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Lady Of The Woods


Lady Of The Woods
Photo Information
Copyright: Eduard Baak (snowfalken) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 473 W: 26 N: 525] (1780)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-16
Categories: Insects, Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 30 D, Canon EF 70-200mm f4 L USM
Exposure: f/4, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-09-04 11:04
Viewed: 1572
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello my friends,

This is my third and probably last upload of this beautiful lady that I met with her baby in the forest located on Tampa mt. near the town of Brasov in SE Transylvania (Romania). It is dated back in spring (May the 16th. 2007) and is my favorite of all three posted. I hope you like it too! For more informations about the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos arctos), as well as some interesting facts about this species and some info on the photo location please visit my two previous posts titled A Picture For You Loot and My Favorite tree.

This time I thought it was better to provide you some interesting informations about a typical bear attack. Many of these attacks could have been avoided. One can learn a lot about how to behave when meeting a bear or when wandering through an area populated with bears just by making such an analysis of a bear attack. Read it and think about it next time when in the wild. I hope some of you will find it useful!


ANALYSIS OF A BEAR ATTACK

If you hunt deer on Kodiak Island, Prince William Sound, or Admiralty, Baranof, or Chichagof islands in Southeast, you will be hunting in the presence of brown bears. Many hunters never see a bear, and those that do usually see them headed in the opposite direction. Once in a while, though, things can go terribly wrong.

The following incident is a re-creation of a bear attack near Kodiak Island. This information has been pieced together by examining the evidence and interviewing the victim’s hunting partners. Analyze this incident based on the bear safety rules above.

The man, an experienced deer hunter, was hunting alone on the slopes of a mountain. The slopes were covered with high grass separated by strips of dense alder thickets and spruce trees — great hiding places for the abundant black-tailed deer and bears. About noon, the hunter spotted a deer and killed it with a single shot. Rather then pack the deer down the mountain and back to camp, the hunter decided to continue hunting. He tied a piece of toilet paper to a nearby bush marking the kill spot, and then continued to hunt that afternoon. While the man hunted, a large male brown bear smelled the deer carcass. The hungry bear quickly found the deer and began to feed.

As the afternoon shadows grew longer, the hunter returned to the kill site. It was hard to see the deer carcass because of high grass and brush around the site. As the hunter approached the area the bear rushed from the carcass and attacked the man. The startled hunter shot the bear, wounding it in the shoulder. As the hunter attempted to reload for another shot, the bear knocked him down, throwing the rifle 40 feet away. The bear bit the man in the head and grabbed him by the hips with his powerful jaws before breaking off the attack and retreating into the brush. The hunter was able to move away from the attack site, however the man died of severe injuries and hypothermia before searchers found him.

What could or should this hunter have done to prevent this tragic accident?

Answer:

This hunter did not follow basic bear safety rules. He should not have been hunting alone in brown bear country. After killing the deer, he should have field dressed the deer, and immediately packed it out. If the hunter could not pack out the entire animal in one trip, he should have moved the remaining meat to an open area, well away from the gut pile. Upon returning, if he found the carcass had been moved he should have left the area as quickly as possible in the direction he came.

Source

www.wildlife.alaska.gov

EXIF:

ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/60 seconds
ApertureValue - F 4.00
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
Flash - Not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 200 mm
WhiteBalance - Auto

The picture was taken handheld.

