p.2 #4 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
sum1sgrampa wrote:
Most of the bear shots you've seen only look like the bear is charging. In actuality they are fishing. #2 and #5 in my series the bears are fishing and not really paying any attention to the photographer. The first shot I posted is unique in that this bear was chasing another bear running full speed across the mudflats. The 2 bears passed us at full speed less than 12 feet away. I could tell by the look on our guide's face after they passed that this was not a normal thing. It all happened so fast, but I do remember wondering how badly one would get hurt being run over by a 700 lb bear. It was an absolutely amazing experience. There are no viewing platforms or man made trails at Hallo Bay. And the guides carry no firearms or bear spray and we were not allowed either. They do carry a flare in the event of an incident.
These Coastal Brown bears, which are actually larger then the interior Grizzlies are in that area for one reason, to fish. You'd have to do something really stupid to put yourself in danger. Now, surprising a Grizzly on a trail in Denali, for example, could be a little more dangerous.
Thank you for your interest. ...Show more →
I actually did see more people carrying bear spray at Katmai this year, not guides, just normal visitors. I think mostly with the larger influx of day trippers and being brought in on the float planes. I did see some sad instances like a mother giving her kids snacks on one of the platforms, and have seen some people run from the bears.
I've had bears do the dash and grab like that and run toward and past me, sometimes too close, like your 12 ft. This year even to the joy of the watchers on the Explore cameras.
p.2 #5 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
Herb wrote:
great photos...hopefully those bears running were not running at you!
I also spent time at DP Review, but as you said, there are some really nasty people on that forum...that was what motivated me to only visit that site occasionally and to not post any photos there.....
Agreed. I still lurk there once in a while just to pick up information but have no desire to engage.
Thanks for the compliment !
p.2 #6 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
ScottHM wrote:
I actually did see more people carrying bear spray at Katmai this year, not guides, just normal visitors. I think mostly with the larger influx of day trippers and being brought in on the float planes. I did see some sad instances like a mother giving her kids snacks on one of the platforms, and have seen some people run from the bears.
I've had bears do the dash and grab like that and run toward and past me, sometimes too close, like your 12 ft. This year even to the joy of the watchers on the Explore cameras.
The experiences you mentioned are why I chose Hallo Bay as opposed to Brooks or some of the other more frequented areas. Our party was just 4 people and 2 guides. One guide would take us out and one would remain at camp. We only saw 3 other photographers that were flown in privately and stayed for about 2 hours. Didn't see anyone else for 6 days. No viewing platforms, no crowds. We'd hike the tidal flats 2-3 miles a day and wait for bears and wolves to show up. A glorious 6 days !
It was my understanding that the restrictions on bear spray and firearms had more to do with the pilots.
p.2 #9 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
OMG..I absolutely love these. The fact that you have the opportunity to view these magnificent creatures let alone get these amazing pictures is so amazing. Great Great Job!
p.2 #12 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
tjbel05 wrote:
OMG..I absolutely love these. The fact that you have the opportunity to view these magnificent creatures let alone get these amazing pictures is so amazing. Great Great Job!
Thanks so much. And I feel very fortunate to have had that opportunity. I know there's a lot of people who can afford this type of outing numerous times but this was a one shot deal for me, unless I win the lottery, and not a day goes by that I don't think "what can I sell to get back there".
p.2 #14 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
Wilbus wrote:
Superb set!
Welcome to the forums! There are lots of other DP-review refuges here
Thank you. You know, and this is something I wasn't going to bring up but I can't help myself.
Here's the major difference I've seen so far. When I posted that charging bear shot on DPR ( #1) from my original post, the majority of the responses were along the lines of; too bad the background wasn't nicer, you misssed focus on the eye, too noisy, and the shot would have been better if I had shot in RAW. Now, I can accept criticism all day long. But all that was lost on the fact that I had two 700lb bears barreling at me at full speed and I was pretty sure I was going to get run over. That's kind of what the photo was about.
So thank you all for appreciating the photos for what they are and sparing me and everyone else who's interested in actual photographs from having to wade through endless discussions regarding signal to noise ratios, pixel pitch, raw vs jpeg, blah, blah, blah. Very refreshing
And with that, I'm moving forward only.
p.2 #15 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
These are all superb. I'd love to hear more details of your trip. My wife and I are heading up next fall to spend a few days with the bears up in Katmai. We have never been to AK before, and are looking for ideas on where we should go for another week or so after the Katmai part of the trip.
Anyway, not meaning to hijack your thread. Again, these are spectacular images, thanks for sharing!
p.2 #17 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
sum1sgrampa wrote:
Thank you. You know, and this is something I wasn't going to bring up but I can't help myself.
Here's the major difference I've seen so far. When I posted that charging bear shot on DPR ( #1) from my original post, the majority of the responses were along the lines of; too bad the background wasn't nicer, you misssed focus on the eye, too noisy, and the shot would have been better if I had shot in RAW. Now, I can accept criticism all day long. But all that was lost on the fact that I had two 700lb bears barreling at me at full speed and I was pretty sure I was going to get run over. That's kind of what the photo was about.
So thank you all for appreciating the photos for what they are and sparing me and everyone else who's interested in actual photographs from having to wade through endless discussions regarding signal to noise ratios, pixel pitch, raw vs jpeg, blah, blah, blah. Very refreshing
And with that, I'm moving forward only. ...Show more →
Well I think a lot of people with the advent of digital forgot what's important with a photo, and I am guilty of it as well from time to time. I photo should be about feelings, composition and light, the right situation. Look at shots from famous documentary photographers from almost 100 years ago. Quality wise they look like crap but everything else is second to none, something we might never see again.
Many of us discuss gear and quality here as well, I'm a gear head, end of story. But that doesn't mean one has to loose control of what matters
Looking forward to more shots! And looking forward to NOT seeing you run down by a 1400lbs bear train.
p.2 #18 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
sum1sgrampa wrote:
The experiences you mentioned are why I chose Hallo Bay as opposed to Brooks or some of the other more frequented areas. Our party was just 4 people and 2 guides. One guide would take us out and one would remain at camp. We only saw 3 other photographers that were flown in privately and stayed for about 2 hours. Didn't see anyone else for 6 days. No viewing platforms, no crowds. We'd hike the tidal flats 2-3 miles a day and wait for bears and wolves to show up. A glorious 6 days !
It was my understanding that the restrictions on bear spray and firearms had more to do with the pilots. ...Show more →
Thankfully I'm to the point where I can stay away from the platforms and the people if I want to, I usually guide myself with friends, perhaps people I'll take along with me, or spend time working between groups of people fishing taking their pictures and sending them on to them at a later date. I've spoken to some rangers and other guides and they've suggested I get a guiding permit, perhaps after this year. This past year one guy I was with opened up an outhouse door and hit a bear in the ass
p.2 #20 · Personal disclosure and Hallo Bay wildlife
cohenfive wrote:
These are all superb. I'd love to hear more details of your trip. My wife and I are heading up next fall to spend a few days with the bears up in Katmai. We have never been to AK before, and are looking for ideas on where we should go for another week or so after the Katmai part of the trip.
Anyway, not meaning to hijack your thread. Again, these are spectacular images, thanks for sharing!
No problem at all. I've only been just the one time so I'm sure there are others here that could give you much better insight but this was our trip FWIW.
We flew into Anchorage, pretty much just another city, spent one night and headed to Homer the next morning. About a 4-5 hour drive ? Homer is great, but I didn't get to spend much time there. We checked into our Tiny house and then walked the spit for the afternoon and evening.
I left the next morning for what was supposed to be 2 nights at Hallo Bay. My wife stayed in Homer. Well, I got weathered in for 3 extra nights with no phone contact. My wife, who is NOT an adventurous person, had to leave for Seward by herself(3 1/2 hour drive) not knowing when I was going to actually leave Hallo Bay. Fantastic for me, not so great for her. Here is where I would tell you; believe everything people say about the weather controlling EVERYTHING in Alaska. Be prepared to get delayed and leave yourself a cushion when making plans.
So she was gone and I had no way to get to her in Seward when I finally did get back from Hallo Bay. Fortunately the other family I was with for my stay at Hallo Bay was headed to Anchorage so they very kindly drove me to within 1/2 hour of Seward and left me at the roadside for my wife to come pick me up.
We had a glacier cruise scheduled in Seward which I missed so my wife went alone and they had 15 ft swells, she was the only person to get sick on the boat, by herself, so that was a bust.
We did have a very nice following day and took a hike to Exit Glacier which was fantastic.
Spent another day just wandering Seward, shops, etc. Very nice place to visit.
Left Seward and headed to Denali. 6 hour drive I guess. the first 3 hours or so which was indescribably beautiful. Just nothing but gorgeous scenery for about 200 miles.
There's not much I can tell you about Denali that you probably haven't already googled. We did take a couple nice hikes near the entrance and then took a shuttle into the interior. My only regret from the whole trip is that we didn't take the shuttle all the way in to Mirror lake. It would have been over 12 hours but we had a clear day so the views would have been spectacular.
Don't know if this is any help to you at all. I hope you have a tremendous trip. Alaska is everything people say it is and much, much more !
The bay in Homer
behind the boardwalk in Homer Shops, restaurants
Exit Glacier in Seward
Our cabin in Seward Lost Creek Cabins-great place !
Leaving Seward for Denali
Mckinley Creek Cabins outside Denali-another great place to stay
