The Trail Boss

IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
edited June 24, 2012 in Wildlife
My wife and I were hiking around up in Shenandoah National Park last weekend and had spent a nice few minutes on the top of Stony Man Mountain. As we turned around to leave the rocky summit this brute confronted us. We were well and truly trapped (only one practical way down that didn't involve flying) so I figured, "why not snap a few?" I had the D300 with the 28-300 mounted. He was under the trees, so I jacked the ISO up and popped the little flash for some fill. I'd estimate him at around 400 lbs. There are an estimated 500 ursus americanus americanus in the park, so it's not unusual to spot them. This however was way closer than usual! After a while, he lumbered off and we hurried down the trail. I got some uninteresting butt shots, but this was the best portrait he gave me.

i-pm2n3vF-XL.jpg
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.

Comments

  • NorthernFocusNorthernFocus Registered Users Posts: 1,347 Major grins
    edited June 18, 2012
    Nicely composed and exposed plus you lived to tell about it. Not a bad outing thumb.gif
    Dan

    My Photo Gallery:Northern Focus Photography
    I wish I was half the man that my dog thinks I am...
  • ashruggedashrugged Registered Users Posts: 345 Major grins
    edited June 18, 2012
    John
    Wow, You managed to capture nice catchlights In his eyes, I think thats pretty good for the conditions, Glad you did not have to fly.
    Robert

    http://rckimaging.smugmug.com/
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 18, 2012
    NorthernFocus wrote: »
    Nicely composed and exposed plus you lived to tell about it. Not a bad outing thumb.gif
    Thank you sir. Actually, I wasn't TOO worried. There was a scrawny guy on the summit rocks with us with a white lensed Canon. I figured I could take him easy, so he'd be lunch for Oso, not the wife and me. :D
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 18, 2012
    ashrugged wrote: »
    John
    Wow, You managed to capture nice catchlights In his eyes, I think thats pretty good for the conditions, Glad you did not have to fly.

    Yeah, me too. I'd have felt real bad calling up the kids to tell them what had happened to their mom.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Dick on ArubaDick on Aruba Registered Users Posts: 3,484 Major grins
    edited June 19, 2012
    Did you crap your pants and that's the reason he went his own way?

    I know I would....

    Great capture thumb.gif
    "Nothing sharpens sight like envy."
    Thomas Fuller.

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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2012
    Nicely captured John. At ISO 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/160 its kind of amazing. In my hands with the beast so close there would have been a lot more camera shake.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2012
    Harryb wrote: »
    Nicely captured John. At ISO 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/160 its kind of amazing. In my hands with the beast so close there would have been a lot more camera shake.

    Hi Harry. I just happened to have the VR turned on. Usually it's off, but we'd been walking in the woods (darkish) before we went out on the summit rocks and i just got lucky. I only have two VR lenses, this one (28-300) and the 70-200 f/2.8. I almost never have the VR on.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • SnowgirlSnowgirl Registered Users Posts: 2,155 Major grins
    edited June 24, 2012
    I'd have needed more than VR to prevent camera shake under those circumstances! And probably Depends, too.
    Creating visual and verbal images that resonate with you.
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  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 24, 2012
    Snowgirl wrote: »
    I'd have needed more than VR to prevent camera shake under those circumstances! And probably Depends, too.
    HA! Thanks for looking.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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