PP in CS2:

- RAW to TIF to JPG;
- selective sharpened with high pass filter;
- selective blur on the BG;
- cropped, resized, added frame and signature;
cataclysta, Patleboss, manyee, anel, Servane, mirceax, claudine, peter_stoeckl, cicindela, Jonas_Schmitt_, scottevers7, AROBN54, dB_grafix, loot, Alex99, mlines has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Alex99: Thank you very much!snowfalken 1 12-26 13:48
To loot: Thank you very much!snowfalken 1 12-25 03:06
To dB_grafix: Thank you!snowfalken 2 11-19 19:47
To horia: Multumesc!snowfalken 2 09-21 01:08
To claudine: Thanks for your critique!snowfalken 1 09-07 11:57
To mirceax: Multumesc pt. critica!snowfalken 1 09-05 23:55
To anel: Thank you very much!snowfalken 1 09-05 06:25
To Xplorator: Thank you very much!snowfalken 1 09-05 06:19
To manyee: Thank you for your critique!snowfalken 1 09-05 06:05
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Eduard
I was wrong when I told you that your last photo was the best image of bear taken in natural environment ever posted on treknature. It was truth untill this moment :-).

Very good image. Great saturated colors (very nice green) Very good composition and (one more time) that look on her "face" Perfect buckground good sharpnes.

I feel like I was in forest right now :-)
Best wishes
Krzysztof

Hello Eduard,
you had every reason to publish this photograph, it is even nicer than the previous, lovely pose, wonderfull colors and sharpness, realy a great composition,
direct into my favourit
cheer,
Pat

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 381 W: 20 N: 521] (1813)
  • [2007-09-04 11:17]

Hi Eduard,
This is a perfect photo. Your bear is looking very very nice.
I like the expression on her face and very good compo.
I love the nice greens in the fg. Perfect sharpness and great light.
TFS and well done
Paula

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 359 W: 0 N: 164] (2176)
  • [2007-09-04 12:07]

I like this picture. Composition is great, nice color and detail.

Great bear portrait Eduard.
Beautiful light and focused detail.
Fine pose/pov, dof
TFS
Richard

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2007-09-04 14:35]

Hi Eduard,
Splendid shot and you have captured a fabulous expression here. Looks majestic among the green FG and the darkish BG. Superb lighting and exposure and the image looks sharp and neat. Excellent POV to portray it and very nicely composed. You really have done a great series. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

I find this bear very interesting and quite lovely. It is very different than either or brown bears (grizzlies) or blacks. The lighting, sharpness, pose and expression make this a very nice image. Thanks for sharing it.

Evelynn : )

Beautiful shot. I love the chiseled features captured so well with beautiful shades of brown. This is really nice, especially with the stray leaves at it's chest. Well done.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3069 W: 231 N: 5859] (19702)
  • [2007-09-04 22:38]
  • [+]

Hello Eddie,
That is an incredible image.
The light is the first thing that hit me. I love the way it is falling on the bear's face, and the surroundings... a warm light.
The composition is fantastic. The two trees on the left create a good balance for the bear on the right. The foreground of light green leaves make a pleasant, yet unobtrusive frame for the bear.
The OOF BG in the upper right hand corner makes the subject stand out in 3-D.
The bear is faced in a classic 3/4 profile, a beautiful face.
The sharpness of the details evoke an immediacy of presence that makes me shudder (for your safety).
To make the bear even more real, I just realized that I can make his eye blink by using my cursor to make the window go up and down. Creepy.
All in all, a magnificent portrait of a magnificent animal.
TFS. : )

Clap! Clap! Clap! Bravo! My only nit is, and has nothing to do with you, the eartag. Well mabe it makes it that much more interesting anyhow. Romania has the most splendid large animals in Europe rivaling if not surpassing the magnificent wisents of Bialowezsa or the ibexes of southern Alps. The bear you captured presents itself in a very atracting posture, vigilent but almost with a "smile"... She probably liked your cologne, Eddie! Superb lightning, I can almost smell the wet forest and the old leafs rotting away on the rich soil.

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 0 N: 1959] (8315)
  • [2007-09-05 1:47]
  • [+]

Hello Eduard,
Excellent, really. And on this picture your mother-bear looks like a swet-heart! Beautiful wood surrounding. Interesting to read your note. Last week there was a shepard killed by a bear somewhere in Europe.
Thanks and best regards
Anne

Hello Eduard!
It is a very expressive picture. I understand that it is your preferring because it is magnificently natural and alive.
Shrubs in first plan give a perspective thanks to which we would think almost we should be near this bear, in the real decor.

