Polar Bears as Photographic Subjects

Male polar bears may weigh in excess of 1,500 pounds with a length of ten feet. They are the largest member of the bear family with the brown bears of Kodiak Island, Alaska coming in second.

Polar bears can survive the harsh cold of their arctic environment due to a coat of hair that can be 1-2 inches thick and a layer of blubber up to 4 inches thick under their coats. They have a keen sense of smell and can locate seals far away even through thick ice.

Their favorite meal by far is the ringed seal. See the National Geographic video below which captured footage of a polar bear taking a seal as it came up for air through a hole in the ice. This is one method they use for hunting and they will also stalk seals as they rest on the ice floes.

Where to Find Polar Bears

Polar bears exist in the regions of the Arctic in territories belonging to Canada, Alaska, Russia, Norway, and Greenland. Click this link: Map of Polar Bear Populations for a map of where they call home.

There are 19 or 20 distinct populations of polar bears and contrary to many sources some populations are actually increasing in numbers. The majority of the scientific community is not in agreement with the global warming theories espoused by “Doctor” Al Gore. In fact a quick search of the internet will reveal many articles opposing his theory. A search will also reveal the studies mentioning certain segments with population increases of polar bears and the reasons behind the increases.

One of the best places to capture photos of polar bears is in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada located on the Hudson Bay. Also known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”. The bay begins to freeze earliest in the season near Churchill and the bears gather here waiting for the bay to start freezing over. The gathering and viewing period is short from about mid-October to mid-November. The ice floes are good hunting grounds for their favorite menu item, the ringed seal, and the bears are famished from their limited summer food supply. Some even fast for a period of several months. Pregnant females will hibernate.

Access to Churchill is either by train or plane. No roads lead to Churchill. Churchill is about 600 air miles from Winnipeg, Canada. The train ride from Winnipeg to Churchill typically takes 36-40 hours depending on track conditions.

Tourism is Churchill’s biggest industry. There are many places to lodge here as a consequence and tour companies call Churchill home as well. You can arrange a tour with one of these companies to see the polar bears from the safety of a large vehicle called a tundra buggy. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Click this link: Tundra Biggy Tours to see what a buggy looks like. There is a 3D picture of one model that illustrates the exterior and interior views.

As you can see it is elevated and has huge tires. These vehicles will venture onto the ice and are driven to where the bears are active. Note that the 3D view shows the entrance ladder extended. I’m sure this is just for the purpose of illustrating vehicle access. It should be raised while on tour. Polar bears can be very dangerous.

You should not hang your hands and arms outside vehicle windows while on tour. A swipe from a polar bear’s paw can easily sever your arm. Use precautions when in town as well. The bears will venture into town at times. The town has an alarm system to warn residents of “wayward” bears. Encounters can be deadly, but very few deaths have occurred over the years.

There are many lodges in town, but the ultimate experience is to stay at the Tundra Buggy Lodge. Check this link: Tundra Buggy Lodge for details. The lodge is mobile and setup out on the ice every year. It accommodates few people so advanced reservations are necessary. You can sleep and dine here plus have round the clock access to the bears.

Let’s Talk About Photograph Issues of the Bear and Its Environs

You can bet your bippy it will be cold during the bear gathering, so bring winter clothing to suit the often sub-freezing temperatures. Count on it getting cold in the vehicles as well since windows will be open often. Plus you may want to venture out onto the outside vehicle platform to brave the cold with your tripod. Keep those body parts away from the platform perimeter and well inside the confines of the platform. Remember many adults are ten feet in length and can stand on their hind legs.

The bears will be white in color to a cream or yellowish color. The cream and yellow color is caused by either solar oxidation or oil stains from seal blubber. Consequently with the snow you will be dealing with white on white or near white. To avoid gray looking coats you will need to open up your aperture by 1-2 stops from metered exposure, but bracket to be safe. If you are a digital camera owner check the results on your LCD monitor screen then bracket accordingly.

Bring extra batteries and keep them warm. The cold can render them useless. Keep them inside jacket or clothing pockets next to your body or employ some chemical hand warmers inside your pockets too.

Have telephoto and wide angle lenses handy for distance and close-up shots. The bears often come right up to the vehicles. You will need a wide angle lens then, but this will give a less than natural look since you will be looking down on the bear. For a more natural look use your telephoto lens when the bear is further away so the photo will appear closer to eye level.

Also be mindful of tundra buggy tracks in your viewfinder if you want to keep man made impressions out of the photo. A bean bag or window mount for your camera will come in handy. Remember what I said about the windows being open, for this reason and a clearer view is why you may feel like you are in an icebox for some of the tour. It should be invigorating!

You will also want a good pair of gloves especially if you attempt shooting outside from the vehicle platform. You will need tactile sense so also have a pair of very thin insulated gloves or fingerless gloves handy for when you start shooting and setting controls. There are fingerless gloves available with a covering that insulates your fingers like a mitten which can be flipped back to expose your fingers when you are ready. Look up “convertible mittens” when shopping for them.

Watch for sparring between two bears. This is a term for play fighting that bears use to develop skills needed to survive. It is also used by male bears to show dominance over another bear. Typically sparring will be done on overcast days since these days tend to be cooler which makes it more tolerant for the bears.

Other wildlife you may see includes arctic foxes, snowy owls, and ptarmigan. The aurora borealis is also viewable in Churchill during this time of year.

So, if you want a good chance to photograph polar bears head to Churchill, Manitoba from around mid-October through mid-November.

authored by Lon Britton