Photo The playful cubs by Jim Griffin

Katmai National Park Alaska. I wish the mother had been in better position so you could have seen her face, but my main focus was the cubs. I did want the small cub standing as he was playing and mom just couldn't get the timing right. :-) Females generally are first able to reproduce between 4 and 10 years of age. The number of cubs in a litter depends upon the female’s body weight. Mating occurs between early May and mid July with cubs born between the end of January and early March. Usually a female brown bear reproduces once every 3 to 5 years (Brown 1993, p 132, Bauer and Bauer 1996 p 94). Since only 1 in 3 females breed in a given year, males must range widely in order to find a mate (Stirling 1993, p 92-93). A mother brown bear will remain with her young for 1 to 3 years (Brown 1993, p 145).

published:

Tue 19 Dec 2006 01:13

equipment:

lens Nikon 80-400 VR

permanent link:

https://www.photoforum.ru/photo/331053/

comments (15 from 22)

all comments descending

Inna Meyer #1 Tue 19 Dec 2006 01:22

Cubs are always so cute. I like this pic. So real! Congr.!

Jim Griffin #8 Tue 19 Dec 2006 06:55

Thanks Inna

Evgeniy Leventsov #2 Tue 19 Dec 2006 01:45

Such little figures of bears and The she-bear has hidden in bushes, it is a pity it almost visible.

Quality could be slightly better.

Jim Griffin #7 Tue 19 Dec 2006 06:54

Not sure what size screen you have, but the cubs are a decent size on my 17 inch screen. Also, if you will notice, all animals are spread out and this is the only way to capture all 4 cubs(which is quite a rarity) and include the mother. I can also tell from your comments regarding the mother that you didn't read my comments nor are you a wildlife photographer. Sure, ideally the mother would be in the perfect spot, but in true wildlife you can't control that. My purpose for the photo was not to show the face particularly, but to show that she was nearby. Also as mentioned the focus was on all four cubs which you can see nicely in the photograph.

Evgeniy Leventsov #13 Tue 19 Dec 2006 13:01

The cubs are exellent. As a whole the composition collapses. If you want a good picture, you should wait while mother will leave bushes to cubs or even will turn a muzzle. Yes, it is very hard, but it would be professional.

P.S. compare to really professional pictures do not panic.
I have the monitor diag 17''. And I can approve, that quality as not professional. What camera at you?

Jim Griffin #14 Tue 19 Dec 2006 17:01

Evegeniy,
I totally disagree with you. As I can tell from your shots you have nothing of wildlife shots. Again, if you will read my notes, the focus is NOT on the mother but the cubs. The composition, despite the high grass is fine. The photograph is to illustrate the playfulness of the cubs and show all FOUR cubs which is a rarity. I'm not worried about the mom, just the fact that she is there. Sure if I could have my choice, I would have wanted the high grass to be chopped down. This unfortunately is not always the case in nature. Once again, looking at your photos, I can tell you don't have any experience with these kind of shots. If I waited to mom left the bushes, the cubs would not be playing. I also wanted to get the small cub standing. Again, mission accomplished with this and composition.

I'm not panicing, or not worried since this is not how I make my living. I am very satisfied with this shot, especially considiring the environment. I also think, the so called professionals you like to mention would be very satisfied with the shot.

Evgeniy Leventsov #16 Tue 19 Dec 2006 17:42

I have only wanted to say:
1) about quality of the photo
2) about that the she-bear here is allocated with a superfluous spot
3) professionalism is when in the long run you will wait, that the she-bear will be near to cubs and simultaneously they will play.

We shall remain at the ourselfs opinions

Jim Griffin #22 Wed 20 Dec 2006 05:50

Just as a final followup, one and two I have covered previously as the mom is not the important item in this photo. As for the third item, I have pictures taken many minutes after this photo with the mom and the cubs. (I will post one in a few days). The cubs were NEVER in the same position as this cub standing which is what I was after. I guess I was a professional as I could have been smile as the shot you mentioned never occurs as I was watching them a good half an hour before they left. That sometimes happens in nature.
As you say, we agree to disagree. smile .