Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 23

Thread: The One that got Away(almost)

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    7,604
    Real Name
    Dan

    The One that got Away(almost)

    Hey, folks. It's been a while since I've participated. Life has taken some turns lately, mostly good, and I've been crazy busy. Plus summer in Alaska is time to shoot, not sit at the computer Here's a series I thought was interesting taken during a recent outing. As always best viewed in the lightbox.

    Shot with Nikon D4 and 80-400mm G

    The Huntress

    The One that got Away(almost)

    The Chase

    The One that got Away(almost)

    The One that got Away

    The One that got Away(almost)

    And one that didn't

    The One that got Away(almost)

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    South Devon, UK
    Posts
    14,401

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Nice action scenes. Everything looks good here.

  3. #3
    dje's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Brisbane Australia
    Posts
    4,636
    Real Name
    Dave Ellis

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Good to see you posting again Dan - and it's up to the high standard we have come to expect!

    Dave

  4. #4
    Shadowman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    36,717
    Real Name
    John

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Nice series, glad to see you back.

  5. #5
    KimC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    2,103
    Real Name
    Kim

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    These are beautiful Dan! The first really shows the massive size of the bear; the size of the paw is just amazing.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Abbotsford, BC Canada
    Posts
    2,358

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Top notch as always. A wonderful series especially the one that got away

  7. #7

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC
    Posts
    19,064

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Though one of the fish got away from the bear, it's clear that the photographer was always in total control of the images. I especially like that the series culminates in the last one.
    Last edited by Mike Buckley; 27th August 2015 at 09:51 PM.

  8. #8
    IzzieK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Chesterfield, Missouri/Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    17,827
    Real Name
    Izzie

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Nice to see you posting again, Dan...I am glad you are OK now. I nearly PM-ed today but I saw your post and was enticed to come in to send this message..

    As usual, only the best coming from you...nice series ... We are off to Sitka in October...hope it is not as cold yet by that time...

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    7,604
    Real Name
    Dan

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Thanks for the welcome back comments and glad you folks enjoyed the photos. I went on the bear photo trip of a lifetime a couple of weeks ago. Will be culling/processing photos for quite a while. Shot enough to keep me busy well into the winter. I'll post more when I get a chance.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC
    Posts
    19,064

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthernFocus View Post
    I went on the bear photo trip of a lifetime a couple of weeks ago.
    Please expand on that. What are the details of the trip?

  11. #11
    Wandjina's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Adelaide, Australia
    Posts
    391
    Real Name
    Martin

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Great shots Dan. I like the first one the best. Nicely composed. There is a sense of purpose in the bear's expression which is then fulfilled in the next three action packed photos. I've tried taking photos of bears during my trips to the USA and Canada, but none of mine compare with yours.
    Well done!

  12. #12

    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    7,604
    Real Name
    Dan

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Buckley View Post
    Please expand on that. What are the details of the trip?
    The trip was based from a boat anchored on the coast of the Katmai National Park at a spot known as Geographic Harbor. The outfitter normally books eight photographers per week, usually as groups rather than individually. Clients arrive via float plane from Kodiak, an hour flight away. All meals, accomodations, and guide service for viewing the bears is provided. A landing craft/skiff is used to shuttle to the estuary where the bears are feeding on salmon. It is really a first class outfit.

    But the things that made it the trip of a lifetime were the intangibles. First, there were only three photographers rather than the typical eight. The outfitter had a cancellation and selectively offered the boat to known clients, one of whom contacted me. Due to short notice it was only me and two other professional photographers, one of whom has shot bears and led tours in Alaska every year for fifteen years. Due to our collective level of experience and my being an Alaska resident, we were allowed to go self-guided. So just the three of us basically had the run of the place for six days.

    On top of the above, we arrived perfectly timed with the start of the salmon run. The bears literally showed up in numbers the same day that we did. On our first day shooting there was barely any fish heads/carcasses on the creek bank. By the time we left it was littered with the remains of the bears' feeding frenzy. We spent six days on the Katmai coast in August, and had a total of about four hours of rain one morning, no wind at all, and temperatures barely dipped below 50F at night. That's almost freakish weather for the time of year. Downside of the lack of wind is that it was rather buggy.

    At times we had so much bear activity all around us that with just the three of us, we had to stop shooting to keep tabs on where the bears were and what they were up to. We almost sounded like a military squad calling out threats, "incoming at three o'clock" or "watch your six, sow and cubs". The person with all of the previously mentioned trips on bears said that they have never seen anything like that week for the sheer level of activity. It was awesome.

    All that said, I hope I never get that close to a bear again unless it's already been to the taxidermist. Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing

    Not sure if that's what you meant by "details", but there it is.

  13. #13

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC
    Posts
    19,064

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Wow! That sounds like an incredible experience. Thanks for explaining!

  14. #14
    gregj1763's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Launceston Tasmania
    Posts
    1,929
    Real Name
    Greg

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    What an amazing experience Dan. Great images and looking forward to more of the same

  15. #15
    ST1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    North Yorkshire
    Posts
    1,990
    Real Name
    Peter

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Great series Dan, what an experience that trip must have been. Thanks for sharing a little bit of it with us The One that got Away(almost)

  16. #16
    Rebel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Swansea, Wales
    Posts
    3,122
    Real Name
    Matt

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Stunning images Dan!

  17. #17
    Moderator Dave Humphries's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Windsor, Berks, UK
    Posts
    16,737
    Real Name
    Dave Humphries :)

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Welcome back Dan,

    Great series as ever, not that I tire of seeing and reading about the shots.

    However, I don't think this is the first FIF (Fish in Flight) we have seen here - mind you, some of the earlier ones were probably your shots too

    Thanks for sharing, looking forward to more, Dave

  18. #18

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Turkey
    Posts
    12,779
    Real Name
    Binnur

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    Great series, I can't wait to see the other photos from your trip

  19. #19
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    That sounds like the most incredible experience, Dan. It must have been adrenalin-rush time at full throttle. One of those never-to-be-forgotten experiences. And what we've seen thus far and I'm sure what we'll see in the forthcoming weeks and months, will be a very fitting record of the adventure.

  20. #20
    Brownbear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    7,244
    Real Name
    Christina

    Re: The One that got Away(almost)

    As always, truly inspirational images accompanied by a wonderfully informative narrative. A beautiful set, truly a pleasure to view. My fave is the 1st, something about the bears face and that great big paw. Exquisite detail. The flying fish is uniquely beautiful.

    Alas, my dream bear viewing excursion is not going to happen this year. So all I have is my refuge bears. When my trip comes to be, I will be carrying visions of your bears as my inspiration. Thank you for sharing.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •