Howard:
> Your subjcts are "mature subjects," that is they have been
> photographed and seen by many people. People are used to > them. Therefore, they need to have very mature treatment, > something really different.
All very good feedback. Thanks!
I'm thinking of some more unique ways of presenting the animals. The posted shots were just "warm ups", getting used to what Bear Creek is all about, and what might be possible.
> The chains around the neck
> and chain link fences need to disappear.
Since these are caged animals, I think that leaving the fences in, if the subjects are well shot, is OK. But I agree that it is better without those artifacts. In some cases it's not easy to take such shots given the structure of Bear Creek itself. In other cases, I could/would normally remove things like leashes on the cubs using Photoshop.
> Like the article on this site about Practice says - don't shhot > your cat. It isn't very interesting to very many people
> outside your family album.
Given the level of expertise here on the forums, I would agree with you to some degree. However, I have had phenomenal response from people about town to the pictures. I was just looking at a book on tigers in my wife's office...and those photos suck compared to my initial efforts. Also just got a wedding gig (which I normally don't do...but it is for someone we know) after they saw the animal shots and could have had a gig shooting a pet Siberian Husky but wasn't interested (that is not how I earn my living).
That kind of reaction to my photos by the "common man" is quite good for the ego if nothing else. ;-)
> You can practice on these subjects, but then branch out.
> Try different
> subjects or tryto get an unusual photo of a iger in a cage.
Good advice...which I intend to follow. I expect to be shooting at Bear Creek at least once a month for the next year. Out of that, I expect to come up with some good images.
> I don't know what your objectives are, but in my opinion,
> none of the photos have any commercial value.
Depends what you mean by "commerical". Do I want to sell them to magazines/etc? Nope....I'm an amateur, albeit an enthusiastic one.
I have a few objectives I hope to achieve over the next year:
1) Build my portfolio of "good" photos.
2) Capture some photos that can be used as fund-raisers for Bear Creek in the way of cards, prints, posters and the like, so that people that tour the place can take away a high-quality image as a keepsake.
3) Get some good images that can be used for a rebuild of the Bear Creek web site, which we are embarking on.
4) Improve my photography (and comments like yours are very valuable in that regard).
"Different" shots are a very good thing. But sometimes just a good shot of a "mature" subject is OK. Sometimes you just have to let a cigar be a cigar. ;-)
Again, thanks for the very helpful feedback....it definitely confirms some of the directions I want to go in with regards to ongoing sessions at Bear Creek.
....Andrzej