the experience of coming literally face to face with an adult male bear, with a head the size of a beach ball that makes a visit to Martinselkonen on the Finnish-Russian border so special. This is no ordinary wildlife experience, this is one of the very best wildlife viewing locations in Europe. This is special.

1/60th second (deliberated chosen to get the motion blur) @ f11, EOS 1dMkIII, 500mm.

Hi Mark


There's a fair bit of luck involved in getting a shot like this usually its too blury or too sharp,you were having a lucky day and that eye is just right!
Seriously though well done a cracking shot and a different shot,most people go just to take bear shots,you've had the foresight to see them in a different light and delivered the goods!
Wonder how a square crop of just the bear would look?

Cheers

Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

Thanks, Craig. I tried a tighter crop but preferred this in the end. Matter of taste of course.

Absolutely!!

Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

great shot Mark, Particularly like the eye as Craig said.

Chris.

That's great! Looks as if his falsers have worked loose. I once came face to face with a wild hippo by accident - not sure which would be more scary. I'm glad to hear you do it for selfish gratification, because some people think I'm nuts taking photos of coots and ducks!!

Very nice image,love the action you have captured here giving it that real sense of movement, the sharp eye is brillant,lovely/different work Mark, just looked up Martinselkonen and it looks great there,I want to photograph brown bears next year so I'm looking at the various different tours etc, but the real 'trip' is grizzly's in Alaska which I'm trying to get to do.Full marks though for this image thats outside of the norm

Nice snapshot Mark and VERY close
Bertl

A subject that I have dreamed of capturing for many years, and I am hoping that next year will be my dream come true.

Mark this image is very special, all that movement and you still managed to retain eye contact.
Absolutely superb........

Fran

Excellent. A really sharp eye in spite of all that motion. I also like how the teeth are partially visible too.

It might just be the motion, Mark, but the image looks a little light to me.

I'm glad you mentioned gratification - sometimes appreciating nature's beauty for yourself and being able to show others what you've witnessed is just what you need.

Chris

Gives a new meaning to eye contact! A little bit different to the usual bear shot, and all the better for it.

David

Hi Mark

Refreshing to see a different approach on this species. While my 'selfish gratification' lies elsewhere in terms of subject, I agree with the sentiment . . . in moderation.

I tend to agree with Craig about the crop but, as you say, its down to personal taste. Overall, it works well.

Cheers,
Chris

The eye(s) have it .
JohnR

Now thats nice and certainly a different approach of a much photographed species.

great image full of impact, nice one Mark

Paul