There is so much to enjoy about this outstanding capture. The sheer physicality of the image, with the pelican running towards the camera, its wings like an angel's, is extremely powerful, and the determined expression on its face is priceless. Timing is spot on, with just the tip of its webbed foot touching the ice, and the pops of orange and yellow against the mostly ice-blue background stand out magnificently. A very worthy winner that deserves its top billing.
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Using a slow shutter speed here has created a beautiful effect which works perfectly of the subject. Keeping just enough sharpness to show the shapes and colours of the beaks has left a good sense of what's going on, while also creating a fantastic sense of movement. Having the bird to the left completely sharp also helps with the framing of the overall image, while the black background is perfect, too.
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Several of us on AP are dog owners, and more than one of us is a sucker for a sighthound. This lovely straight portrait is full of cheek and mischief, and the lighting brings out the glint in the lurcher's eyes. The detail on his beard is pin sharp and the tips of his ears complete the character. This is a dog we'd be happy to meet out on a walk.
The symmetry in this gorgeous image really makes it stand out. Placing it centrally in the frame was an excellent choice, while the clean background really helps the eye to focus on the subject. Catching the bird demonstrating some behaviour - rather than a classic static pose - also adds interest to what might have otherwise been a rather ordinary animal portrait.
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**NEW RULE: The same image, and altered versions of the same image file, can only be entered into one APOY round. <a href="https://www.photocrowd.com/photo-competitions/photography-awards/apoy-2019/help/#heading-1580">Find out more</a>.** For this round we would like you to train your lens on all creatures great and small. This is an open round, so we are happy to see shots of everything from garden birds and pet poodles to crabs in rock pools and lions prowling the scrublands. It’s worth doing some research before embarking on your shoot, as pictures that show an aspect of animal behaviour tend to hold the viewer’s attention for longer than a standard portrait. If your animal is moving it’s also a good idea to leave some space ahead of them to ‘travel’ into. In these instances you might want to experiment with panning (moving the camera horizontally from a fixed point) to add to the sense of speed.
Anyone who owns a dog will love this shot. The unconventional camera angle immediately catches the eye but its the technical skill employed by the photographer that makes it a winning picture. The focus is spot on, the colours are appealing and the use of a ring light has ensured that the little Westie is beautifully lit, too. The dog's perfect expression, wonderfully framed by the hole, really could not be bettered either.
This is an image that works well because of its simplicity. The cream of the polar bear's fur stands out against the white of the snow, despite their similarity in tone. Timing is good, too, with the front left paw revealing the black pads. The only thing we'd say is that the portrait format feels a little tight, and we'd have liked to see this shot in landscape format. But a good image overall.
