How do you keep your composure when this happens?

[Andy]

Carol: First of all, I want to point out that you are simply wrong about this photo. This opportunity would not happen in Vermont. Bears are essentially conservative animals who only hang out in NH -- they would never cross over into Vermont -- too liberal!!

Seriously, I think the best answer to your question is probably experience with your "gear" and always being ready for the opportunity (which I know from personal experience--is more easily said than done).

I suspect that most of the really good wildlife photos you see published are actually the product of a lot of hard work and planning. It has been reasonably rare during my years to happen upon certain wildlife (notably bears, moose and wolves) without going out West. The populations of all of these critters have increased significantly in just the last several years. When I lived in Vermont, it wasn't likely you would see a Moose, and not real likely that you spot a bear in inhabited areas. That has changed (it has in other states, too -- I saw a momma and her two cubs cross the road in front of me just last weekend in the early morning twilight in Virginia--it was only the second time I have ever seen a bear in the wild and have spent most of my life in either Northern Michigan or Northern VT). Most of the photogs who get really good shots do their biology research. They know their subjects habitat and habits. They try to be in the right place in the right light.

Considering the elements you were struggling with -- less than ideal lighting, a point and shot camera, shooting from a car and your adrenaline -- you got some pretty good shots (I have a buddy who has all the gear and was in Grand Teton last year and stumbled on a bear and with fancy DSLR and tripod, still didn't get the result you got. The bear was also brown, he's probably lucky he didn't turn into a meal, but thats another story .

I find that when I am doing a lot of shooting and have kind of thought things out prior to leaving the house, I do better in these situations. When the camera sits in the bag and gathers dust, so does my memory and facility with the use of the gear. That's what prompts my know your gear statement.

I also think it is important to review and critique your work afterward. What did I do that I don't like? What would/could I have done in the circumstance to make a better photo? And then commit those things to your memory bank so that they will be there the next time the opportunity presents itself.

On some of the photography boards I frequent there is always a tension between trying to discuss photography and the things that matter and "gear." There is a common saying that Ansel Adams could have gotten great results with a pinhole camera. While on a philosophical level, that is true, it isn't really a practically useful observation. Our gear is our "tools." I cannot go to Sears and spend $5,000 on tools and be guaranteed to build a nice house. But good tools are necessary and often make the job easier. So another thing to think about is whether your "gear" suits the type of photography you are trying to get. For "serious" wildlife photography, if that becomes a passion, most photographers will move to the SLR/DSLR system for a number of reasons.

Hope this stimulates some discussion. For now I'll say, I have all the gear, 30 years of experience, some formal training, and I STILL don't have a bear photo like yours! Pretty cool!

[autzig]

To my dismay, I learned that many wildlife photos really aren't "wildlife". The great photos you see published are taken at wildlife ranches where these captive animals are made available to photographers who have had all kinds of time to prepare their cameras. There are no surprises. Triple D in Montana is one well known provider of these animals. They even rent their animals to people who produce National Geographic and Wild Kingdom shows.

You can take a photo workshops from organizations like Rocky Mountain School of Photography if you want.

I did a workshop this summer with an instructor who shoots wildlife almost exclusively. He told me how they throw out cod heads to capture Bald Eagles. To his credit, he also knows how to find wildlife. Animals frequent the same places all the time, so if you know where an animal was today, it will probably be there again tomorrow.

[Andy]

I have a rather stunning photo of a Great Horned owl perched on a branch with fall foliage in the background. It was taken at a Wildlife rehab center in Southwestern Michigan. The branch is actually a stump cut down with a chainsaw as a prop. The owl has leather jesses (sp?). I used my 300mm lens and was very surprised at how close I had to get to make a frame-filling photo (I was as close as 8-10 feet). The REAL ones taken in the wild take a fair amount of skill (not photography skill-- but wildlife and perhaps "hunting" skill) to get. My "captive" shooting experience gave me greatly increased success for folks like John Shaw and Moose Peterson, who have taken them in the wild.

My sense of morality says that when an animal is "captive" the photographer should disclose that. There has been more than one "raging" debate on this topic.

[Aspen]

Abby, here I am browsing around in the Vermont Photograhy Forum even after our trip to Vermont has come and gone! I guess it all comes down to just wishing we were still up there! Anyway, came across your pictures of the bear. Here you are inquiring how you might improve photograhing it and here I am admiring the rare opportunity you were able to capture up close of a bear in the wild! For all it's worth, you captured quite an experience and have neat pictures to document that! Your pictures are great! Okay, Andy, I know my husband and you will say, Aspen, what do you know!!? about photography?? I know I love the fact she captured the rare moment! I especially love the pictures of the bear in its actual habitat! My husband is an avid photographer (glad to know he is not alone) I often have to remind him to enjoy the scenery such as our discovering a moose in a pond. It was so beautiful! By the time he got his camera, the moose had moved on and was crossing the road. I have a lasting picture of the moose in the pond, his actual pictures show the moose crossing the road. So, bottom line is to enjoy what you see and capture what opportunity permits. You had a beary nice opportunity Abby!!

[Andy]

Aspen: Actually, I couldn't agree with you more. Unfortunately, I was in Virginia when I should have been in Vermont this fall . I had the rare opportunity early one morning to see a mother and her two cubs and to watch 3 deer fighting over one doe. In neither case, could I have effectively gotten a decent photo. It was very early twilight and its the memories that I will have.

I think I said this already, but once you start north of 50, you repeat yourself alot (so my children tell me anyway), but the wildlife shots that you see on magazine covers and for sale in the gift shops are one of two things: either a lot of prior work discovering the habitat and habits of the animal and then being their with you equipment already set up; or at those wildlife ranches Al was talking about. Occasionally, we all get really lucky and have one "pose" for us, but most often, we get the EXACT result your husband had. We are scrambling around for our gear and by the time we are ready, the moment is gone.

Actually, one of the things Carol does really well in all her photographs is something that is a pet peeve of mine. I see a lot of published shots of animals who appear to have no eyes. To me, that just doesn't make the shot. Eyes do. On almost every one of her shots, she get the eyes in focus and properly exposed. With all living creatures, its usually the eyes our eyes are first drawn to.