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Bear Portraits
A top celebrity portrait photographer, Jill Greenberg has a unique ability to coax powerful emotions out of her subjects - whether human or animal. Her portraits of bears, collected here for the first time, surprise and engage. We encounter cubs as cute as a child's Teddy, grizzlies that look like they might swallow you whole, and Polar bears seated in Sphinx-like tranquility. Full-grown brown bears, grizzlies, black bears, Polar bears, and bear cubs are photographed on location against a portrait backdrop. The poses and facial expressions are at turns oddly comedic, pensive, terrifying, and sometimes unexpectedly human. Alive with Greenberg's signature lighting and seen through the unique perspective of her lens, these startling bear portraits bring us face to face with our fears and fantasies.
104 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 13, 2018
Oh, like I wasn't going to love this book!
Akin to her previous book, Monkey Portraits, Greenburg set out to photograph "wild" animals in a studio setting. Here, she presents some working bears: actual celebrities with credits ranging from The Tonight Show appearances to feature films like Anchorman and Brokeback Mountain.
While the photos are not as soulful as the pix in Monkey Portraits, the detail is just as astonishing - the fur, the teeth, the massive paws with pointy claws.
Bears can be simple, sometimes savage animals, but they have as much right to survival on this planet as we do. They are magnificent creatures of immense power, emotion, and beauty. My images seek to capture the awe that they inspire. - Jill Greenburg
Akin to her previous book, Monkey Portraits, Greenburg set out to photograph "wild" animals in a studio setting. Here, she presents some working bears: actual celebrities with credits ranging from The Tonight Show appearances to feature films like Anchorman and Brokeback Mountain.
While the photos are not as soulful as the pix in Monkey Portraits, the detail is just as astonishing - the fur, the teeth, the massive paws with pointy claws.
Bears can be simple, sometimes savage animals, but they have as much right to survival on this planet as we do. They are magnificent creatures of immense power, emotion, and beauty. My images seek to capture the awe that they inspire. - Jill Greenburg
August 2, 2021
Wonderful photos!
Bear Portraits
By Jill Greenberg
These bears of all varieties, shapes, and sizes are gathered in one place for our enjoyment! Beasts that are of folklore, in children's tales, cuddle toys, some people's nightmares, and now a symbol of the world climate crisis.
The faces, oh my! Adorable faces, fierce faces, faces that seem to have human reactions! Quite the collection! Among the photos are quotes from famous people.
Really enjoyed this collection of art! Bears are not my favorite critters but I do love all animals and man has been so cruel to them. To just look at their beauty is nice and relaxing! A book for all ages!
Bear Portraits
By Jill Greenberg
These bears of all varieties, shapes, and sizes are gathered in one place for our enjoyment! Beasts that are of folklore, in children's tales, cuddle toys, some people's nightmares, and now a symbol of the world climate crisis.
The faces, oh my! Adorable faces, fierce faces, faces that seem to have human reactions! Quite the collection! Among the photos are quotes from famous people.
Really enjoyed this collection of art! Bears are not my favorite critters but I do love all animals and man has been so cruel to them. To just look at their beauty is nice and relaxing! A book for all ages!
October 20, 2020
Quick very enjoyable diversion- bears bears BEARS!
August 14, 2020
Cool but
The thing I did not realize until I read the intro is these bears aren't remotely wild. Most of them have film credits. Some of the closeups on the bear movie stars were great. However the whole compliment with some badly chosen quotes... Just wasn't magic. I kept waiting for artistic point that never came.
The thing I did not realize until I read the intro is these bears aren't remotely wild. Most of them have film credits. Some of the closeups on the bear movie stars were great. However the whole compliment with some badly chosen quotes... Just wasn't magic. I kept waiting for artistic point that never came.
December 31, 2024
"I was surprised to discover that the bears didn't look alive or real in the pictures. I don't think I had ever seen such a close-up, artificially lit bear picture; it was amazing to be able to examine the details of each bear's face and even the teeth inside their mouths. Usually when you are that close to a bear's mouth it's the last thing you see."
This book is exactly what it advertises itself to be - a bunch of bear portraits. This should be exactly up my alley, but something fell flat. Perhaps I wanted something more "wild"? As it turns out, Greenberg is not a bear whisperer that managed to get shockingly clear shots of wild bears. The (slightly boring) reality is that all of these bears are trained and have movie credits. There are also bear quotes interspersed throughout this book that weirdly took me out of the reading experience (for example, "How does one kill fear, I wonder?" - Joseph Conrad).
