Natural World

This is such a beautifully captured image. The soft, warm light spotlighting the seal pup is gorgeous, while the low viewpoint is intimate and inviting. The subject simply ‘pops’ from its surroundings thanks to the shallow zone of focus, and the seal’s whiskers are so sharp that it is if you could reach out and touch them. I love the way this image highlights the harsh conditions these young animals have to contend with so early in their lives. The strong wind has partially covered this resting pup with sand and when you look at this shot, you can practically hear the wind whistling past and feel the sand and sea spray on your face. It is an attractive nature shot that also tells a story – and it is a worthy winner of APOY Round Two. Well done! – Ross Hoddinott, Guest Judge

What a gorgeous, dream-like image, which has been enhanced beautifully by the sensitive processing. Composing so that the flamingo is almost a straight line down the centre of the frame is a bold but very effective choice, and allows the viewer to concentrate on the pleasing reversed S-curve of the bird’s neck. No more than the pink of the flamingo, the green of the leaves and the black of its surroundings is required here. Best of all, it was shot in Twycross Zoo, showing that great wildlife shots are accessible to almost anyone.

Some images have the ability to transport the viewer straight to the scene, and that’s very much the case here, with this dramatic and entertaining capture. We get a true feeling of what it must have been like to have seen this stag, with its bracken headdress, looming out of its surroundings. Getting down low within the vegetation has meant June was able to blur part of the foreground, which gives a sense of being right in among the action, as well as depth. A great wildlife shot she should be proud of.

Photographing penguins must be like opening a box of Celebrations at Christmas – you never quite know which one to pick out first! So for Christine to have had the self-control and clarity of purpose to see and select this composition is admirable. The line of penguins on their bellies alone would not have been enough, and neither would the solitary standing one. However, together, they create an eye-catching and memorable image. There’s just enough detail in the snowy hills on the horizon to give context and added interest, too.

It can be a little tricky to critique wildlife images without anthropomorphising their subjects, particularly when that subject looks as if it’s swum straight out of the set of Finding Nemo. This spine-cheek anemonefish has been beautifully captured as it peeks out of its bright-green surroundings – the eye contact is great. Wendy has done well to go in close, excluding any potentially distracting colour or texture from the frame, while placing the fish on the thirds keeps things classic and uncomplicated – and there’s a lot to be said for that.

Capturing aspects of animal behaviour at night is a particular challenge, but when it’s done well it reveals something magical – probably because we are unaccustomed to witnessing what they get up to after dark. It turns out, it’s pretty much the same as what they do during daylight, but the inky blackness of the surroundings in this image make the heron stand out dramatically. We can pick out every detail in its feathers, and almost feel as if we could reach out and touch it. As with so many successful images, this one is all about timing, and releasing the shutter just as the bird withdraws its beak from the water shows impeccable responses on Dominic’s part. The thin stream, which joins its reflection on the lake’s surface, results in every element of the bird being connected with its upside-down replica. Without that small but important final touch, it wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. One to be proud of.

Converting a wildlife image to black & white is unusual and has to be done for the right reasons – and it’s worked very nicely indeed here. The expression on the pensive-looking porcupine’s face – which is complemented by its small, clasped claws – is emphasised by the monochrome conversion. It definitely wouldn’t have had quite the same impact in colour. Getting right down to ground level is essential for that feeling of connection with the subject, and also allows the photographer to blur out any potential distractions in the foreground.

Many of the most successful wildlife shots aren’t simply straight portraits, but show an aspect of the animal’s behaviour. This charming image is a case in point, with it depicting the baby water vole helping itself to a few tasty blackberries from the overhanging branches. The timing is excellent, with Jenny capturing the small mammal just as it looks up, as if it thinks it might be told off by a parent. The light is excellent, and brings life to the scene, showing up the vole’s beady eye, adding gloss to the tasty berries and giving the scene depth. The perfect reflection completes a very successful image, which was worth all the hard work it took to capture.

There’s something faintly surreal about this scene – as if it’s a still from a fantasy film. The silhouetted heron on the left is taking a step towards the cormorant on the right, just as an apparent explosion of fireworks takes place. What it is, in fact, is the spray of water from a fish the cormorant has just caught, which it is shaking. There’s just enough detail in this shot for the viewer to create a picture of what is going on, while the absence of any foreground or background detail concentrates the eye on the unfolding drama. The obvious question that arises is, did the cormorant keep the fish, or did the heron move in and steal it?