Positioning bear and hunter for photo
Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: Paul@thefort
26-Mar-17
Show me pictures the VERY BEST way to position bear and hunter for a GREAT photo.
I know positioning a bear for a GREAT photo seems to be a hard thing to do based on the many SO_SO pictures I have seen .ie, over a rock, a stick under their head, in the back of a truck, hanging my their neck, flat on the ground, etc.
Show the very best. Maybe we can all learn something here. Thanks, Paul
From: Charlie Rehor
26-Mar-17
Here is one where I used a 20 inch diameter, 5 inch thick chain sawed log to prop up the shoulder. Every trophy picture evolves in the setting which is a big part of the fun.
Also check out Mike Ukrainetz's annual bear thread on the bear forum as he takes terrific trophy photos.
From: Charlie Rehor
26-Mar-17
Here's' another bear from 2013!
From: Ken Taylor
26-Mar-17
I always like to be in contact with the bear somehow to show it in a less exaggerated but still impressive pose. It usually takes several pictures to get one you like.
Example: I have only one picture taken in recent years that I really don't like and that is of a brown bear. Even though I had my hand on the bears back the photographer failed to show it... and now it looks like one of those "hello there from way back" pictures.
From: Drnaln
26-Mar-17
From: Nick Muche
26-Mar-17
Few of my favorites...
From: PECO
26-Mar-17
What NOT to do!
From: t-roy
26-Mar-17
I always like the ones with the tag pinned through his nose.
From: elkmtngear
26-Mar-17
Those are all nicely composed, Nick. Congrats.
From: spike buck
26-Mar-17
I agree Troy, but what can you do when you have to tag your bear immediately at the kill site.
Nose is only place you can tag a bear.
From: t-roy
26-Mar-17
That does suck Chris. Just curious, is that the only legal spot that the tag can be attached?
From: kota-man
26-Mar-17
2016 Manitoba
2016 Manitoba
Here's a couple of mine that turned out decent...
From: kota-man
26-Mar-17
RIP Roy Roth
RIP Roy Roth
Another...
From: Blacktail Bob
26-Mar-17
Nice photos. I like to put the bow behind the animal not in front. It places more of the emphasis on the animal and less on the bow. Not necessarily the only way, but just something I've thought helps my photos.
From: MTNRCHR
26-Mar-17
From: Mike the Carpenter
26-Mar-17
Place a hand on the bear so all can know you're not 3-50 feet behind the bear in an attempt to make it look bigger. It's a bear, you killed it with a bow, it's a TROPHY!!! Get close and make it personal, just like bowhunting should be, so should the pictures.
From: MTNRCHR
26-Mar-17
I usually take a lot of pics and get 3-4 I really like. Getting on the same level as the animal makes for a better pic IMOA.
From: Brotsky
26-Mar-17
I like this one best but I'm biased:)
From: Forest bows
26-Mar-17
From: Forest bows
26-Mar-17
From: woodguy65
26-Mar-17
From: woodguy65
26-Mar-17
From: woodguy65
26-Mar-17
From: Chris S
26-Mar-17
In response to spike buck about having to tag through nose right away the outfit I killed a couple with in Ontario put the tag through the nose with black twine and left it about 5 inhes long. When it came time for pics we would fold tag in half long way and slide it up into the corner of mouth along the teeth and the cheek would secrete it. You never knew the tag was there in the photo u less you really looked hard. I'll try to dig up a couple pics on laptop.
From: The last savage
26-Mar-17
Great pics to all!!! Kota. Tha snow pic is great,!!!l
From: Canuck
26-Mar-17
Bear Pose
Bear Pose
Here is one that Charlie Rehor took of me years ago. And he did it with a cell phone. Hurry June in NB!!!
From: spike buck
26-Mar-17
This is one way to hide the tag as Chriss posted above. 8 inch string. Bears chin is laying on tag.
When our hunters tags a bear, he usually puts the tag tight to the nose. When I tag the bear for the hunter, I always use a long string or twine.
From: Paul@thefort
26-Mar-17
Here is a self photo of the only bear I killed here in Colorado, and I called him in using a predator call.
From: carcus
26-Mar-17
Bears are tough to get good pictures of, only the biggest of the big are easy, not to close not to far. Take lots of pictures, in lots of different positions. Small to medium bears are very non-impressive when on the ground dead and are very difficult to make look impressive in a picture
From: skull
26-Mar-17
This is the way I like it
From: skinner creek
26-Mar-17
Carcus the reason is that they are not that impressive. I doesn't mean a person can't be happy with their trophy. I prefer side shot with their hand on the bear to show people it is not an unrealistic picture we see so much of.
