Three weeks ago I returned from leading a group to north-eastern Finland to photograph the King of the Forest - the brown bear. In professional 2-person hides we spent up to 14 hours each night observing and photographing these magnificent beasts. We would enter at 5 and then be 'released' at 7, have breakfast, get some rest and then be up and ready for our 'evening' meal at 3 before heading back to the hides at 4. It does mess, a little, with your sleep/wake pattern but everyone of us agreed that it was more than worth it.
The cubs, however, were the real stars - for obvious reasons.
We had exclusive use of two 2-person pro-hides in each of the 3 locations - forest, swamp and lake. Each gave very different perspectives and offered a range of different images from bears amongst trees, to them walking across the swamp or reflected in the lake. We all had our own personal favourite location and mine was the swamp.
Sub-adults play fighting. If this was just play fighting, goodness only knows what it must be like to watch two full grown adults really going at it!
They continued for quite some time, ending up at the far end of the marsh which gave a nice opportunity to place them in context with their surroundings. I waited for them to be framed by the two dead pines.
For the most part I used the 200-400mm f/4 on the Nikon D810 which I found to be the perfect combination. I also, on occasion, used the 70-200mm and 28-105mm for the holes on the side of the hide for those extra-close encounters. I would often use Auto ISO which, for wildlife work, I find a most versatile setting. With just a few spins of the thumb and forefinger wheels I can keep the shutter speed up (1/500th sec.) incase of action and slow it right down (1/4 sec.) to create motion-blur. Once you're familiar with this you'll wonder why you hadn't discovered it years ago!
I spent a night in the hide beside the lake where we were blessed both in terms of conditions and encounters. We all had lots of opportunities (regardless of which hide or environment we were in) to capture the cubs climbing up and down trees. Surely, there's no more adorable creature on this planet?!
We were both shooting landscapes willing a bear to appear but we knew, given that activity usually tailed off at around midnight, that it was unlikely but then to my right, I saw one skirting the water's edge and instinctively (as you do) in hushed tones said "bear"! We could not believe our luck.
The forecast for the following morning was for clear skies. We waited. Surely, not again? And then, at 5.30....
It was a wonderful trip helped in no small part by a fantastic group with plenty of laughs and good humoured banter.
Needless to say I'll be doing the same tour next year, so if you'd like to join me in a photographic experience like no other then do get in touch as spaces are limited. Anyone with a love for nature will, simply, drink this up!