All of my gripes aside, Greenberg did deliver on the promise of bear portraits. I just wanted something more. For bear photography that is a little more colorful (and imo interesting), check out the work of Martin Gregus.
June 12, 2021
I don't know how to rate this. I'm not a photographer. The choice to photograph animals indoors makes for some uncanny looking photos. Perhaps it makes the bears look more like humans. I watched the movie Beartrek, perused these photos, and attempted to draw one of the bears. My drawing was abysmal, but the whole process was enjoyable, and I kinda already liked bears, but I like them even more now.
February 27, 2019
Beautifully photographed photos of bears that even show small, fine details and individual strands of fur clearly and excellently. Wonderful work!
December 14, 2020
Great book for photographers
August 1, 2022
The author is a talented photographer, but the unrelenting sameness of the subject matter grows wearying after a while.
December 1, 2009
At the bear minimum, I would have to say that this book is genius.
- Ashton Kutcher, actor/producer
This is not your father's book of bear photos.
- Seth MacFarlane, Actor, Comedian, creator of The Family Guy
Bear Portraits
Ever since I was a child, I've been fascinated by "wild animals." Bears were among my special favorites. But the images that I had of bears were from wild life shows - usually grizzlies catching fish with their paws or koola bears in trees, pandas surrounded by bamboo in a zoo or polar bears on ice - or from cartoons. Even the live bears that I'd peered at in zoos were some distance away. Jill Greenberg's Bear Portraits gives the unique opportunity to study bears' faces at close range.
In Bear Portraits, Jill Greenberg shares photos of 12 very different bears - a Polar Bear, a European Brown Bear, a Russian Brown Bear, several Kodiak Bears, a Grizzly Bear, a Black Bear. All these bears had been raised in captivity and learned to view their owners as their family. The bears were accustomed to people and filming. These deadly bears were able to sit, stand and growl silently on cue. The close shots and artificial lighting gives us a chance to see close up the different faces of these amazing bears.
These are the twelve bears that you'll meet in Jill Greenberg's Bear Portraits:
(1) Agee, a polar bear weighing 800 pounds at a height of 7 feet whose credits include Mystery, Alaska, and Out Cold;
(2) Ali Oop, a Kodiak Bear weighing 1,400 pounds at a height of over 8 feet whose credits include Grizzly Falls, Wild America, Dr. Doolittle 2, and The Last Trapper;
(3) Amos, a 4 month old European Brown Bear weighing 40 pounds and had been on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno;
(4) Barney, a Kodiak Bear weighing 1,000 pounds at a height of 7.5 feet whose credits include Anchorman, Grizzly Falls and Shoebox Zoo;
(5) Betty, a Kodiak Bear weighing 1,000 pounds at a height of 7 feet and whose credits include Dr. Doolittle 2 and Anchorman;
(6) Bonkers, a Black Bear weighing 600 pounds at a height of over 6 feet and whose credits include Brokeback Mountain, The Sopranos, Gentle Ben 1 & 2;
(7) Brett, a Black Bear cub, weighing 12 pounds at a height of 1 foot on all fours and 30 inches on his hind legs;
(8) Cheyenne, a Russian Brown Bear weighing 180 pounds at a height of 5 feet whose credits include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen DeGeneres Show;
(9) Koda, a Grizzly Bear weighing 1,600 pounds at a height of 9 feet and whose credits included Grizzly Rage, Snow Dogs, Kevin of the North, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer;
(10) Max, a Black Bear weighing over 400 pounds at a height of six feet and whose credits include Tin Man, Dead Like Me, Dreamcatcher, and Animal Miracles;
(11) Ursula, a Kodiak Bear weighing 850 pounds at a height of 7 feet and whose credits include Anchorman, True Heart, Grizzly Falls, Wild America; and
(12) Whopper, a Kodiak Bear, weighing 1,000 pounds at a height of 7 feet and whose credits include Air Bud 2, Grizzly Falls, Anchorman, Return to Grizzly Mountain and The Last Trapper.
Bear Portraits is a fascinating book of photographs that will surely bring much enjoyment to children and adults alike.
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (November 3, 2009), 104 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
- Ashton Kutcher, actor/producer
This is not your father's book of bear photos.
- Seth MacFarlane, Actor, Comedian, creator of The Family Guy
Bear Portraits
Ever since I was a child, I've been fascinated by "wild animals." Bears were among my special favorites. But the images that I had of bears were from wild life shows - usually grizzlies catching fish with their paws or koola bears in trees, pandas surrounded by bamboo in a zoo or polar bears on ice - or from cartoons. Even the live bears that I'd peered at in zoos were some distance away. Jill Greenberg's Bear Portraits gives the unique opportunity to study bears' faces at close range.