From: midwest
26-Mar-17
Not the first to have a bear pic taken on this stump. I only wished I had cleaned up the nose a little more. It bothers me but I'm sure I could get it photo shopped out.
From: jmail20
26-Mar-17
From: Nick Muche
26-Mar-17
That looks like a great bear JMail!! I like that pose too, really shows off his size.
Bears in the snow are my favorite pictures, I want one of my own so bad. Almost had a chance last year but was a day too late in sitting my stand in the very early spring. There have been some nice bears on my bait early each spring and one of these years our schedules will match.
From: Bushwacker
26-Mar-17
Nice bear pictures. We're counting down the days, the end of May is almost upon us. I hope to have a picture and story of my daughter by the first of June. Can't wait. Again, awesome pictures...
From: Ambush
26-Mar-17
It helps if they die in a good spot.
It helps if they die in a good spot.
If by yourself, you take what you get. Clear some debris and set the self timer.
If by yourself, you take what you get. Clear some debris and set the self timer.
If you have friends to help it makes it easier.
From: Ambush
26-Mar-17
I like pics that show off the massiveness of the legs, paws and general body size. Heads are so deceiving.
From: Rocky D
26-Mar-17
Great pictures and some really nice bears!
From: Buffalo1
26-Mar-17
This photo simply emphasizes the size of the bear and especially the head. My hand/wrist is very small in comparison with the head.
From: Redman
26-Mar-17
Good picture Vancouver Island
From: Redman
26-Mar-17
Here is my Brown Bear
From: Redman
26-Mar-17
And one last terrible grizzly picture
From: Buffalo1
26-Mar-17
We "draped" this bear on a log. Smaller bear in size, but a beautiful brown coat.
I have been very fortunate to have killed four bears, two of which are brown in coloration.
Would love to have a blonde colored bear.
From: JDM
26-Mar-17
From: JDM
26-Mar-17
As was said, it helps to kill them near camp!
As was said, it helps to kill them near camp!
From: TD
26-Mar-17
I like any pics of anything that have a hand on em.... with a bent elbow =D..... don't care for pics standing behind the hind quarters.... but honestly I can see why many are far more impressive for those who don't know better. Some real dandies on some pics here, no doubt about it..... makes it a lot easier to get a great pic for sure.
Here's a small bear pic taken the way it was..... because there wasn't much anything on the other side of the log..... the real big one (they called him the Dahmer Bear, wasn't his first) ate him all the way up to the ribs.
If it's a small bear, it's a small bear, no need to juice em up. All good. It's well known most bear outfitter scales all start at 300 lbs.... it's all about how pretty the people are in it anyway.... =D
From: Frank Noska
27-Mar-17
I shot this Brown bear late in the evening, right before dark. I got him into position (not easily) the best I could that night, for photos the next morning. With a bear this size and hunting solo, with Riga-mortis there would have been no way for me to move him into a desirable photo position by myself that next morning. After I took photos the next morning, I was able to roll him over on his back fairly easy to start skinning.
From: Frank Noska
27-Mar-17
From: kylet
27-Mar-17
I was happy with how this one turned out.
From: carcus
27-Mar-17
I was by myself so pictures where limited, good thing he was big
From: carcus
27-Mar-17
From: carcus
27-Mar-17
From: loesshillsarcher
27-Mar-17
From: Elkhuntr
27-Mar-17
good thread. great photos and bears!
From: Paul@thefort
27-Mar-17
OK, some nice bears killed and photos taken. Some were able to preposition their bears and some were not.
1. So generally speaking, what have we learned? Hunter beside or behind the bear? Bow on top of bear, leaning off to the side, or bow with hunter or not at all? Bear broadside, head on, up side down :)?
2. And second, what would you have done differently if you could preposition the bear and your self for that GREAT PHOTO?
my best, Paul
From: APauls
27-Mar-17
With bears if you want it to look big, you have to kill a big bear. Theres no two ways around it, and big bears take care of themselves. You'll see that theme above. Really like Charlie's pic and propping up the shoulders though. Not many people do that.
From: GhostBird
27-Mar-17
From: Rob Nye
27-Mar-17
From: Rob Nye
27-Mar-17
From: Rob Nye
27-Mar-17
From: Scar Finga
27-Mar-17
OK, lots of Beautiful Bears!!
My favorite is the female Brotsky... WINNER:) The rest of you are fairly un attractive and should not be in the pictures! Just Kidding:) Probably jealousy speaking as I have not killed a bear yet.
Scar.
Frank Noska, That's the way my Bulldog sleeps in the sun!
