Barry Cain
GRIN AND BEAR IT
Where do I begin? The last week has been a true adventure. From the minute Laurie met me at the Kodiak airport until we left the following Sunday, I felt totally supported, encouraged and also free to shoot however I might choose. When she says bring a lot of storage cards she means it. I shot 120 gigs in a week.
I now am the proud owner of waders for Alaska as well as some really robust cold-weather gear for Yellowstone in the winter. Yes, this is my second adventure with Laurie.
There is nothing like walking out onto an open field ringed by snow-capped mountains and surrounded by 5 or 6 grizzlies grazing on grass and clams. The bears don’t really seem all that large until they decide to stroll by, or lie down to take a nap about 20 feet from us. We saw a Mom spar with her two year old. Spring was in the air, so a male and a female … well you know what kind of sparring they did. In general bears spend 98% of the time eating so it’s really easy to get up close and take some amazing shots…
Nikon D4, AF-S 500mm f4 VR ISO 800 f6.7 @ 1/750
Nikon D4, AF-S 500mm f4 VR ISP 800 f5.6 @ 1/2000
In addition to bears we shot eagles, otters, various other birds, fox, hump-back whales, dall porpoise and I’m sure I’m forgetting something. The variety made it even more special…
Nikon D4, AF-S 70-200mm 2.8 VR II, TC-20E III ISO 800 f5.6 @ 1/750
Nikon D4, AF-S 500mm f4 VR ISO 200 f5.6 @ 1/1500
Our gracious hosts/guides/boat captains at the lodge were wonderful. The cabins were comfortable with a great view. The food is amazing, prepared by a gourmet chef. I’m not kidding. I should have taken pictures of our dinners…
Nikon D800, AF-S 28-300mm 3.5-5.6 VR ISO 200 f9.5 @ 1/250
The bottom line is, I made new friends, had a fantastic time, and got tons of great shots. It was a first-class trip. There’s a reason they call it an Excell-ent adventure.
Barry Cain
Barrycainphotography.com
