Local wildlife

This image doesn't need critiquing. Typically found around Hajar and the Dhofar Mountains, the Arabian fox is well adapted to the desert. It frequents cities but is still a relatively elusive character and often difficult to photograph. The photographer has exersised good patience here and done their homework enough to come away with a lovely shot of the animal behaving naturally in its home territory. I'd like to know their name and the capture location but couldn't find it in the metadata. Well done, good job.

Macro work has always seemed difficult to me and I find it hard to accomplish in the field. There have been some excellent entries in the competition and this one really stood out to me from the others. Not just a portrait, (and those have been impressive on their own) this image shows a great post predation moment and lets us into a hidden world we so rarely get to see. Stunning.

Shot at 1/500 wide open, the photographer has managed to set a great scene here with the faded urban skyline reminding us that we are so close, and very much a part of nature. A beautiful early morning capture that gives the viewer a good insight to the mostly unnoticed world all around us.

The key to a good natural history shot is knowing your subject, researching individuals, and being where that animal is going to be. The photographer has done all these three things to come away with a lovely evening photograph. Gorgeous back lighting.

With all wildlife photographs I take I want to be telling part of a story. This photo does that. These birds breed around Greenland and Iceland before migrating to our part of the world in the U.K. The photographer has found a flock that looks to be leaving the British Isles and returning to their home roost, presumably in the evening as they head west, judging from the sun. A beautiful shot that gives us lots of info to create the story for this particular animal.

This is a lovely photo and shows good technical ability. Photographed with plenty of light close to midday, the photographer has shot fast with a higher ISO to capture all that detail at the furthest part of the focal reach. Being wide open takes us from the fine details of those tiny feathers and then melts away along with the colour. The scene gives a good sense of how this little animal takes advantage of its surroundings to keep safe. A very pretty image indeed.

This is actually the first image from the competition that caught my eye. Anyone who's spent any time around raccoons has defiantly asked themselves 'what the heck are you guys up to' and that is the first thing I thought when looking at this. Photographed very early in the morning, with very low light and at a very slow speed, the photographer has come away with a frame that isn't the sharpest, isn't the cleanest, and shows why shooting with auto can sometimes let you down. I love it! It's got all the magic of a perfect moment with so much going on and proves that none of that technical stuff matters when you're in the right place at the right time to get a fantastic image. I'd like this on my wall. Brilliant job.

This is a shot that looks so far away from the suburbs of Detroit. It goes to show that wildlife is often as local as we are and not in the foothills of far away places. The photo itself can tell any story you wish, but to me it's siblings at play, learning the most valuable life lessons as they do. There seems even to be a smile from the referee. Anthropomorphising aside, play is such an important behaviour and is essential to all mammals. A great capture with some fantastic evening light, again showing that getting to know your subject pays off. Nicely done.

This is another image that caught my eye midway through the competition. The most familiar of animals, domesticated from the wild, that has in some parts of the world gone back to being wild once more. It will emote a lot of responses to this who see it, I'm sure. Beautiful animals in beautiful surroundings. Shot fast in a very bright tundra on the edge of Taroo, Ravikanth has come away with a stunning shot of these very good boys and girls that are hardier than any of us will ever be. Stunning.

My number 10 slot goes to this beautiful shot. It encompasses all parts of the brief and its absolutely lovely. The tiny wren is a favourite to a lot of bird lovers. Despite its size, the wren is a tough little animal and the fact that it's been photographed feeding its young (presumably in a shed) during a very wet and cruel May in the U.K. goes to show how smart and adaptable it is. A heartwarming shot that reminds me of home in Norfolk. Good work, Robert.