From: Rob Nye
27-Mar-17
These bears cratered about 20 yards apart for Shannon and Perri Wheeler so it was pretty easy to get a rare double grip 'n grin.
From: Rob Nye
27-Mar-17
BTW real men don't lick their finger and run it down the head crease they actually lick the crease itself. Or better yet just don't do it. Someone said if you want to make a bear look big in photos hold out and shoot an actual big one, don't try to BS it later with some photo magic, it always just looks lame.
From: BOWUNTR
27-Mar-17
This bear died on the side of a steep hill in the crotch of this tree... Hunting solo, I didn't move him at all. Ed F
From: Nick Muche
27-Mar-17
Beautiful bear and excellent picture Ed! Spot and stalk in AZ?
From: Bigpizzaman
27-Mar-17
Like this.
From: Shrewski
27-Mar-17
Photo I took for my buddy a few years ago; he is kneeling right behind the front shoulder. Always thought it would be perfect on the cover of the P&Y magazine. Same with Ed's pic.
From: Well-Strung
27-Mar-17
I like this angle... I turned my arm/hand to show I wasn't far behind him.. only wished I put the bow in this picture.
From: Well-Strung
27-Mar-17
This pic setup is a bit different than what we usually see.
From: JW
27-Mar-17
2012 NB bear. Great bears everyone!
From: Bou'bound
27-Mar-17
one thing I have found is that if you can get the bear on a hump, mound, log, something that prevents it from "flattening" to the ground you will get a better sense of the size and depth / mass of the body
From: Bou'bound
27-Mar-17
one thing I have found is that if you can get the bear on a hump, mound, log, something that prevents it from "flattening" to the ground you will get a better sense of the size and depth / mass of the body
From: Bou'bound
27-Mar-17
one thing I have found is that if you can get the bear on a hump, mound, log, something that prevents it from "flattening" to the ground you will get a better sense of the size and depth / mass of the body
From: Bou'bound
27-Mar-17
another
From: Paul@thefort
27-Mar-17
Thanks to everyone for showing your BEST photo. After observing the pictures and comparing, To me personally, If I was to position the bear for a photo, I would not lean or place the bow on the bear but have the bow in the picture with the hunter and behind the bear. Observing these pictures, when the bow is placed on the bear, the bow becomes the main object of the picture and not the bear.
From: Ambush
27-Mar-17
I see one of the pictures above made it into the new EBJ.
From: MarkU
28-Mar-17
From years ago in SE Alaska. Like Paul says, keep the bow behind. And if it's a compound, keep it low and out of sight with maybe just the fletch showing. Don't be afraid to get up with the bear in the picture. A picture with a guys head poking up from the back forty is kind of lame.
From: primal
28-Mar-17
I am blown away at the number of quality bear kills you guys have. A spot & stalk bear hunt is on my list. Every time I see this thread I have to fight the impulsive need to throw a trip on the card!
From: Butternut40
28-Mar-17
MN Bear
MN Bear
Bear On Ground
Bear On Ground
Paul, great thread. I really don't have what I consider a good bear picture. Most of mine are self timed. The next one I will spend a bit more time trying for the perfect pic. I like Charlie's 1st one and Nick has some nice ones as well. A lot of great bears. In this one I have the bow too much center stage and I didn't take the shining sun into consideration. There was also a lot of blood on this bear.
From: No Mercy
28-Mar-17
I like to do a few different poses-depending how big the bear is and how hard to move. LOL Positioning it's head on a rock or log seems to be popular.
From: No Mercy
28-Mar-17
I also like to get as much body as you can in one pose. This was a 400 lb MN Fall bear.
From: cnelk
28-Mar-17
I did the best I could positioning the hunter and bear for a photo...
From: stick33
28-Mar-17
This one went down in some thick stuff. Did the best I could!
From: Pigsticker
28-Mar-17
I wish I had been more into staging photos back in the day I would of the Bright Orange gloves. I hardly even took pictures back then until my wife insisted that I start an album. I still suck at field shots.
From: Hugh
28-Mar-17
prop the head up slightly if you can. Take lots of photos from lots of angles, both with and without the flash.
From: Hugh
28-Mar-17
From: Hugh
28-Mar-17
From: Rob Nye
28-Mar-17
Everybody checks the chompers.
Everybody checks the chompers.
Always liked this one. Dave Butler has hunted with me a dozenish times for bear in Spring and deer in Fall. One of the most enthusiastic hunters I've ever seen and has hunted strictly with a bow for sixty-some years. Some excellent photos on this thread congrats to all.
From: Rob Nye
28-Mar-17
Bob Spina was struggling to hold up the noggin on this bruiser and he ain't even longarming it.
