Little Blond Blackbear


Peeking Bear

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I think this is a second year bear cub that just got kicked out of momma’s house. It seemed to be somewhat lethargic in it’s movements and I’m hoping it hadn’t been hit by a car along with it’s mother. My wife was watching with binoculars and said it looked fine to her. This cub was hanging out near a popular trailhead at Lassen National Park in Northern California. I really don’t like OOF branches in front of the main subjects in my photos, but I liked the peek we got from behind the branches in this second one.

Specific Feedback

My main concerns are with the second shot here. Are the leaves in the BG too bright? Do the OOF branches detract too much to make this an effective image? It does seem to show how wary, yet curious this youngster was. I think it was very hungry and on the look out for any scrap of anything it could get it’s paws on.

Technical Details

  1. Canon R5, f10, 1/800 sec, iso 2500, 100-500 lens with 1.4 TC, at minimum 420 mm. Cropped to portrait from landscape.
  2. R5, f10, 1/800 sec, iso 2000, 420 mm, cropped to about 60% of original.

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Love that face! A great look at this youngster. I hope he has the skills to feed himself without a mom to guide him/her. He gave you a great pose, and your image is sharp and nicely-composed.
The greens seem a little bright, especially in the second image. You might experiment with removing some branches across the face, but they don’t bother me. That one bright eye overshadows the branches across the other eye

1 Like

Thank you @SandyR-B. I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions on this little one. Ed

Great pose & it is nicely framed !
You may tone down the greens, can experiment with darkenening the leaves.
Somehow it lacks the critical sharpness, could be due to zoom with a convertor.

Thank you @JRajput. I might try to run this through Topaz to sharpen it a bit.