Katmai Brown Bears II - 16 New Photos

kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
edited August 28, 2007 in Wildlife
G'day Dgrinners

Here is part II of my Katmai Bear pixs. These were from a recent trip to Katmai National park. This by far seems to be my most productive photo shoot in the three years I have been shooting! Going back next year for sure.

Many more new bear photos here

http://wild-earth-illuminations.smugmug.com/gallery/3244435/1/179501636#186895959

Comments welcome

Thanks Shane

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Thanks for taking the time to look.

Enjoy, Shane

Comments

  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited August 22, 2007
    these are fantastic Shane!!
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Great shots! I'd be very scared to go near a mother bear and her cubs, but I'm guessing you had some big lenses with you. :D

    Love the moody grey skies and the wildflowers. Checking out your entire gallery now...
    SmugMug Editor / News Flash!
    Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Terrific series of bear shots Shane. Must have been an exciting trip. Not nearly as exciting as the ospreys...but pretty close. rolleyes1.gif Nice exposures and color. Sharp detail. Nice job. 2,5 & 9 could use a bit more room. Your framing is a bit close on the back end of 2 & 9 and would like a tad more room on top with 5. Can't wait to see next years shots.

    I've got an idea. Bring an extra suitcase and bring a couple of those little ones down to Florida when you come. We can put them on that island across from the osprey nest. We could then do double duty shooting. eek7.gif:D
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    OMG, those are beautiful!!! Im going on a cruise to Alaska. From what Port can you get an excursion to Katmai! Show #26 from your gallery - its so cute!!!!!!


    troy
  • FroggyFroggy Registered Users Posts: 610 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Shane these are really nice, I went to Brooks in July, Katmai is an amazing place, where did you capture these in Katmai, I would like to try this place next year for a different feel and look than Brooks.

    I love the GBH in your North American bird gallery you know which one:D , that is one of the nicest GBH photos I have ever seen, congrats

    Steve
    Looking for the weekend, see my images at the location below, please leave a comment if you like what you see, I would love to hear from you.:):

    http://froggy.smugmug.com/
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Hey Schmoo

    Believe it or not I was only 25' from the mom and cubs. We were with her for 8 hours that day. She had no problems with us, in fact we never approached her closer than 100'. Once we positioned our selves she would repeatedly approach us, and at one point came within 15'.

    It is amazing how much trust wildlife can have for our presence if they have never been threatened by us, which these bears haven't.

    Thanks for looking, shane
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Hey Windose

    As far as I know the only place you can access this part of Katmai is from Kodiak Island. There are several airlines that offer day trips to the coast of Katmai.

    But if you want to do it right you need to find a company and guide that will stay out at Katmai, you live on a boat for 10 days and have unlimited access to the bears. The down side of the day trip tours is you end up flying in the best light, and you only have a few hours with the bears.

    If you want more info contact me directly. I will be offering a photo tour next year {Sept approx} to the same place.

    Thanks shane
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Hey Mike

    Thanks for the feed back. I agree with your comments re: tight framing, but I'll take a few tight ones for now until I can return next year for round II.

    By the time I return to florida next year that little cub could cost me some oversized baggage fees, and you may want to get a bigger boat!

    Thanks for your input.

    Shane
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    clap.gif Great series !
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

    My Gallery
  • BBiggsBBiggs Registered Users Posts: 688 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Terrific! I loved every shot! thumb.gifclap.gif
    Brenton
    http://www.alluringnatureimages.com/
  • ShasocShasoc Registered Users Posts: 691 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Excellent shots. Beautiful setting, amazing color and detail. clap.gifthumb.gif
    Socrate
    "Natura artis magistra"
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    Dgrinners

    Thanks for all the positive comments, glad you like them.

    shane
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,959 moderator
    edited August 23, 2007
    I like the shots where you've used foreground or background to help iso
    the bear.

    Very cool!
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2007
    All are fine shots with lots of action, but #7 blows me away. It belongs in freakin' magazine. Wow! The dark sky, the landscape and the lone bear work very well together in that shot! thumb.gifbow
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2007
    Outstanding shots, very impressive set. clap.gif
    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!"
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2007
    Hey Maestro

    Interesting that you like that particular photo, it seems to be a style of wildlife photography that I am gravitating towards. Capturing the dynamic & dramatic environments that these wild creatures live, afterall we can't save the critters without saving the land in which they live in.

