Bokeh

I think this is a great photo, wonderfully simple with a good use of bokeh to isolate the main subject, which is well captured, detailed and sharp. I’ve photographed bumble bees myself before and I know how hard they are to capture. The one thing that I find distracting about this image is the blurry red blob just behind the bee. If that wasn’t there the photo would have been much stronger. A small step to the right might have moved that object out of view. Alternatively it could be edited out or edited to make it less prominent. Still a great shot though - well done.

A beautifully selected composition with great colour. The yellow bokeh background compliments perfectly the purple flowers and makes them jump out of the photo. I’d like to see more detail on the bee however, it’s a little dark and would be more interesting if it had more texture and colour. Maybe using a slightly higher ISO would have exposed the bee better. You might also be able to pull some detail back in post-processing by lightening the shadow areas. Still a great photo however - well done.

An incredibly impactful image with a strong focal point and good use of bokeh to isolate the subject. I always prefer to see these wildlife shots with some texture in the bokeh to give an idea of the environment. I also like the blurry object in the bottom right corner as it gives a great sense of depth. My only suggestion with this image would be to crop some of the left hand space away as I don’t think it adds anything to the image, which given the composition would work much stronger as a square crop.

I really love this image - reminds me very much of Saul Leiter's style. The only thing that stopped me judging this image higher is the lack of some kind of story in the bokeh background. Something to invoke a feeling of mystery or that something is happening like a silhouette of a figure under the light.

It's rare to see an image that has everything I'm looking for in a competition such as Bokeh. Firstly I want to see creative use of bokeh to isolate the subject. Secondly, I want to see a good quality of bokeh which includes some structure and some details to support the subject matter. And thirdly I want to see good colour and tonal range throughout. This image nails all three of my main criteria (and more). The bokeh is heavy and isolates the sharp and textured subject perfectly, but at the same time has enough detail to convey the surroundings of the flower. The deep yellow colour of the bokeh connects visually with the flower stamen and also compliments the purple petals perfectly. A very deserved winner.

An absolutely stunning photo. I adore the warm coloured tones and sharpness of the owl against the cool blues of the silky bokeh background. It's beautifully captured and was oh so incredibly close to being marked higher, possibly even as the winner if it wasn't for one little thing - the dark vertical line along the left edge with the three slight lighter patches draws my eye too much away from the subject and the bokeh quality. A minor adjustment of the crop, taking a small amount off the left and top edge would fix that easily and make a superb image.