How to Photograph Black Bears

If you live where I live, it is quite common to see black bears especially in the early spring and fall. I met a bear hunter in the woods while walking my dog on a Sunday. He was scouting locations for the beginning of bear hunting season. He told me he switched to hunting bears when the area became overpopulated with deer and “crazy people” that came from New Jersey and New York to kill them. He told me any idiot can kill a deer, but taking a bear requires a real hunter. It is kind of that way around here. You can almost pose a deer, but even though you may see a bear, they are hard to photograph. It is very important to know about bear safety, because if you do decide to act like an idiot, you could get mauled. If you are not familiar with how to behave around bears, read my article: “How to Take a Hike in Bear Country." In this article we will try to give you some helpful pointers on how to photograph black bears.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A digital camera
• Bear safety equipment
• Patience

1. 
   Back Yard Bear

   The first thing you have to do is get to bear country. Although, you frequently hear of neighborhood bears in city suburbs, the best places are state game lands, state parks, national parks and national forests. Bears like swamp areas to build their dens and also like caves and stream areas. The best places to find bears are in neighborhoods near or in state forests or game lands. Since it is illegal to hunt bears in most residential communities, and since bears are not dumb, they learn that these areas are safe habitats from hunters. This bear was shot from my back deck inside a residential community adjacent to a state forest. Be patient; it could be months of stalking and searching before you get to see one.

2. 
   Bear with 70mm Lens

   Black bears are really black! I know out west they have black bears that are dark brown, but in the east they are really black. This makes it hard to get detail around their eyes. You need to be close to get their eyes clearly. This picture was taken from my front deck. The bear is about 120 feet away. You could run up real fast to the bear and take a picture and run back, right? NEVER DO THAT! All your movements need to be slow and quiet. You don’t want to startle the bear.

3. 
   Bear with 200mm Lens

   The secret, instead of getting too close to the bear, is to switch to a telephoto lens. This shot was taken about 100 feet away with a 200mm telephoto lens. Bears are territorial, so getting closer than 100 feet is INSANE! As long as you move slowly you can follow the bear, but try to keep 100 feet back at all times.

4. 
   Following A Bear

   Use the automatic function of your camera to take pictures in bursts when you hold down the shutter release button. As the bear moves you can take a series of shots and decide later which one is the better image. This is an outtake. The bear kind of looks funny and he is looking at the ground.

5. 
   Burst Exposures

   This is a keeper from the same series. The bear is looking at the camera and his body looks better proportioned than in the previous shot. I took six shots in a two-second burst and this is the only one that is really any good, although they all have the same lighting and exposure settings. Remember to always be safe and never run towards or away from a bear.

6. 
   Using Photoshop

   Once you have “your bear," use Photoshop or GIMP to create an interesting image with dynamic tension.

Tips & Warnings

• Carry a cell phone, mace and take a dog to bear country. Bears don’t like dogs and females and cubs will run from dogs or go up a tree. Male bears (boars) will just stroll way. In any case, a dog is your best protection in bear country. Your dog’s behavior will let you know if there are bears in the area.
• If you encounter a bear too close, make yourself big with your hands over your head and yell at the top of your lungs while slowly walking backwards. Never lose eye contact. Never run from a bear. Fifty percent of all bear charges are bluffs. If the bear does charge lie on the ground face down and protect your neck and throat with your hands. Be as still as possible. The bear may maul you a little but will probably walk away. When you recover, get a dog.

[Hapworth]

on 6/25/2008 I find your pictures to be fascinating.

[L1onherd]

on 6/25/2008 Wow great photo's! Were I live you don't see to many bears, just deer and crazy people!! However, I would love to see a bear in the wild one day

[imagery]

on 6/25/2008 I hope you were joking about running. You never run from a bear. They say the best thing to do is to stand tall spread your arms and yell like hell. We see a lot of bears around here, but I always have my dog with me :)

[coachmac4]

on 6/25/2008 We actually had a sighting this week of a Black Bear in North Missouri! Unbelievable! You bet I would use a telephoto lens--but better yet--I would run!

[gpcs]

on 5/14/2008 I'm treated to an occasional quick bear sighting when I travel north to New Hampshire and Maine - but nothing beats the trip I took to Alaska where I got to see dozens of them in one sighting chowing down on salmon! Got to see two grizzlies, too - way off in the distance.
-George