The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
During my Alaska brown bear tour last summer we were blessed with some nice weather during most of our stay, but toward the end some thicker fog began to roll in. This made it pretty difficult to photograph the bears, but it also gave us a good excuse to experiment a bit. I took the time to play with in-camera movement, overexposures, and other silly techniques to see what might turn out.
One positive from the gray surroundings was the fact that, with a blank slate in the sky above, the bear reflections in the shallow water were actually enhanced… allowing for a composition like this to work much more effectively than it might on a sunny morning.
I applaud your artistry and creativity in this shot. The triangles and harmony between the subject and the reflection are commendable. The crop with the bear’s belly hair pulls me in. My only recommendation is that I find myself eager to see more of the bear- maybe an eye, if possible- so that the bear is more identifiable/relatable. The creative tension is excellent, the motion balance is on point, and the reflection is the appropriate focus of the shot- very artistic. Well done.
Hi Max, very artistic rendition and I love the high key look with the recognizable reflection. For me, the amount of bear shown gives great context but also keeps me focused on the key part of the image which is the reflection. Well done.
Max, I love your explanation of why you were in the position to be creative because of the weather. The result tells the story in an “upside down” sort of way. I agree with @kaseycmueller; I want more and can’t get it, so I must stay with the story as you tell it. Very creative. By the way, I have a lot of stone reflections because of the fog in New Zealand.
Max, this is beautiful. I think seeing more of the bear would totally distract from the reflection. If the eye were visible people probably wouldn’t stop and stare… or click, for that matter
Very creative!
Grt, Ingrid.
Max, this is a fantastic piece – and I’m intimidated to even dare to suggest any changes. But truth be told, I actually think I might see too much of the bear’s legs. They keep pulling my eye up to the edge of the photo, and then seeing Bear’s nose and legs cut off right there is kind of jarring and distracting. What would you think about cropping the image just a bit, so that almost nothing but the feet and maybe an ankle or two show at the top? You know, just the bearest hint of Who’s There… Then the reflection leads me to it without that jarring feeling, and my attention isn’t pulled away from it. Instead, the actual feet become an additional little treat for me.
But I dunno, Max. I’m just wondering about the effect the legs and nose have on me. They seem to kind of compete with the reflection. Who am I anyway.
