English
Suomi
Français
Español
Deutsch
Photographing bears and their cubs offers a unique opportunity to observe the life of a mother bear and her cubs in genuine wild nature. The movement of the litter, the alertness of the mother, and the curious and playful behaviour of the cubs make each moment visually powerful and often deeply moving.
Best Time for Photography
At the earliest, a mother bear with cubs of the same year has been seen in the area already in mid-May. In spring and early summer, sightings are less frequent, as the cubs are still very small and the mother moves cautiously, avoiding open areas due to male bears. Male bears can pose a serious threat to young cubs.
The best time to photograph bears and cubs is August and especially September, when:
-
litters move more actively and confidently
-
visits to the hide area are more regular
-
cubs have grown and move faster
-
cubs stay close to their mother, especially in early summer
-
litters move naturally across the entire area: forest, marsh, shorelines and rocks
-
in threatening situations, the mother may guide cubs to climb trees, which they do quickly and skilfully
-
the mother remains close at all times and constantly monitors the surroundings
The photography season usually continues until October 10th, so early autumn also offers excellent opportunities for successful images.
Photography Tips
-
recommended lens: 50–400 mm
-
at close range, a wide-angle lens also works very well, as the terrain is untouched and natural, providing authentic and undisturbed backgrounds for your images
-
for longer distances, lenses of 400–500 mm may be needed
-
lenses with too long focal lengths may crop out parts of the litter
-
cubs can come as close as 10 meters from the hide
Additionally:
-
use fast shutter speeds (cubs move quickly)
-
avoid changing lenses during situations
-
make full use of each visit – the litter may stay only for a short time
Important to Consider
-
a litter may appear anywhere in the area
-
movement, activity and timing vary from day to day
-
multiple nights significantly increase the chances of successful encounters
Special Photography Opportunities
-
communication between the mother and cubs is a memorable experience
-
cubs may climb trees for long periods, offering rare photo opportunities
-
from hides near the pond, it is possible to capture reflections on the water surface
-
other wildlife such as wolverine, fox and even wolf may also appear, allowing for diverse and unique images
