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Day 2

Our second day is much like the first. After a delicious and hearty breakfast, we head to the river where we spend another great day photographing the bears as they fish (Figure 9.12) and sleep (Figure 9.13). Sometimes we simply stop to enjoy the moment as they pass close by (Figure 9.14). There are times of inactivity where we simply enjoy the beauty around us and wait for our next bear. Other times, there are so many bears that we don’t know where to aim our lenses. By keeping our movements and noise to a minimum, the bears go about their business aware of us yet unconcerned about our presence. As the afternoon wears on, the clouds build, softening the light, which extends our quality shooting time but can often indicate threatening weather for the next day’s shoot.

Figure 9.12 By timing my shutter clicks to the cadence of the bear’s pace, I was able to capture its paw out of the water showing off its long, sharp claws.

Figure 9.13 After all the energy it takes to fish, a bear pauses to nap for a bit, enabling me to move in for a close-up.

Figure 9.14 Sometimes you have to just stop and enjoy the moment.

Days 3 and 4

The ominous clouds of the previous day end up hanging around and giving us 48 hours of weather. By “weather,” I mean torrential downpours and gusting winds. The kind of weather that keeps even the heartiest of all wildlife photographers indoors. Any attempt to venture out will result in a hellish boat ride in the rough seas and difficulty keeping us and our gear even remotely dry. And frankly, with such bad weather, even the most self-respecting bears will hunker down in a protected place to wait out the storm too. So, what do you do with a boat and some fishing rods at hand? You go halibut fishing. It’s a great way to while away a snotty afternoon, rocking and rolling in the swells while trying to reel in a good-sized halibut. With a good catch (Figure 9.15), we call it a morning and head back to the lodge to get warm and dry by the fire.

Figure 9.15 A sampling of the bounty that awaits the dedicated fisherman (from a previous trip).

We also take advantage of the weather by spending time reviewing our images to see how we can improve when we go back out and selecting some to work on (Figure 9.16). A weather day is not a total loss when you have the comfort of a roof over your head and a cozy lodge (Figure 9.17) to snuggle up in and watch the storm rage on outside. And did I mention the gourmet food? There is always plenty of that to go around while relaxing and enjoying each other’s company.

Figure 9.16 A weather day provides an opportunity to review images.

Figure 9.17 A five-stop bracket and HDR processing was needed to capture detail inside and out.

After two straight days of rain, we start to get a bit of cabin fever. It’s no surprise that everyone is anxious to get back out in the field. But sometimes luck is with you and the payoff from all the rain is huge. The night of the second rain day Perry, our guide, pulls me aside and presents his idea for the next day. Two days of rain will add enough water to a nearby lake that the river flowing out of it will more than likely be flowing well enough for the salmon to run. So, the new plan is to bring the group upriver to photograph the fishing bears in a different location—which only happens when all the conditions are right. But first, we need to figure out the logistics. This one spot is only accessible via a long hike while beating the bushes (a scary prospect in bear country) or kayaking across the lower lake to get to the river with the gear (which is another scary prospect of carrying expensive gear in a small boat across a body of water). But by being careful and leaving our biggest lenses at the lodge, we can safely do it and have the opportunity to get some wonderful images. However, because the new location isn’t big enough for all of us at one time, separating the group is the only option. While one group works the river, the other group will go out sightseeing for other photo