photographing black bears

[shebob bears]

What is the best way to photograph a black bear? I made one recently and the profile is fine, but a close up of the face turns into just fluff with no features. Round the nose area I trimmed very short and highlighted it in white which shows as pale grey over the black fabric. Any help would be much appreciated, and then he can search for his new home on eBay.

Sheila x:6044:

[Angela]

Hi Sheila, black is awful to photograph :eek:

Try it with a sand-coloured background and if possible keep 3 lamps handy. One to the right and one to the left meeting the spot-light behind bears head and one light from the top. This gives a good light and also prevents shadows.

I don´t know which digi-camera you have, but with mine you can choose whether you want your picture "automatic" or "best shot" and others. When your camera has a "best shot"-function then search for the "night-scene". This makes quite good pictures from dark things. GOOD LUCK :)

[shebob bears]

Thanks Angela,
I have rigged up all the lights as you said, and Bobbie the bear is ready and waiting till the morning, then I can experiment with some natural light as well.
Many thanks for your advice, Angela, and I will let you know how I get on.
Best wishes,
Sheila:6086:

[Jenny]

The thing with black bears is to try to get some detail..and to do that you need to tell the camera that there is less light than there actually is..so over expose the photograph a bit....you should have an exposure compensation button marked +/- ...try setting it to +1 and see if that works....you may need more or less but +1 is a good place to start. Also try using your spot meter button to meter the light on the bear and not just an average of the whole view.
Finally ,don't use a background that's too much of a contrast from your bears colour...you will just make the detail harder to capture...

Hope that helps!!!!

[Melanie Jayne]

I have had some black fur here for months now and still can not bring myself to make a black bear, not because I do not want to, but simply because I am in fear of taking the photographs, so great advice here and maybe I will now manage to make that black bear

lots of love
MJ

[Lorna Evett]

Some good suggestions, I have a lovely black bear, but cannot do him justice in a photograph. I am going to try your ideas and see what happens, like with you Sheila I lose the features. How did your photograph go by the way.

Lorna

[Vicky Allum]

Sheila

I wish I had some advice to offer, I've only ever made 3 black bears and only have photographs of one, I took loads to get just a couple of decent pics. Will try some of the advice here next time! Look forward to seeing how you got on.

[Lorna Evett]

Hi people

Well, I decided to photograph my black bear, i remembered that a while ago I bought a photography tent (I suppose that is what it was called), in my ignorance when i received it i thought, oh! its round and small I wont fit much in there, but decided that i would tackle the photographing of my black bear!! Well I opened it up in the bedroom, big mistake it was huge, and stiff, and then I had to get it downstairs, I knocked everything off the walls going downstairs (I was ina hurry to go out so was rushing) had to squeeze it through the doors and into the conservatory, all the time my cats are rushing around me fascinated!!

Anyway, the results not marvelous, the tent has a choice of colours for background, my camera is not superdoopa, so not bad, but I am going to admit defeat and get my husband to photograph my bear.

Getting the big square tent back into the small flat round packaging was a feat in itself, those things have a mind of their own.

Lorna

[shebob bears]

After about fifty really awful pictures of Bobbie, I heeded the advice of everyone who has so kindly pointed me in the right direction regarding photographing black bears, and here he is. I don't know why but he looks more blue than black.
All being well I hope to have him on eBay Thursday evening.

Thanks again everyone for you help and advice.

Sheila x 256:6013:

[Ruth]

He's so lovely Sheila !! :6034: I am going to (eventually) make a bear in very dark brown - it's on my frustratingly long "to do" list :p I nearly always go for the lighter and pastel colours , although I actually love darker bears ; especially black .It's great to get the tips for photography too - thanks everyone ! :6039:
Ruth

[Vicky Allum]

He's lovely Sheila - I hope he does well for you in his audtion.