📷 Click Chronicles: The Art of Patience
Photographing a curious polar bear on his terms
In my previous Click Chronicles article “Leading Lines”, I discussed the art of patience in the Instagram era, and the struggle of maintaining patience amidst the selfie craze. This time, I want to delve into a different type of patience—the kind they warn you about when they say, "never work with kids and animals." Except, in this case, it wasn't just any animal; it was a polar bear.
During our recent small ship expedition cruise, we had an incredible encounter with a polar bear. Our initial plan was to spend the morning hiking, exploring the beach, and visiting the cabin at Mushamna. However, as we pulled into Woodfjord, a larger male polar bear was spotted on the beach near our intended landing spot. We quickly changed our plans, hopped into the zodiacs, and set off to observe the bear as he ambled along the beach toward the cabin.
Bear #19, identifiable by the markings on his backside, offered us some fantastic photo opportunities, including shots of him swimming and several where we were within a couple of hundred yards of him. As he approached the cabins, I started hoping to capture him interacting with one of the buildings. While it's beautiful to see a polar bear in his natural environment, I was intrigued by the contrast between the wild and "civilization."
I communicated my desire to Phil, our zodiac driver, who positioned me perfectly for the photo. Now, all I had to do was wait for the bear to cooperate. Patience. And in this instance, my patience paid off. Bear #19 walked up to one of the buildings and examined it, giving me the shot I had envisioned.
Capturing this shot was no easy feat. Not only did I have to be patient with the bear, but I also had to contend with the surf. By this point, we had ventured farther down the beach, and the waves were rougher, making it a challenge to hold my D810 with an almost 6-pound lens steady. For every good photo I took, there were four or five where the bear was partially off-frame or blurry from the motion. But in the end, I am thrilled with the photo and the experience of watching the bear stroll (and swim) down the beach for 20-30 minutes. It's an experience that will be hard to top.
You can buy this photo “Curious Bear” as metal or print HERE.
Location:
Mushamna, Woodfjorden, Spitzbergen, Svalbard - N 79° 40' 42.788" E 14° 12’ 2.811"
Capture Date:
June 8th, 2024, at 10:32 AM
Camera and Lens:
Nikon D810 w/Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport
Settings:
420mm, 1/8000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 800
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Check out all of Mark’s professional travel photography and award-winning photos at Wanderlust Photography