Couple of Brown Bear Fishing Shots

[NorthernFocus]

Still rooting around cleaning up files. These are a couple of frames from a trip to Brooks Camp in 2013.

Nikon D800E, 200-400mm VR, tripod
f/5.6 @ 360 mm, 1/800, ISO 400
Identical crops of almost exactly 50%, still as many MP as a D1X

As always sized for optimum viewing in the light box.

1) Fishing at the bottom of the falls. Many bears like this one pretty much just sit there until a fish jumps right in front of their nose or bumps into them. I think I passed this one up the first time because there wasn't any action going on.



2) Score! I think I passed this shot up on my original cull because there is no eye visible. Hopefully having the fish and the claws in there are adequate substitutes.

[Barbara Ponder]

Wonderful pictures! I actually don't miss the eye, there is so much there you don't need to see it.

[Nicks Pics]

#1: I really like this image. The brown bear stands out so well on the colorless BG, sort of like an affect people sometimes do in post, by making all but the subject B&W, but it's natural in this one. Also, IQ is great, and the foamy water caught in motion is beautiful.

#2. I think it's okay the bear's eye is not showing, at least the fish's eye is, that sort of makes the picture about the poor fish

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks, Barbara and Nick. Here's another from the same day.

3)

[kaneohebud]

Hi Dan:
Nice shots. The one with the fish's eye is particularly captivating. Makes me want to head up north again.

[pnodrog]

I particularly like the splashing water left by the fish having been so violently snatched from the river.

[Barbara Ponder]

Thanks, Barbara and Nick. Here's another from the same day.

Love this third one! It's as if he is tapping his toes waiting for that darn fish dinner!

[Mike Buckley]

Wonderful pictures! I actually don't miss the eye, there is so much there you don't need to see it.

Agreed!

[IzzieK]

Although I like both of them, I particularly love #2 because of the water pattern left by the bear's claw catching the fish. That action was nicely done and the wriggling poor fish left water splattering all over. Nice catch really. Now I am wondering if the cans of Alaskan salmon in my pantry really came from Alaska, caught by a bear...

Dan, the title of the other two bear photographs should be "The Waiting Game"...

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[JR1]

Could you move in closer









Just kidding ..................

Nice

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks, all. Glad you enjoyed the shots. There were two rocks, one on either side of the river, where the younger/smaller bears liked to sit. The one in the first picture was across the river. I guess the little guys figure if they couldn't get a good fishing spot then no use getting in that cold water. The rock on the near side of the river was pretty consistently occupied by a blonde colored bear. Here is a shot of that one.

D4 and 200-400mm.
f/7.1 @ 400 mm, 1/800, ISO 1000

4)

[rpcrowe]

Really nice images... Reminds me of the time I was wading an Alaskan River fishing for salmon with a guide. We had a cut out bank about 10 feet tall in back of us with the river in front of us. Suddenly a large clump of earth was dislodged from the top of the bank - most probably by a bear. However, it it was a bear, it would probably have been a black bear.

The guide said, if a bear comes near us, don't throw the salmon at it. We don't want them to think that fishermen are easy pickings.

However, I made up my mind that if a bear came close, it could have my fish and I would beat a retreat while the bear was eating my donation. Somehow, I wasn't really scared...

End of story, no bear and several salmon...

[Wavelength]

Really precious images

[Ziggy]

Very nice, enjoyed viewing.

[ST1]

Great set of images Dan, well captured, resurrected

[selig1656]

Great series and good W/B balance in pics 1 & 2 , super details that are clean especially using that lenses and no abberations.

[Brownbear]

All exceptional, as always... My favourite is the first... Absolutely gorgeous! The bear stands out so beautifully against the white water. I also love the 3rd image, so beautiful - and extra special because of the look in the bear's eyes, but #1 is still my favourite because of the white water background.

[Nate]

Nicely done series of photos. I really like the one standing on the rock - those claws are no joke!

[NorthernFocus]

Glad you folks enjoyed the series.

Richard, close contact with bears is a fairly common experience for river fishing in Alaska.

... My favourite is the first... The bear stands out so beautifully against the white water... my favourite because of the white water background.

Thanks, Christina. As you point out the white water provide natural isolation in that shot. I'm always amazed when I go back through files and find shots that didn't get my attention first time through. Shooting wildlife we are always trying to isolate the subject with DOF, looking for clean BG, etc. Somehow that didn't register with me when first culled that shoot and overlooked that frame. I think at the time I just went through and pulled out the shots containing action and/or those showing the falls. It's a lesson in remaining open minded for opportunities. Both during and after the shoot.