Thank you very much for this dream.

Servane

Salut Edi,
Scuze pt. intarziere, dar zilele astea am fost cam ocupat..
Cred ca asta e cea mai reusita dintre seria ta cu ursuleti.Expresia ursoaicei este incredibila iar claritatea fara cusur.Ma tot minunez cum reusesti la o focala de 200 un cu timp de expunere 1/60 asemenea poze.Toata admiratia din partea mea si inca o data felicitari !

Mircea

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 866] (3283)
  • [2007-09-06 3:20]

Hi Eduard, this is a pristine and fine shot of this lovely bear, how great it must be to see them in the wild. I like the pov and the profile with the bear looking out for the foilage. Great light, colours and sharpness. Excellent composition.
tfs
debz

hello eduard,
excellent shot, well composed, the pov is wonderful, well saturated colours, excellent lighting, very good pose, sharp image, i think its the best image of a bear i have seen.
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

beautiful!!!!!!eduard!
what else to say!it is really a beautiful picture!and super sharpness and lovely in its composition!
tfs
caroline

Were you on the lawn of Dracula Eddie when you took this picture? :) (this is what we mostly know about Transylvania here:) This must be so impressive to meet this great lady. It never happened to me even if we have some bears here too. I don't know how I would feel though being in the presence of this animal. Maybe I wish that my car was close. I'm not a hunter, except when I have my camera but I would never have done what this hunter did; believe me. It a question of common sense it seems...

This is such a perfect portrait with superb exposure and composition. I like this foliage in foreground that shows us its perfect natural habitat. This is a very nice and much interesting post. I hope that next time the supermarket will think about taking off her tag :) Thanks,
Claudine
She looks like she's smiling :)

Dear Eddie,
a most beautiful, well balanced composition in this portrait. Exciting capture showing the bear emerge out from the dark of her green shelter. The registration label on the ear does look funny, making her look like a friendly pet what she most definitely won't be. Beautifully well saturated colours, a perfectly well managed focus. Great depth, wonderful atmosphere and a deep sympathy for the creature.
Thank you! My best regards,
Peter

Hi Eddie!
At first "hello" after more that 1 month :) Now I am back to Lodz for longer time :)
It is nice to see this bear picture, especially for someone like me who has never saw this species in the wild. Great DOF and POV, and - traditionally perfect note and... white frame ;>
By the way, was this specimen marked by human? I can see "something" in its left ear :)
Best regards from Lodz,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2078 W: 216 N: 3757] (12468)
  • [2007-09-20 8:46]
  • [+]

Salut Edi

Inteleg foarte bine de ce aceasta e favorita dintre cele 3 :) Intr-adevar e un portret superb, iar daca se iau in calcul faptul ca e unul din libertate plus distanta focala relativ mica...eu zic ca e una din cele mai bune poze cu ursi de pe TN.
Claritatea imaginii, DOF-ul mic care concentreaza toata atentia spre fata ei, culorile vii si foarte bine saturate, dar si compozitia, sunt toate la cel mai inalt nivel si fac din aceasta poza o splendoare.
Nu-mi ramane decat sa te felicit!

BRAVO si TFS
Horia

PS: apropos...eticheta mi se pare chiar chich :)) ; acorda asa un pic de umor portretului ceea ce il face cu atat mai atractiv.

Hi eduard
great shot
very well focused and pov
colours are awesome
tfs Toba

  • Great 
  • euk (11)
  • [2007-09-27 14:06]

Der Baer ist stark,
Doch du bist haerter.
Der Wald ist gruen,
Doch du bist juenger.
Das Bild ist fein,
Doch du bist famoser.
Dein Fotoaparat ist gross,
Doch du bist laenger.
Die Bibel ist lang,
Doch du schreibst mehr.

