The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
During my recently-completed tour in Alaska, we were fortunate to spend a lot of time with some new brown bear cubs. There were plenty of opportunities to photograph them learning how to clam with their mothers, wresting, and exploring in general. This moment was somewhat unique, though.
The cubs here are raised near people… their mothers have spent years and years foraging and hunting under the watchful gaze of tourists, so the cubs grow pretty comfortable around humans early on. However, I’d wager that at this age (maybe six months), they haven’t seen many boats coming and going up the local estuaries. I welcomed the “man-made” element in this frame since I knew we’d probably get a reaction out of the bears, and things lined up pretty well in this case in order to tell the story.
A very cool story, Max, and an excellent image. I know you don’t like to alter your images much, but the double highlight on the boat motor really pulls my eye. I’m ambivalent about the second body of water at the top of the frame-I think it could be cropped out without making the man and boat feel too cramped.
Dennis, thanks. I think you’re making the right call with the crop suggestion. At the time I was probably focusing too much on keeping the cub balanced in the lower third of the frame, but removing the distracting blue line is likely an improvement.
(Edit: After giving it a shot, the greater concern was having the person’s head too close to the top of the frame, but it looks okay still!)
Max, I really like this. He/she is really caught up with watching the boat and human. No question what has his interest. The boat and man oof brings all the attention back to the cub. Well seen and captured.
