Images from a Parksville wildlife photographer, who snapped photos of a pair of grizzly bears locked in a fierce battle, are garnering international media attention.
Wayne Duke鈥檚 photos recently caught the eye of the in Britain.
Duke, a regular contributor to the PQB News, captured the surly bruins growling at each other with their menacing teeth bared while in the Tahumming River in Toba Inlet.
He and four of his photographer friends chartered a boat from Campbell River for a day for the sole purpose of photographing grizzlies.
鈥淚 happened to come across a situation where two of them decided to do a little territorial dispute in the water,鈥� Duke said. 鈥淚 had some action shots of the two bears carrying on.鈥�
The retired firefighter deals with a United Kingdom-based photo agency, which provides materials for publication in various newspapers, tabloids and magazines, including the Daily Mail.
鈥淭o witness the speed and sound of these two male grizzlies confronting each other over the best fishing spot for spawning salmon was incredible and breathtaking, even for a wildlife photographer,鈥� said Duke.
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Grizzly bears are just one of the many wildlife creatures that Duke focuses on. His subjects include orcas, sea lions, foxes, mandarin and female wood ducks and more.
鈥淭hose are a few things that I am presently working on,鈥� said Duke.
His passion for photographing wildlife has led him around the world to locations including Africa, Mexico and Europe.
鈥淲hen an opportunity presents itself and I can do it, I will try to capture any wildlife that jumps in front of my lenses,鈥� said Duke, a self-taught photographer.
Depending on where he goes, he said the quest is always exciting but there are also potential perils.
鈥淵ou should know or have some sort of an idea of what you鈥檙e getting yourself into,鈥� said Duke. 鈥淎lways have a safe route in and out and know the animals you鈥檙e dealing with. There鈥檚 nothing that says their habits can鈥檛 change instantly. You have to be aware especially when the bears are feeding in the fall. A lot of the times they鈥檙e more concern about filling their bellies than they are with people. But things can happen if you are in the wrong spot.鈥�
Duke said photographing wildlife is not as simple as lining subjects up for the desired shot.
鈥淣o wildlife just does what it wants to do,鈥� said Duke. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e lucky enough to catch a moment, then consider yourself fortunate.鈥�
Aside from worrying about the subjects Duke aims to capture, he too has to worry about lighting conditions and the necessary adjustments he must make.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what photography is about, light,鈥� said Duke. 鈥淪o what your eye sees is what your camera sees. I don鈥檛 care how big or how good the lens you have. If it鈥檚 dark, it鈥檚 dark.鈥�
Duke said learning how to use the equipment also helps. He advises taking a few of shots and then stopping to check your camera settings.
鈥淵ou may lose a couple of photos but it鈥檚 always good to know what your settings are and that they are sufficient that you can continue,鈥� said Duke. 鈥淥therwise you鈥檇 end up with stuff that鈥檚 garbage.鈥�
Duke said he has been fortunate over the years to have been able to purchase some of the best photography equipment available and calls it a worthwhile investment.
鈥淚t makes a difference, trust me,鈥� said Duke. 鈥淚 have looked at my photos that were taken before I bought my professional Nikon lens. I compared the photos after that. I was shooting myself in the pants for not buying the lens sooner than when I did.鈥�
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