Garden wildlife

This is a wonderful shot! While simple from a compositional standpoint it is this minimalist framing which makes the scene all the more endearing. The off-centre subject placement and muted colour palette are easy on the eye, and in conjunction with the gorgeous bokeh, give the shot a clear focus. With a thoughtful arrangement it's about more than simply the 'cute factor', although admittedly it helps! Well done.

This almost looks like a studio portrait! The colours, composition and reflection all make this shot visually appealing, while technically the exposure and focus is ideal in what looks like challenging lighting conditions. The all-important eye contact with the subject is here too, engaging us with the shot from the off. A painterly, creative image. Congratulations.

Macro subjects were popular for this round of the contest and this is a truly superb example. Not only is the sharpness and lighting technically excellent, the colour of the background is the perfect contrasting element to the bright yellow of the wasp's body. The level of detail is wonderful too. A thumbs up from us!

One of the aspects that let down many images is the background. While including fences is sometimes unavoidable in confined spaces, such as a garden, they can be really quite unattractive and must be controlled in the composition. In this shot the subject is just too small in the frame and the wider angle of view has resulted in depth-of-field which is too deep, meaning the wire fence is sharp. A longer focal length and wider f/stop is needed here, or alternatively a change in shooting angle, to bring in a less distracting backdrop.

Some shots happen by accident, others take some planning. By making himself familiar with the common behavior of these mice Simon has been able to perfectly position himself for an intimate composition. The focussing is spot on, the colours are natural and the subjects have been captured in a great pose. Very well executed.