In Bear Portraits, Jill Greenberg shares photos of 12 very different bears - a Polar Bear, a European Brown Bear, a Russian Brown Bear, several Kodiak Bears, a Grizzly Bear, a Black Bear. All these bears had been raised in captivity and learned to view their owners as their family. The bears were accustomed to people and filming. These deadly bears were able to sit, stand and growl silently on cue. The close shots and artificial lighting gives us a chance to see close up the different faces of these amazing bears.
These are the twelve bears that you'll meet in Jill Greenberg's Bear Portraits:
(1) Agee, a polar bear weighing 800 pounds at a height of 7 feet whose credits include Mystery, Alaska, and Out Cold;
(2) Ali Oop, a Kodiak Bear weighing 1,400 pounds at a height of over 8 feet whose credits include Grizzly Falls, Wild America, Dr. Doolittle 2, and The Last Trapper;
(3) Amos, a 4 month old European Brown Bear weighing 40 pounds and had been on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno;
(4) Barney, a Kodiak Bear weighing 1,000 pounds at a height of 7.5 feet whose credits include Anchorman, Grizzly Falls and Shoebox Zoo;
(5) Betty, a Kodiak Bear weighing 1,000 pounds at a height of 7 feet and whose credits include Dr. Doolittle 2 and Anchorman;
(6) Bonkers, a Black Bear weighing 600 pounds at a height of over 6 feet and whose credits include Brokeback Mountain, The Sopranos, Gentle Ben 1 & 2;
(7) Brett, a Black Bear cub, weighing 12 pounds at a height of 1 foot on all fours and 30 inches on his hind legs;
(8) Cheyenne, a Russian Brown Bear weighing 180 pounds at a height of 5 feet whose credits include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen DeGeneres Show;
(9) Koda, a Grizzly Bear weighing 1,600 pounds at a height of 9 feet and whose credits included Grizzly Rage, Snow Dogs, Kevin of the North, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer;
(10) Max, a Black Bear weighing over 400 pounds at a height of six feet and whose credits include Tin Man, Dead Like Me, Dreamcatcher, and Animal Miracles;
(11) Ursula, a Kodiak Bear weighing 850 pounds at a height of 7 feet and whose credits include Anchorman, True Heart, Grizzly Falls, Wild America; and
(12) Whopper, a Kodiak Bear, weighing 1,000 pounds at a height of 7 feet and whose credits include Air Bud 2, Grizzly Falls, Anchorman, Return to Grizzly Mountain and The Last Trapper.
Bear Portraits is a fascinating book of photographs that will surely bring much enjoyment to children and adults alike.
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (November 3, 2009), 104 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
December 19, 2009
Jill Greenburg usually takes photographs of famous celebrities. However, she agreed to do several shoots for an Animal Planet Campain and decided to publish some of the photos. First she published Monkey Portraits and now, Bear Portraits.
The book includes potraits of black , Kodiak, brown, a Russian brown, and a Polar bear. The bears that she worked with were trained, so she was able to work up close to them.
Many of the portraits look more like... Will Somers starts out with a dull life in the country on the family farm. Even his family admits that he doesn't make a good farmer. That doesn't leave him with any real options, until an option lands in his lap.
Will is one of the few lucky country children that had an education. He is given to a merchant, Richard Fermer , to work for. He has a good head for numbers and he must do the books and take inventory. He is good at what he does, but it bores him. The one shining light in hi...more Will Somers starts out with a dull life in the country on the family farm. Even his family admits that he doesn't make a good farmer. That doesn't leave him with any real options, until an option lands in his lap.
Will is one of the few lucky country children that had an education. He is given to a merchant, Richard Fermer , to work for. He has a good head for numbers and he must do the books and take inventory. He is good at what he does, but it bores him. The one shining light in his new life is Joanna, Master Fermer's daughter. He knows that it would not be possible to marry her, yet he dreams of a life with her.
Please read the rest of my review here: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/12...
The book includes potraits of black , Kodiak, brown, a Russian brown, and a Polar bear. The bears that she worked with were trained, so she was able to work up close to them.
Many of the portraits look more like... Will Somers starts out with a dull life in the country on the family farm. Even his family admits that he doesn't make a good farmer. That doesn't leave him with any real options, until an option lands in his lap.
