Like it or hate it?

Ron Niebrugge Alaska, Lake Clark, Photos, Travel 22 Comments

Brown / Grizzly Bear digging for clams, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.

Brown / Grizzly Bear digging for clams, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.

I like this one and as the photographer, that is really all that matters I suppose, but I’m curious what others think – do you like it or hate it?  I’m thinking most people won’t like it, but maybe I’m wrong.

Comments 22

  1. Like it! From the ripples to the reflection of the bears in the water/sand and the look of the endless horizon.

  2. I like it. It looks like one of those desert shots with the ripples in the sand. There’s a nice balance between all the negative space up front and the bears.

  3. Interesting. The photograph almost appears black and white until you notice the subtle colors in the rippled sand.

  4. I like it! Maybe because I am an occasional clam digger, too? I like how the ripples draw my eyes right up to the bears and their nice reflections. Thanks for sharing!

  5. I like it Ron. You get the impression of wanting to walk through the mud with the bears. I like it a bit more without the horizon line at the top because it adds a point of contrast beyond the bears, and I like stopping at them. I am curious if you think this would be successful for editorial use given all the room for copy below the bears, or is it too outside the “norm” for editors?

  6. I like it and I think it’s an interesting piece. I would, however, prefer to see the bears a bit further down. Since the ripples at the bottom of the shot aren’t in focus, I think it would improve the expression of the photo, to crop some of it out.

  7. I like it. Like a chinese painting, it’s got lots of breathing room, but the ripple keeps the big open space interesting. However, I find the curvature of the horizon slightly distracting. I wonder how the picture would look with a straight horizon.

    Is photoshopping to correct for a curved horizon distastful in your book?

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    Thanks a lot for all the great feedback!

    @ Amy – Yes, you need to use that certificate! Just let us know.

    @ Mark Good question. It will be interesting to see if a photo like this ever sells. I’m guessing it is a bit unconventional for most and probably won’t. Maybe someone like Alaska Magazine who not only likes beginning articles with text on the photo, and also tends to select images on the creative side might be interested.

    @ MG I don’t have a problem correcting a distorted horizon – I’m going to take a look at fixing the horizon to see how it looks.

    Thanks again everyone for the great feedback, I appreciate it!

  9. I like it – I like the concept of it plus that it is a different photo, the lines are leading beautifully into the picture too + it shows the animals in their habitat – I actually love the photo.

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  11. I like it!! It definitely fits more with the aesthetic of the WPoY than Nature’s Best. As such I think it will do better in the European market than the American but then tastes in art are always changing – something like this that doesn’t look like every other bear photo from Lake Clark has the real upper hand. Good luck!!

  12. I like it! Because you have such wonderful close-ups of bears, I can appreciate seeing their shape from a distance. I love mud ripples as a focus and study in texture. Combining the two ideas works for me. Well done, Ron!

  13. Ron, I LIKE the horizon. Looks like seeing the natural curvature of the earth…maybe you were! Maybe you could tilt the pic so the horizon is balanced. Anyway, double “like”. Everything is sharp focus and the reflection of the bears so clear…very interesting photo.

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