From: TD
29-Mar-17
Y'all make taking pics of giant bears look pretty easy....... wow.
From: sticksender
29-Mar-17
Great thread Paul.Brushing out the coat to remove the leaf litter and grass and twigs seems to help a bunch.Just my opinion but the goofing-around type poses seem a little bit callous and might be better saved for private viewing between buddies.Some impressive animals and great pictures posted here!
From: mountainman
29-Mar-17
I like photos taken at animal level, in a natural setting. Like others have said, take many more photos then you'll think you'll need.
From: Bear Track
29-Mar-17
This one is unique cause the bear bent the heck out of my ladderstand running a measly 8 yards after being shot, and all but nocking my guest out of the treestand.
From: Bear Track
29-Mar-17
I have found everyone has their own tastes in how a photo should be staged, but this is an example of my "go to" field shot my guests will get on their cameras and phones to take home. 20 years of taking field shots, I've taken some I would not be happy with today.
From: Charlie Rehor
29-Mar-17
I always have a heavy duty, wide toothed, plastic comb to brush out hair, burrs and even some blood. Bottle of water and a handkerchief to clean up blood. It is really up to the hunter and circumstances to determine what is good for you. I didn't mess around much at all years ago but now it's really a fun part of the post hunt for me. Cell phones are so good now photos become an easy to do. Is it bear time YET!!!!
The animal MUST be out of the sun. It is very difficult if sun is even partly in the photo.
From: bigeasygator
29-Mar-17
From: TravisScott
29-Mar-17
Great pictures and bears on this thread. Positioning wise I learned from this picture that it looks awkward to have the person sitting lower than the bear. This is a picture of my dad with his Idaho bear and he was kneeling in a depression behind the bear and didn't realize it looked so strange at the time. I do like expression pictures. I was able to catch him when he was just staring at the bear smiling. If you are taking pictures of someone I recommend trying to get some emotion when the person isn't expecting it. It's tough to do (especially if you are terrible with a camera like me) and not always possible but it make for a great captured memory.
From: Rock
30-Mar-17
Alaskan brown Bear
Alaskan brown Bear
Too much shading on my face.
From: Ibow
30-Mar-17
Rock - I remember your pic from another thread. Awesome picture and bear. And to do it with a recurve. Terrific.
From: sticksender
31-Mar-17
Rock, that's what photoshop is for ;-)
From: Rock
31-Mar-17
sticksender, first you need to have photoshop then you need to know how to use it. I would rather spend my time chasin critters than sit in front of computer. :-)
From: sticksender
31-Mar-17
Yer welcome....lol!
From: bud
31-Mar-17
Loving this thread. Y,all take some awesome pictures. Picked up a few tips I filed away. Keep it coming.
From: Bear
04-Apr-17
From: Bear
04-Apr-17
Well Strung we must think alike
From: 160andup
16-May-18
Put this back up to the top for a refresher of what some nice bear pics look like as everyone starts to get after them...
From: TSI
17-May-18
Here’s a picture of a 503lb 21 inch plus 2017 bear you might remember Paul.
From: APauls
17-May-18
Unlike deer and fish, you can't photographically make a bear look bigger than he is. (tastefully) If you want a picture with a bear that looks like a slob, than you need to shoot a slob bear.
With whitetails etc you can make a picture appreciate every inch of size the animal has. I'm not talking about the ridiculous photos we've all seen where the nose is wetting the lens. You can tastefully take a pic of a deer and make it look all of the size it is maybe plus some. Bears are different. If it isn't big, it just plain won't look like it. And that's OK. Don't try and make it something it isn't.
From: Shug
17-May-18
Didn’t weigh him but certainly 300+ Pound Quebec bear from last year.
I hope to get as much in the photo as the actual bear is. Harder than ya would think without long arming it.
Putting a small log or few rocks ( not visible to camera) shows off more of the bears side and being on a slight angle adds adds the appearance of a little more length.... thank goodness for digital cameras....
From: Shug
17-May-18
Try again
From: rattling_junkie
17-May-18
Bears are definitely difficult to photograph. I try and get low with the bear, and place a hand on it, so it looks more natural than sitting 15 feet behind the animal. If you are interested examples are in my profile.
From: carcus
17-May-18
Like this
From: Ambush
17-May-18
Carcus, are you available to team with me in our annual Dwarf Tossing contest?
From: carcus
17-May-18
Always show off the crease
From: APauls
17-May-18
Jason looks like that skinhead has about 7 creases
From: Craig
24-May-18
This is awesome I’ve been struggling with picture position thanks for all the info.
