Bears! Oh my!

[bonniejo]

I'm a beggining photographer and want to submit to my high school's photography magazine. Can you please tell me which pictures you like best and what I can do to improve them now and/or next time? I have photoshop elements 5.0, by the way.

[Greg McCary]

I think the first one is the best. On the last to your camera exposed for the darker background and left the subject to bright. When shooting a bright subject against a darker background always expose for your subject. Try and learn to shot in manual and you can avoid this in the future. The composition on them are pretty good but also try and remember when shooting wildlife the most important element are the eyes. Always include them in the shot. Thanks for posting and I hope this helps.

[AgingEyes]

The first two photos could benefit from the use of fill-flash. The bear in the first photo looks more interesting. The forth one seems out of focus and with large areas of blown highlights. The second photo the bear could look better if it were doing something else and we could see its eyes. But if there's story behind the second photo that you want to tell, then use it. Still, too much blown highlights.

[MB1]

My issue with all of these is that I can't see the eyes in any of the images. Wildlife photographers toss images like this all the time for that flaw. As the others have noted you seem to have exposure issues with the polar bears-something to remember when shooting bright subjects.

I think you have cropped all of these images too tightly removing a sense of place.

If I had to choose one it would be either of the polar bears because the crop isn't so tight making the animal more interesting.

[4XTaco]

I like the first one the best but like others have said, eyes make a huge difference in wildlife photography- this is even something I have been working on in the last year and still get down pat.

2nd one I would put second... again the eyes and the bear seems to much in the center for my taste. But I love that he is sticking his tongue out.

3rd and 4th... the white is too blown out IMO. My dogs are all white (and remind me of polar bears LOL) so this is something else I have worked on hard the last year so I can try and get good photos of our dogs each time I shoot them. Shooting in manual definitely helps... just need to learn to compensate for what your camera is trying to meter which was the darker background.