Give me a bear hug

[LouisKeller]

Our first day at Lake Clark National Park was overcast and rainy. Not the best day for photography. These two bears were probably siblings and were just enjoying each others company.
Image cropped some with very little done in PS except for levels and some sharpening.
Canon 40D, 500mm f/4 Canon, f/5, 1/1000, ISO 800

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Louis, well spotted. A bit too central for me, would like to see more of a portrait crop on this one, or, perhaps off centre in landscape.

Again, as per the first posting, you could have shot this at f/4 and reduced your ISO based on the EXIF data. Reducing your ISO, especially with the 40D would help your image both in clarity and overall content and still been within the 500mm/1/500sec.

Steve;)

[Todd Frost]

Nice image, first thing I thought when viewing was vert would look great as well. Then I read Steves post and he already mentioned it. Overall very nicely done.
Todd

[Jamie Strickland]

I like the bears interaction / pose, the foreground foliage is nice, agree on making it off center, and maybe blur the trees with PP to give the bears more of a focalpoint

[Marc Mol]

Very pleasing image of these two Bears in playful action.
I do agree with Steve's comments on aperture & ISO settings to improve this already fine image.
TFS

[DanWalters]

Great pose with the two bears together. I think a vertical would look really nice as well.

[Callie de Wet]

Part of the bear necessities of life! Concur with a more vertical frame.