    Thanks for the praise of my work, much appreciated.

    Shane
  • ehughesehughes Registered Users Posts: 1,675 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2007
    Great shots, I really have to get there one of these days... thumb.gif
    Ed

    www.edhughesphoto.com
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2007
    Hey Ed

    I definately think the Katmai coast offers the most diverse place on the planet to photograph brown bears. It offers such a variety of environments and setting in which to capture unigue images of the bears.

    Thanks for looking, Shane
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited August 25, 2007
    kriyababaji wrote:
    Hey Maestro

    Interesting that you like that particular photo, it seems to be a style of wildlife photography that I am gravitating towards. Capturing the dynamic & dramatic environments that these wild creatures live, afterall we can't save the critters without saving the land in which they live in.

    Thanks for the praise of my work, much appreciated.

    Shane

    Amen. You can't save the animal without saving the land. thumb.gif We humans need to start respecting Nature much more.
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • PhotoHoundPhotoHound Registered Users Posts: 113 Major grins
    edited August 26, 2007
    Great stuff - I really like #2 and 7. I know what you mean, I will have to go back there again too someday. Well done thumb.gif
    Scott Mikkelsen
    www.photohound.smugmug.com
  • GraphyFotozGraphyFotoz Registered Users Posts: 2,267 Major grins
    edited August 26, 2007
    VERY Impressive set!!! bowdown.gifbowdown.gif

    My kinda Guy....do whatever it takes to get the shot!
    Man that Momma Bear coulda worked you over in the blink of an eye!
    Gotta know what your doing around Cubs or your Bear bait.
    Canon 60D | Nikon Cooloix P7700
    Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW

    http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
  • jthomasjthomas Registered Users Posts: 454 Major grins
    edited August 26, 2007
    These are wonderful, but it looks to me that you were maybe pushing the envelope a bit on proximity with some of those. What was you focal length (and distance)?
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 27, 2007
    jthomas wrote:
    These are wonderful, but it looks to me that you were maybe pushing the envelope a bit on proximity with some of those. What was you focal length (and distance)?

    G'day

    I could definately understand why you would think I may have been pushing my boundaries, but two things, of which the photos can only show one need to be considered.

    What you can't see in the image is, we spent almost 10 hours over one stretch with the mom & cubs that allowed her to relax and assume natural behavior.

    Second....notice how her back is to us in the shot of her nursing her cubs. Female Brown bears are not stupid (any animal for that matter), nor are they into taking unecessary risks with their cubs. That particular situation I capture is truly remarkable (unfortunately the photo is not quite as remarkable), she was bathing with her cubs in the river, and then the amazing happened.....she chose to come straight up to us lie down 15' away with her back to us and nurse her cubs for 15 minutes straight!!!! Unbelievable trust on her part.

    We never approached any of these bears closer than 80', we would then just wait for them to come to us. You need to understand bear biology and have enormous respect, understanding and patience for their personal space....and then the shots will present themselves! That is why day trippers rarely get the unigue shots, you need to spend hours and hours with the bears to get the great shots.


    Thanks for your interest.

    Shane
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2007
    GraphyFotoz wrote:
    VERY Impressive set!!! bowdown.gifbowdown.gif

    My kinda Guy....do whatever it takes to get the shot!
    Man that Momma Bear coulda worked you over in the blink of an eye!
    Gotta know what your doing around Cubs or your Bear bait.


    Definately bears require a whole lot of patience. As quickly as she could have disposed of me is not nearly as staggering as what humanity has done to them. Lets all continue to glorify these great creatures how ever each of us can.

    Thanks for the praise, shane
  • kriyababajikriyababaji Registered Users Posts: 295 Major grins
    edited August 28, 2007
    PhotoHound wrote:
    Great stuff - I really like #2 and 7. I know what you mean, I will have to go back there again too someday. Well done thumb.gif

    Thanks for the compliments Scott, great work yourself.

    Shane
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