Fun with Grizzlies Continued

[Brownbear]

Manual F6.3, SS 320 iso 160 180 Exp. comp -. 67 Matrix metering

Photographed through an opening through two chain link fences while standing on a fence post. I like this one for the moment captured. I think the background is almost blurry enough, or at least an improvement from my usual?




I have lots of shots with the reflection of the chain link fence reflected on the bear...Is there a way to avoid this?

Thank you.

[Digital]

This is a nice photo. Interesting body posture by the bear.

Bruce

[Brownbear]

Thank you Bruce. Yes, I think the bear looks cute!

[Jeff S]

He looks to me like he is pondering a particularly difficult intellectual issue. Didn't the actor, John Houseman, have a look like this?

[Bobobird]

He is most certainly thinking of how to get rid of the noisy clicking.

[Brownbear]

Jeff and Bobo.... Kidding aside I was hoping for a critique. Is my focus sharp enough and does the background work?

Thank you.

[kdoc856]

Hi, Christina

The composition is good and your focus spot-on, although a touch over-exposed with some hot spots and a bleaching of the bear's coat. Fur is a huge light reflector, and I try to use an exposure of EV-1 to start.

I popped this in PS for about 5 min., did a curves layer separately for the background and the bear itself. Then the bear got a beauty treatment of contrast, saturation, LCE and sharpening. The background just a reduction of exposure, a small of blur and localized dodging to knock down the hot spots. (I'll take it down if you prefer) It still needs some tweeking, color correction, and CA correction but that's the general direction I would suggest.

Shooting through fences is just a bite, and I don't have any tricks. They are impossible to completely hide in my experience. You did well to disguise it as much as you have.

[Brownbear]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for your critique and the edit. I am very appreciative and just fine with people editing my photos, as this is a learning forum and it is very helpful for me to see a visual of suggested improvements.

I am not photographing these bears through a fence, but by aiming my lens through a hole in a fence, (ie; an opening)... oftentimes the wires of the fence create a reflection of the wire on the bear. See bottom right hand corner of the photo below..





Next time around I will start at -1 Exp comp and move up from there. Thank you for that tip.

[Digital]

Several years ago I was photographing some type of feline (jaugar?) through a fence while at the zoo. This is my experience with wildlife photography.
Using a Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 lens the DOF eliminated the fence completely. I discovered this when I received the print back from the printer. This of course was during the days of using film.
Unfortunately, I lost the print, and the negative over time.
Thought this maybe helpful.


Bruce

[Brownbear]

Hi Bruce,

Thank you for sharing and helpful to know for future when I upgrade my lens.

Thank you.

Several years ago I was photographing some type of feline (jaugar?) through a fence while at the zoo. This is my experience with wildlife photography.
Using a Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 lens the DOF eliminated the fence completely. I discovered this when I received the print back from the printer. This of course was during the days of using film.
Unfortunately, I lost the print, and the negative over time.
Thought this maybe helpful.


Bruce

[Dave Humphries]

I have lots of shots with the reflection of the chain link fence reflected on the bear...Is there a way to avoid this?

I expect you have tried these Christina, but when shooting through fences, my tips are;
Shoot though the darkest. least reflective, part of the fence/mesh
If you can, shade the bit in front of the lens from direct sun or sky light
Try to position the centre of the lens to be unobstructed
Always try to ensure that the obstruction falls across the easiest part of the image to treat easily for contrast, or cloning, in PP
Always leave the face and especially eyes of subject unobstructed
Don't over expose

Hope they help, but it looks like you have most of those done anyway.

Cheers,

[Brownbear]

Hi Dave,

the ones below have given me something to think about.

1. Shoot though the darkest. least reflective, part of the fence/mesh
2. If you can, shade the bit in front of the lens from direct sun or sky light
3. Always try to ensure that the obstruction falls across the easiest part of the image to treat easily for contrast, or cloning, in PP

Thank you