Will is one of the few lucky country children that had an education. He is given to a merchant, Richard Fermer , to work for. He has a good head for numbers and he must do the books and take inventory. He is good at what he does, but it bores him. The one shining light in hi...more Will Somers starts out with a dull life in the country on the family farm. Even his family admits that he doesn't make a good farmer. That doesn't leave him with any real options, until an option lands in his lap.
Will is one of the few lucky country children that had an education. He is given to a merchant, Richard Fermer , to work for. He has a good head for numbers and he must do the books and take inventory. He is good at what he does, but it bores him. The one shining light in his new life is Joanna, Master Fermer's daughter. He knows that it would not be possible to marry her, yet he dreams of a life with her.
Please read the rest of my review here: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/12...
September 19, 2017
I once met a polar bear up close and personal, he was much taller than I ever imagined. It was amazing. This book reminds me of that. Beautiful photography of awesome creatures. But in really unnatural ways. This book isn't nature photography. This is posed studio photography of trained bears. Sometimes the poses are a bit goofy (trying to bring out emotions), but overall I love the collection.
November 12, 2009
Bear Portraits by Jill Greenberg captures trained bears in unbelievable poses. The stars of the book are: Agee, polar bear; Ali Oop, Kodiak; Amos, European Brown Bear Cub; Barney, Kodiak; Betty, Kodiak; Bonkers, Black Bear; Brett, Black Bear; Cheyenne, Russian Brown Bear; Koda, Grizzly; Max, Black Bear; Ursula, Kodiak; and Whopper, Kodiak. Page after extraordinary page of this remarkable book features bears as never seen before.
Each portrait demonstrates that bears “are magnificent creatures of immense power, emotion and beauty.” Some bears are caught in reflection, while others enjoy “cutting up” for the camera. Some bears are depicted in full fury, while others appear to be gentle giants. Some bears are shot so close that one can check the bear’s teeth for cavities! And the baby photos of Amos the 40 pound brown bear cub are irresistible!
Greenberg declares that “bears can be simple, sometimes savage animals, but they have as much right to survival on this planet as we do.” Thanks to the arresting images in Bear Portraits many will be inclined to agree!
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (November 3, 2009), 104 pages
Advance review copy provided courtesy of the publisher.
Each portrait demonstrates that bears “are magnificent creatures of immense power, emotion and beauty.” Some bears are caught in reflection, while others enjoy “cutting up” for the camera. Some bears are depicted in full fury, while others appear to be gentle giants. Some bears are shot so close that one can check the bear’s teeth for cavities! And the baby photos of Amos the 40 pound brown bear cub are irresistible!
Greenberg declares that “bears can be simple, sometimes savage animals, but they have as much right to survival on this planet as we do.” Thanks to the arresting images in Bear Portraits many will be inclined to agree!
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (November 3, 2009), 104 pages
Advance review copy provided courtesy of the publisher.
June 21, 2013
Jill Greenberg has an amazing talent!!
Bear Portraits is chock-full of bears; grizzly bears, Kodiak bears, Black bears, Polar bears. Some are scary to look at. Imagine over seven feet tall and over one thousand pounds standing up and growling at you - whoa! Others are really adorable, bear cubs with big eyes or acting bashful.
Alot of the portraits have the bear showing some sort of emotion, winking, smiling, waving. There is one particular photo that shows the inside of the bears mouth, definitely creepy. Most of the portraits are up close and personal which is amazing as you don't have to go to the zoo, just pick up this beautiful book!
Scattered through-out the book are quotes by many that will just bring a smile to your face. "Let the bears pay the bear tax. I pay the Homer tax." Homer Simpson This quote is next to a portrait of a bear with his eyes turned toward the sky. Also, in the back of the book, each bear that was photographed is listed, and you would be amazed how many are in the movies!
Beautifully printed and bound, Bear Portraits would make an exceptional coffee table book, a conversation piece, or a lovely gift. Absolutely captivating!
Bear Portraits is chock-full of bears; grizzly bears, Kodiak bears, Black bears, Polar bears. Some are scary to look at. Imagine over seven feet tall and over one thousand pounds standing up and growling at you - whoa! Others are really adorable, bear cubs with big eyes or acting bashful.
Alot of the portraits have the bear showing some sort of emotion, winking, smiling, waving. There is one particular photo that shows the inside of the bears mouth, definitely creepy. Most of the portraits are up close and personal which is amazing as you don't have to go to the zoo, just pick up this beautiful book!
Scattered through-out the book are quotes by many that will just bring a smile to your face. "Let the bears pay the bear tax. I pay the Homer tax." Homer Simpson This quote is next to a portrait of a bear with his eyes turned toward the sky. Also, in the back of the book, each bear that was photographed is listed, and you would be amazed how many are in the movies!
