I still haven’t published my favorite photos of the year, but this was in the Runners-up category. The title’s a bit misleading, I suppose, but I enjoyed capturing a slightly different kind of bear image during my September Alaska tour. This sow was out on the beach, staring longingly at the water for some time in hopes that a salmon would pop up. Unfortunately for her (and us), there was no significant fish run this year.
She eventually turned and headed back toward the grass and beach peas she was subsisting on, and as she strolled by, a fierce wind kicked up. I got down low to try and catch some of the sand blowing up at her, which gave the scene a much softer look… it reminded me of something I’d see in Africa more than Alaska. If you look closely, you can see she’s walking with eyes closed to protect herself against the sand pelting her face.
Sony a1
Sony 200-600mm
ISO 640
1/1600th
f/7.1
Max
@maxwaughphoto
So I’ve decided to hold off until the next round of top body releases (Canon R1 vs. the Sony a1 successor) to see if either manufacturer finally lands on a design that really fits what I need.