New Joiners - Animals #525

This is a beautiful insect and I love the parallel, side-on viewpoint - it is intimate and highlights the dragonfly's shape and form. The tail and parts of the wing are pin sharp, but the eye and body are not critically sharp unfortunately. A slightly smaller aperture, in order to generate a tiny bit more depth of field, would have rectified this.

I like the idea of this shot - including the insect small in frame with the leaves creating a sense of context and scale. Unfortunately, the subject just isn't sharp enough. Depth of field is wafer thin when taking macro shots. Therefore, focusing needs to be pinpoint precise. Whenever practical, use a tripod to aid focusing.

This tightly framed portrait boasts great eye-contact and impact. Despite being out of focus, I still find the texture of the background a little distracting. I wonder if a black and white conversion would suit this shot better and place emphasis on the amazing detail within the bird's plumage. Worth a try maybe?

An impressive animal and a good nature shot. The vertical format suits the subject and the shot is pin sharp and beautifully exposed. The light is a little contrasty, so I might be tempted to just lift the shadows slightly on the stag's body.

I like the creative use of a shallow zone of focus in this photo. A large aperture of f/2.8 has allowed the photographer to direct the viewer's eye directly to their point off focus - the cat's eye. The background is free of distractions, helping to produce a very clean, attractive close-up.

This nature close-up might not have immediate impact, but not all good shots have. I just love the camouflage of this frog - it blends into its surroundings so well. The inherently large depth of field (and wide angle of view) of the photographer's iPhone has created an impactful environmental portrait. Well seen and captured.

This is a well taken image of a very attractive subject. The long, telephoto length has allowed the photographer to isolate the bird from its surroundings. The focus and composition are good. The shot its a little noisy due to the need to select a higher ISO due to the poor light - consider using dedicated noise reduction software like Topaz Labs DeNoise AI.

I like this shot - its eye-catching, and just a little bit different. Technically, the shot is good - it is pin sharp thanks to good focusing and the selection of a fast shutter speed. The no parking sign helps create a fun, urban nature shot. It is a well seen and captured shot, but I would tighten up the composition - losing a lot of the negative space to right of the bird. Doing so would really help maximise the shot's impact...

Lots of interest within this shot - the two birds, but also the fungi growing along the wet branch. This is a nice photo, captured in challenging light. The photographer took a risk taking photos at just 1/80sec - too slow to capture any action or movement that might have occurred. Next time, increase ISO speed to generate a faster shutter.

This is a such a colourful shot that immediately conjures-up thoughts of warm, summer days. I do wonder if this image might work better rotated clockwise, so that the swallowtail butterflies are at the top of the frame. The square aspect ratio works well - a great result from a camera phone.

The lights quality, together with that dark, forbidding background, combine to create a very impactful shot. The photographer has got their focusing spot-on, with the heron's eye razor sharp and exquisite detail recorded in the plumage around the bird's eye. A very striking portrait - nicely done!

Dragonflies are notoriously difficult to get within picture taking distance, so the photographer has done well in this instance. I like the head-on shooting angle, and the sunflower creates a colourful frame for the insect. Focus is nicely on the insect's eyes. A striking close-up shot.

This is a very cute shot and the white backdrop create a nice high-key look. Unfortunately, the dog's eyes just aren't sharp enough. The point of focus is on the animal's nose, but for a shot like this, the dog's eyes really do need to be pin sharp.