Beautifully printed and bound, Bear Portraits would make an exceptional coffee table book, a conversation piece, or a lovely gift. Absolutely captivating!
January 24, 2011
What a beautiful collection of bear photographs. Many of them look fake, or painted, but they are all real live bears.
In one portrait you see a bear all cuddly and calm - playful even. But the next photo shows one up on his hind legs with their mouth open in what you can only imagine is a ferocious growl.
The following bears are in the photos: Polar bear, Kodiak, European Brown Bear, Black Bear, Russian Brown Bear and Grizzly. There is a cute Who's Who at the end of the book with names and facts of all the bears that were photographed. Interspersed very few pages are also quotes - my favorite being by Christopher Robin - "Silly old bear."
Monkey Portraits is another book available from Jill Greenberg. I will be on the look out for this one as I collected monkey stuffed animals and figurines growing up. While I only have a few stuffed animals left, which I have passed down to my children, I am still fascinated by them. (monkeys - not stuffed animals!)
In one portrait you see a bear all cuddly and calm - playful even. But the next photo shows one up on his hind legs with their mouth open in what you can only imagine is a ferocious growl.
The following bears are in the photos: Polar bear, Kodiak, European Brown Bear, Black Bear, Russian Brown Bear and Grizzly. There is a cute Who's Who at the end of the book with names and facts of all the bears that were photographed. Interspersed very few pages are also quotes - my favorite being by Christopher Robin - "Silly old bear."
Monkey Portraits is another book available from Jill Greenberg. I will be on the look out for this one as I collected monkey stuffed animals and figurines growing up. While I only have a few stuffed animals left, which I have passed down to my children, I am still fascinated by them. (monkeys - not stuffed animals!)
December 7, 2009
I LOVE THIS BOOK... she includes each bear’s bio in the back. The book has an introduction where Ms. Greenberg talks about her experience working with the bears, then the rest of the book is devoted to the bear portraits, with various quotes sprinkled about...
Ms. Greenberg is skilled with bringing out a human-like quality in the bears, while also including photos that remind you that these are fierce animals who you would not want to encounter in the wild, nor attempt to own as a pet...The portraits are gorgeous, and it is as if you can almost stroke their fur right on the page.
This is a book I will return to again and again to admire the animals and Ms. Greenberg’s skill. It will be enjoyed by all ages – anyone who is fond of animals and the art of portraits.
My full review is at http://dogearedandwellread.wordpress....
Ms. Greenberg is skilled with bringing out a human-like quality in the bears, while also including photos that remind you that these are fierce animals who you would not want to encounter in the wild, nor attempt to own as a pet...The portraits are gorgeous, and it is as if you can almost stroke their fur right on the page.
This is a book I will return to again and again to admire the animals and Ms. Greenberg’s skill. It will be enjoyed by all ages – anyone who is fond of animals and the art of portraits.
My full review is at http://dogearedandwellread.wordpress....
November 29, 2009
This is my first review of an art book and Bear Portraits is a beautiful book that I am honored to have the opportunity to review. It will hold a place of prominence in my home through the holidays. The striking portraits of bears in such an odd backdrop are sure to lure my visitors into conversation. Each photograph of of a bear in front of your typical portrait backdrop. It is as if Greenberg is trying to tell us something about human interference the domestication of wild beasts. In the introduction Greenberg tells us how she was able to photograph each of the bears portrayed. Some are famous for their work in well known movies or television shows. Through the photos you can see clearly the fierceness they each still hold and the caution that they must be dealt with.
March 4, 2010
This picture book is amazing. Real live Bears in front of a white background and photographer. So special each and everyone of them. I all so loved that they give a discription of each bear. Most have worked in movie and tv shows before. Great table top bool.
November 25, 2009
For me, the bears lose some of their awesomeness by being taken out of nature, but that’s just me. They’re a little too clean here, too perfect.
Read
December 31, 2009The library had "Monkey Portraits" so we got that one instead.
August 4, 2011
These are pretty amazing. The bears don't even look real in some of them. I still like Monkey Portraits the best for facial expressiveness, though. :)
July 14, 2011
Enchanting, but not as endearing as the Monkey Portraits.
April 25, 2014
Beautiful lighting!
December 4, 2018
It's just pictures of bears but they are cute.
September 29, 2016
4.5 stars. Beautiful.
October 9, 2016
What a breathtaking collection of bear photographs. Humorous and unique, this book explores the majesty of bears.
Read
November 23, 2018Bears being awesome
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews