This is a very lovely image. Removing colour has simplified the shot and placed emphasis on the textures within the frame - fur, grasses and the velvet on the deer's antlers. The shot is nicely processed and the detail is wonderful - the animal is bitingly sharp and you can see each and every fly buzzing around the stag's head. Well done.
Another nicely timed shot, with the gull taking flight and with water dripping from its feet. The shutter speed of 1/800sec is just fast enough. However, a slightly higher ISO would have generated a faster shutter to record the bird's wingtips more sharply - but that may not have been the photographer's intention. For me, the subject needs more space to the right of it in order to 'fly into'.
I like the idea behind this shot. Shooting a subject backlit against a dark background can create dramatic, rim lit results. Unfortunately, the composition is a little cramped with the animal's tail and feet being clipped. A wider composition would have worked better. I would also be tempted to increase contrast in processing to enhance the photo's impact.
This is a very nice capture. The rule of odds comes nicely into play here, with three often being a magic number. The central pelican is effectively framed by the ones either side of it which is aesthetically pleasing. However, on closer inspection, the image isn't quite sharp enough in my view, and it is also noisier than it needs to be. In this instance, a shutter speed of 1/4000sec was faster than required and the photographer could have comfortably selected a lower ISO (to improve file quality) while maintaining a fast enough shutter.
This is a good shot, but it could have been even better. The point of focus is on the frog's underside, but it really needs to be on its eyes. I also think that the composition looks unbalanced, with the subject looking in the opposite direction to the negative space. Personally, I would crop this image into a square or vertical image, removing most of the empty space on the right.
This is a well captured shot, clearly taken in challenging light. The photographer has correctly ramped up their ISO to help deal with the low light levels and this has allowed them to achieve a sharp image. Focus is beautifully on the monkey's eyes. I do wonder if this shot would have worked better as a vertical composition, with the animal placed to the left of centre.
This is a well timed and captured image. It is a rare treat to get so many animals together on roughly the same plane of focus, and this has allowed the photographer to render them all acceptably sharp, despite the long lens and shallow depth of field. The shot is a tiny bit too light for my liking - I suspect the photographer has increased shadow detail fairly significantly. However, processing is a very personal and subjective thing and overall this is a very good shot.
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This is quite an unusual shot, with a doe feeding her young while a group of Canada geese look-on. The light is soft and attractive and its an image that is more endearing the longer you view it. It is just a shame there is one goose 'merging' with the doe in the background - something that is obviously out of the photographer's control, but which does dilute its impact somewhat. Otherwise, a good, interesting photo.
Brief
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Welcome to Photocrowd’s ‘Animals’ contest for New Joiners! These contests are a chance for new members to introduce their photography to the community, and get a taste of how Photocrowd contests work. They can be entered by anyone within their first 28 days of joining Photocrowd. After 100 images have been submitted the contest closes and the Crowd will start rating the images. The Expert Judge will also be judging the images and writing reviews at the same time. All the winners, both Crowd and Expert, will be announced after 3 days of judging. Make sure you also check out our two other New Joiners contests - ‘People’ and ‘Landscapes’.
100 Images entered
96 Photographers
7,747 Ratings
This is quite a busy composition really, with deer, fence and cattle all vying for attention. However, it is the light that really makes this shot. The low, golden sunlight - rim-lighting the herd and illuminating the grasses - adds a touch of mood and magic and helps make this image a visual success.
I'm a wildlife photographer and therefore normally drawn toward the nature images submitted into New Joiners comps. However, this shot really caught my eye. The shot boasts lovely depth and strong eye-contact. The background tones really compliment the cat's fur and overall the shot is a real 'eye pleaser'.
I really like the contrast between the bright green parakeet and red brickwork. However, the composition could be better I feel. With the bird placed smack bang in the middle of the frame, the shot feels a bit static and uninteresting. I would crop tighter and effectively move the bird to the left of the composition, looking into space to the right. The tighter crop would also exclude the out of focus rooftop in the bottom left corner, which I find a little distracting.
It is so unlucky that a single stem of ribwort plantain cuts across the juvenile crow, as it is distracting and undermines the shot somewhat. However, that aside, this is a well-captured shot showing interaction between adult and young. The low, natural viewpoint is flattering and the light in the background is attractive.
This is a very simple and striking shot. The snowy backdrop creates a high-key result. Meanwhile, the light bouncing off the snow has helped create an almost studio lit effect. The negative space works well too. Is the colour of the dog's colour too dominant? I'm not sure, but I suspect this shot would work well in black and white with all colour eliminated.
