I went to Boundary Bay in British Columbia to photograph snowy owls a few years back. I also saw a few bald eagles. This one was coming in for a landing atop a leafless tree. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second.
Days are short come November in northern Manitoba. But when the sun gets low on the horizon it can cast a magical glow across the frozen landscape. When a polar bear just so happens to be walking past, things get even better. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 82mm) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/1600th of a second.
These two polar bears were passing the time waiting for the Hudson Bay to freeze over so they could go hunt for seals. This was nothing more than a playful challenge — who can open his mouth the widest. Or maybe they were just checking each other’s breath? Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
This polar bear ended up passing very close to where we were all standing. This particular frame was captured when he was still at a manageable distance (for my lens and myself). You can see that massive left front paw. Photographed in upper Manitoba, Canada at Seal River on the Hudson Bay. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second.
Can never have too many dancing bear posts. This time polar bears wasting time while they wait for the Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can go hunt seals. Photographed at Seal River in Manitoba, Canada. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.
I had been photographing snowy owls for a few days at Boundary Bay in British Columbia and wasn’t having much luck with flight shots. The owls wouldn’t fly often, but when they did they would take off in the opposite direction from where I was situated. Finally, at the very end of day two, one flew directly over my head. It got so close that I couldn’t keep it all in frame. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.
A polar bear walks along the shoreline of the Hudson Bay, waiting for the water to freeze so that he can venture out to hunt for seals. Photographed at Seal River in northern Manitoba, Canada. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/500th of a second.
These two polar bears seemed pretty excited to be catching up on the latest gossip from the Arctic tundra. Anything to kill time, waiting for the Hudson Bay to freeze up so they could go out and hunt seals like civilized Ursus maritimus. Photographed at Seal River in Manitoba, Canada. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 260mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.
For my day job in advertising, I used to shoot a lot of commercials in Toronto. Whenever there was down time I would head out with my camera to see what I could find. On this particular evening it was a mute swan in a city park on Lake Ontario. There wasn’t much light left, but just enough to capture the last color of the day. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.
Short-eared owls fly low to the ground, scanning for any potential prey. I watched as this guy dove several times into the grass in pursuit of voles. Photographed at Boundary Bay, just over the US border in British Columbia, Canada. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1250, f/5 at 1/1000th of a second.