Fur and Feathers

This is a great shot and the photographer has done well to freeze the action at its peak – when the bird emerged from the water with its catch. But in trying to secure a perfect reflection the photographer hasn’t left enough room at the top of the frame for the kingfisher to ‘travel’ into.

We are often told not to place the main subject in the centre of the frame, but this picture disproves that theory. The shock of orange among the purple-tinged rocks works brilliantly, because the colours sit opposite each other on the colour wheel and, as such, are considered complementary. Chris was putting his camera away when he spotted the fox on the beach, which just goes to show that sometimes the best opportunities arise when you are almost ready to quit. The light was fading so he had to boost the ISO to get the shot, but careful use of noise reduction software has allowed him to reduce the effects and produce a striking image.

Showing an aspect of an animal’s behaviour can result in memorable pictures, and this shot of kingfisher courtship is a great example. Here the female bird is passing a fish to the male (which is unusual), and the diagonal of the branch has meant they are staggered in height. The background has been thrown out of focus while an ISO of 1000 has allowed a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the action.

Warren was looking down from the 11th floor of a cruise liner in the Mediterranean when he saw these gulls following the boat. It’s a refreshing view of a very familiar subject and has a wonderful sense of movement to it. The colours created by the wake of the boat create a wonderful backdrop.