Happy New Year From Churchillpolarbears.org
Inquisitive polar bear inspects the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Polar Bear ” Boxing Day” Photos of the Week
“Boxing Day” follows Christmas..usually celebrated on December 26th traditionally to recognize those people who provide services throughout the year such as tradesmen or postal delivery workers. It has nothing to do with boxing…as in fighting …or polar bears sparring.
Anyway, I know this is a stretch, but this weeks photos are “boxing” photos..rather amazing sparring photos of polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area where incredible bear action occurs in October and November prior to the Hudson Bay freeze up. Enjoy.
Sparring polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Brad Josephs photo.
Two polar bears sparring near the tundra Lodge. Eric Rock photo.
Polar bears grapple in the willows. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bears sparring in the willows along the Hudson Bay coast. Kurt Johnson photo.
Sparring polar bears in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Rick Pepin photo.
Happy Holidays From Churchillpolarbears.org
Churchillpolarbears.org and Natural Habitat Adventures wish you a happy holiday season and a safe and celebratory weekend! Enjoy theses polar bear photos and thank you for visiting our website. Looking forward another great year ahead.
Sparring bears captured up close with a telephoto lens.
Polar bear sow and cub on the precambrian shield.
Polar bear on the tundra in the CWMA.
Coys nursing in the CWMA. Eric rock photo.
A polar bear relaxes and cools in the snow. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar Bear Photos of the Week
The Winter holidays are like no other to look at some favorite polar bear season photos from Churchill. These snowy scenes will give you all that white holiday feeling and hopefully inspire the Christmas or Hanukkah spirit if you’re a bit lacking up to now. Enjoy these amazing shots and come to Churchill to see the polar bears live someday soon.
Polar bear testing the ice in Churchill.
Sparring snowy polar bears in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.
A polar bear sow with its’ cub of the year. Sean Beckett photo.
Sparring polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. Colby Brokvist photo.
Arctic fox looking for lemmings.
Polar Bear Photos of The Week
Everyone is still buzzing about the polar bear season that came to a close the third week of November. A relatively smooth season overall for Natural Habitat Adventures culminated with the last of the bears being released from the polar bear compound onto the Hudson Bay pack ice. Here are some more photos from a very memorable season.
A sun dog casting its’ rays on an inukshuk. Brad Josephs photo.
Two coy frolick in the willows. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bear sniffing around the polar rover. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear print in the snow. Karen Walker photo.
Polar bears in sparring mode. Colby Brokvist photo.
Arctic fox sniffing the tundra for prey. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar Bear Photo and Tip
Polar bears sparring on the Churchill Tundra. Brad Josephs photo.
Being prepared with all the right gear is the best photo tip I can offer from years of working with professional photographers in the field. If you’re not a full-time wildlife photographer that could be tricky. As we all know ,camera gear is pricey, so when going on an once -in – lifetime trip like Churchill to see polar bears, renting equipment might be the best option.
You don’t need to spend a ton of money on different filters, meters or other accessories but you should absolutely try and acquire the longest lens you can. A 600 mm or even a 800 mm or longer lens to get up -close and personal would be optimal.
The FL 880 f/8 provides high contrast even at pictures taken at long distances.
Many times you are close enough in the polar rovers to utilize general photography lenses such as 200-400 mm telephoto types. However, to capture many of the shots like the sparring bears above from Natural Habitat guide Brad Josephs you need the longer lenses. Again, if you are not going to be using the lens on a regular basis, consider renting for the week of the trip. It’s well worth the expense to get those amazing shots. Mixing the up-close photos with the landscape and horizon shots allows you to tell a deeper more personal story with your camera.