Du bist ein Traum in dunkler Nacht!
Du bist ein Held im tiefen Wald!
Du bist ein Falke des Schreibens!
Du bist die Schnecke des Bildes!
Du bist Proffessor der Perfektion!
Du bist ein Juengling der schoenen Locken!

Dieser Baer sagt alles!
Gute Nacht

Hi!
Great picture with wonderfull colors and great sharpness!
I like your point of view and the positioning of the bear´s head!
Thanks for sharing,
Jonas

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2597 W: 133 N: 7441] (23193)
  • [2007-10-05 7:43]

Hello Eddie,
Never seen such a contented expression on a bear's face as shown in this shot and that for me is the main feature in this image. The composition with the green FG and changes in the colours and lighting of the OOF BG is another good feature and that this is sharp is a bonus. The ear tags symbolise the necessity for our concern for the well being of these large mammals in the wild.
Thanks for sharing this one and have a nice weekend,
Best wishes, Ivan

Hi Eddie,
This looks great. You had to be pretty darn close to get this nice frame filling composition at 200mm. I have run into Black Bears, and even one Grizzly in my hikes thru the woods. Soft light and a spot on exposure the colors and detail are excellent. Your PP work is really excellent here. Bear is tack sharp and you have softened the surrounding to keep total focus on the bear. Very well done all the way around.
Scott

Szia Eduard, TWO things that grabbed my attention: Beautiful composition and a fantastic DOF. The DOF is so good that it has created a sense of depth while keeping the BG blurred. Accurate focus. Great colours. SHARP!!

I think this makes for a great wildlife poster.

Good work,
Warm regards, Kiran

Hello, Eduard,
what a fabulous shot! The clarity and detail is just awesome. The light and color are superb as well as your composition with a great expression in your bear portrait. Wonderful greens and browns and great bokeh. A most excellent shot! Thank you and kind regards,
Shelly

This composition is beautiful Eddie. The bear must be a bit comfortable around people to keep allowing you to get so close while you followed her. The pose she gave you here is something every wildlife photographer would want, as well as the lighting.
Good work.

  • Great 
  • RP1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 164 W: 1 N: 124] (1970)
  • [2007-11-30 14:38]

Hi Eduard,
Your photo is very beautiful. I like the expression and the posture of the bear. Very good composition and nice BG.
TFS
Roger

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 160 N: 894] (2837)
  • [2007-12-02 20:56]

Hi Eduard, very nice shot of this Brown Bear. The pose of this bear is great, with excellent well saturated colour. The shot is sharp with excellent clarity throughout.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5726 W: 605 N: 3416] (9131)
  • [2007-12-24 0:33]
  • [+]

Hi Eduard

Here's just to say I'm missing you around the site...

Thanks for this lovely image and also for all the wonderful postings you shared with us throughout the year.

All the best for you and your loved ones during this festive season and beyond into the New Year that looms ahead.

May God shower his choicest blessings on you and your family this Christmas, and for the New Year I wish for you:
Health to Enjoy each day in Comfort,
Copious measures of Love from Friends and Family,
The Exquisite Beauty of Nature,
Wisdom to Choose priorities Sensibly,
Prosperity and the Best of everything,
Generosity so you may Share the above,
Overflowing Happiness and Abundant Joy,
and a Youthful Excitement at life's Simple Pleasures,

Warmest regards
Loot

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3030 W: 148 N: 4521] (14603)
  • [2007-12-26 11:37]
  • [+]

Hi Eduard.
Your picture looks like from fairy-tale. Amazing a bit bluured surroundings and crisp sharp image of the charming Lady. Great light in its head. Colours of the shot are stunning as well as the smooth nicely coloured and illuminated BG. Bravo. Superb skill work.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.
Alexei.

Hi Eduard. A wonderfully clear andnatural pose of this brown bear. The marker init's ear seems cruel but i guess will help it inthe longer term. Excellent crop to get the maximum effect of that pose. TFS. Murray.

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