The Freedom Roll
Jul, 2016Views
1128
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Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Contest Finalist in All About Bears Photo Contest
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Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
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p_eileenbaltz
April 14, 2017
Extraordinary capture........beautiful work! Congratulations on your finalist award.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken near Churchill Canada which is a favourite place for polar bears to gather. The bears wait for the ice to freeze on the Hudson Bay so that they can hunt for seals on the sea ice.Time
The photo was taken in the afternoon, having spent a long morning trying to locate polar bears who were happy to be photographed. The day was extremely cold, approximately minus 30, which made photography very difficult.Lighting
The lighting for this photo was very interesting as the sun was behind the bear and willows, which gave great back lighting. However the bright sun made exposure very difficult as when the camera exposed for the background the bear was potentially to dark. I find it better to slightly overexposure snow shots in order to get the snow the correct colour. I find cameras have some trouble with the white balance in sunny snow conditions.Equipment
My camera of choice is always a Canon and this photo was taken with my 5d Mark 3 and the lens for this photo was a 50 to 500 Sigma. The lens however kept freezing in the cold conditions and the auto focus ceased to function.Inspiration
I have a passion for wildlife photography especially bears of all varieties. However I love to photograph polar bears and the chance of white on white photography is too good to pass up. Churchill is the only place where a company called Churchill Wild with a lodge at Seal River offers walking safaris with polar bears.Editing
The photo was taken in raw and some post processing was required in terms of contrast, white balance and sharpness.In my camera bag
I always have 2 Canon cameras, one cropped and a full frame. My favourite Canon is my 5d Mark 3, which is an amazing all round camera for all conditions and types of photography. The camera has been used from minus 35 to above 48 in Australia. I usually have a telephoto with a converter and 2 wide angle lenses. I always carry water proof bags with me and a few shower caps from the motel as an emergency for rain. A tripod is a must for really tack sharp photos and I have a carbon tripod as its lighter to carry. I always have a polarising filter and an ND 8 with me as I find these two filters very useful. Finally I carry a Miops controller which is a fantastic piece of equipment.Feedback
If you want to take photographs of polar bears then Churchill in Canda is the best place to go. There are a number of tour options to choose from. Remember to stay safe as polar bears can run as fast as a race horse over short distances. Having a camera that you have practiced with is a must as bears move quickly and you need to be prepared in order to get "that shot". Having a telephoto lens at least 300 or more with a converter is very helpful to get close up photos. One issue in cold climates is camera battery life. I always have extra batteries with me and carry them in my down jacket inside pockets with a few hand warmers. This tip will increase the battery life and enable longer use. One other tip is not to take your camera and lens from outside where it is cold to inside where it is warm unless it has been placed in a sealed bag. This really helps with preventing a major condensation build up on your camera and lens. Above all have fun, it's all about showing how you see the world!
