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Wild bear - too close


Wild bear - too close
Photo Information
Copyright: Radu Xplorator (Xplorator) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 651 W: 57 N: 1506] (7719)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-19
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Nikon CP 8800
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-06-21 7:37
Viewed: 5414
Points: 21
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Too close, or so Ive been told, bear chasing is my new favourite sport. :)
Black bears (Ursus americanus) are likely the best succes stories of American conservancy, perhaps surprisingly enough to most of you thanks to hunting and harvest management funds.
Known also as baribal in other languages, the black bear, is actually not always black but can be also have other three varieties, rather shades known as chocolate (dark brown, including black shades), cinammon (light brown) and very rare blonde (a pale yellowish white, usually seen up north by the west coast, definatelly not albino, hence the ghost bear stories of NAtive Americans and early settlers).
Black bears are the smallest of all three american bears (grizzly - Ursus arctos and Ursus maritimus - polar bear).
The numbers of black bears have increased imenselly in past quarter century and have been spotted in states where they havent been seen for a century like the east coast. As a matter of fact they are so many that now the human attacks of black bears including killing of humans are bigger than grizzlies and polar bears together. That should tell you something.
As far as weight black bears are ussualy a third the weight of a brown bear or grizzly, nevertheless not to be underestimates, as yesterday I was fifteen feet away from a bear sow of decent size that split a rotten log in two with one paw, in search of sweet termites or caterpillars.
California bears are smaller framed than the ones north where they can reach even 800 lbs. comparable to a grizzly, but normally while in the south they have around 200 lbs. in the north they double the weighth.
They are the inspiration for Smoky the Bear, emblem of Forest Service and of course Yogi Bear, the cartoon character.
loot, SelenE, LordPotty, eev, snowfalken has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To claudine: bad habitsXplorator 1 08-31 00:32
To AnimalExplorer: REXplorator 1 07-15 11:20
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
  • [2007-06-21 8:11]
  • [3]

Hi Radu

Your title says it all "Wild bear – too close". Well, for my liking anyway. Those darn things can run faster than a "quick" man can, climb a tree at almost the same rate a monkey would, bite an unhealthy though sizable chunk of meat out of any invader, cut the rest up into chops with those nasty claws (quicker than that TV chef could say "Yan can cook") and thereafter - without a care in the world - go to sleep for a couple of months to digest the easy walk-in-free-meal. Let sanity prevail my friend. We rather would like to see your photos on TN than read about you becoming bear-lunch in the news papers. That stare it's giving you is probably to say "Close enough China, step back or face the consequences".

Anyway, for such a radical shot I suppose I have to say good shot. However, it is a slight pity for the contrasting lighting in the shot. The face is a little dark while the BG has a number of very bright spots competing with the overall visual aspect. I do believe you could have applied some fix in PP to address the problem though. Yeah, I know, it's very easy to say so from the comfort of my recliner, but that's where I will rather stay if ever you would invite me on a photo shoot outing. The composition and POV is very pleasing and you captured some excellent details throughout the shot.

Well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

  • Great 
  • pac Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 67 W: 13 N: 157] (1783)
  • [2007-06-21 8:21]

You are a bare man !

/Dan

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2007-06-21 8:30]

Hi Radu,
What a hobby :o)
I totally agree with what Loot has said. We'd rather like to see you alive :o)
You got a good result under such an extreme situation. TFS
Selen

Well ... its been nice knowing you dude ... can I have your camera and climbing gear ?
You be careful round those critters man,or someones gonna be posting your obituary
... but I guess people having been telling you that all your life.
I know you ... THRILLSEEKER
Take care,
Steve :)

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 586 W: 12 N: 1682] (6165)
  • [2007-06-21 13:24]

Hello Radu, congratulations, excellent capture! I think I also woul get that close, Wonderful POV and composition, the bear has amazing light collors, the bearis posted in a natural and beautiful BG.. Well Done

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 867 W: 24 N: 1008] (5507)
  • [2007-06-21 13:39]

Bonjour Radu, vous êtes courageux!! bon cadrage et position interessante de l'animal. Congratulations, Didier.

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 8 N: 4240] (15809)
  • [2007-06-21 17:52]

Hi Radu. Nice Photo of this Bear. I guess you took to many risk to get this one. Luis52. Please take care.

Welcome back Radu. I love your new sport and boy would I love to go bear chasing with you. I was surprised to see you posting again, it made me think about your invite to TN the first time. It's alway cool to hear & see your postings about Radu's great adventures. This is a surprisinly close shot of this bear. :)

You have nice hobbies Radu! I think that one could do a cartoon from your stories... It is too bad that I’m not a good at drawing. This is a precious and impressive capture. For the rest, Loot's comment says it all :) I'm looking forward to see your cougar shots,
Claudine

Hello Radu,

It's definitely no great pleasure to meet one of those black bears face to face in the middle of the forest. But it is a pleasure to see this one in your picture knowing that you lived to show it. I had no idea black bears come in so many colors. I thought they all are black.
I must say I agree with the other members who pointed out the issue with the highlights in the background. But I also love the pose of the Bear and the eye contact is great! Well done! Thanks!

With Friendly Regards,
Eddie

  • Good 
  • chanel (0)
  • [2009-01-26 9:59]

Ahh he is adorable...

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