In the Field

Hey...Who Goes There? Khutzeymateen Inlet, BC, Canada. June 6, 2006.

It was a brilliantly sunny and calm morning when we ran into this sub-adult grizzly on the edge of the Khutzemateen Inlet. The bear continued to forage on sedges as we quietly approached in our inflatable boat. Suddenly the bear stood up and was totally focused on something in the distance! We followed his sightline and saw another (and much larger) grizzly heading our way but still about 500 metres away. I still have no idea how the young bear managed to detect this potential threat so far away, but his sixth sense helped me get an interesting shot!

Behind the Camera

Hey...Who Goes There? Khutzeymateen Inlet, BC, Canada. June 6, 2006.

Digital Capture; Compressed RAW (NEF) format; ISO 200.

Nikon D2X with Nikon 200-400 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR lens @ 380 mm (570 mm equivalent with digital conversion factor) supported on pontoon of Zodiac boat (VR turned to "On" and in "Normal" mode).

1/500s @ f4; -0.33 stop exposure compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.

At the Computer

Hey...Who Goes There? Khutzeymateen Inlet, BC, Canada. June 6, 2006.

RAW Conversion to 16-bit TIFF, including first-pass sharpening, using Phase One's C1 Pro. Multiple RAW conversions (at different exposure settings) to retrieve shadow detail, in this case the shaded belly, chest and neck of the bear.

All further digital correction on 16-bit TIFF file using Adobe's Photoshop CS2, including compositing and masking of various exposure versions, selective mid-tone contrast adjustment (using Photoshop's Shadow/Highlight tool), selective saturation enhancement and selective sharpening for web output.

Conservation

Hey...Who Goes There? Khutzeymateen Inlet, BC, Canada. June 6, 2006.

Ten percent of the revenue generated by this image will be donated to Raincoast.

Species Status in Canada*: Special Concern (May 2002).

While Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) are not technically listed as "Endangered" in Canada, they have been extirpated from most of their historical range. Grizzly Bears are far more sensitive to intrusion/disturbance in their habitat than are Black Bears and are being increasingly forced into marginal habitat by human encroachment. The Great Bear Rainforest along the central and northern coast of British Columbia is one of the last strongholds of the Grizzly Bear in Canada, and even this population is coming under increasing pressure.

The Raincoast Conservation Society (and Foundation) is an effective and efficient organization that has been fighting for protection of this unique habitat. If you are looking for a meaningful way to contribute to the conservation of this amazing ecosystem, Raincoast will provide maximal "bang" for your conservation dollars.

For more information on the status of Grizzly Bears in Canada, go to: http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca and search under "Grizzly Bears".

*as determined by COSEWIC: The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada