New Joiners - Animals #557

Low-key images like this can prove very effective, and I think this is a strong shot. The subtle light, highlighting the cat's profile, is just enough to lift the subject from its inky background. The cat's bright yellow eye adds a splash of colour and a focal point. Simple, but effective.

It's the background and atmosphere that really make this shot. Without the quality of the bokeh and the suspended water droplets, this is a nice, but fairly unspectacular portrait. But the mood is lovely. I wonder if a vertical composition would have worked well here - the stone perch the kingfisher is on looks quite interesting and might well have added to the composition.

This is a nice image - sharply focused, well exposed and boosting a clean backdrop. However, the elevated viewpoint doesn't flatter the subject in my opinion. A lower, eye-level perspective may have produced a slightly stronger, more pleasing result. Good luck with your recovery and I hope you are back out behind your camera soon!

This is a well-timed shot, highlighting the swan's aggressive behaviour and its shape and form. The photographer has controlled exposure well - shooting a light subject against a dark background can deceive metering systems. The square format works well, producing a strong, concise composition.

Nature photographers have a responsibility to always place the welfare of their subject first. Taking close-up photographs of newly hatched birds at the nest is not an acceptable practise. You risk distressing parent birds and they may even abandon their young. Please avoid getting close to occupied nests or any young animal.

What a gorgeous wintry image! The quality of the light, together with the wisp of breath, gives this image oodles of atmosphere. Despite the bright snow, dark plumage, and mixed light, the photographer has got exposure spot on. A very beautiful and well-executed jay portrait.

This is a very pleasing shot. It might not capture a spectacular subject or impressive action, but the light and atmosphere are very attractive. It is an endearing seasonal photo that would look great on a Christmas card. Well done for reacting so fast to this little visitor.

This is such a fun, quirky portrait. The photographer has recorded great detail and depth in this shot - just look at the texture of the cow's hair and those ice crystals. The animals either side of the subject are a little distracting unfortunately, but this remains an eye-catching shot.

This is a sweet shot with plenty of 'ahhhhhh' factor. It is bitingly sharp and nicely captured. The out of focus leaves caught amongst the foreground moss are a little distracting, but totally out of the photographer's control. An attractive red squirrel portrait.

If only this image was sharper. The light is nice and the running deer make a good subject. Unfortunately, focus is just slightly out - otherwise this image would have certainly made my top ten. Moments like this are so brief that it is easy to make tiny, but costly errors. It happens to all of us!

They say you must always focus on the eyes, but rules are there to be broken. In this instance, focusing on the cat's nose has worked in my opinion. The feline's nose is bitingly sharp - just look at that detail, colour and texture. The frame-filling composition provides impact. I think it is a shot that works well overall.

Arachnophobes look away now. Admittedly, the subject won't appeal to everyone, but what a great shot! The low, eye-to-eye viewpoint is wonderfully intimate and natural. The focus is precisely on the spider's eyes - no mean feat when depth of field is so shallow. A slightly smaller aperture would have helped highlight the spiderlings better, but overall a very good shot.

This is a lovely composition - natural and colourful. Photographing insects in flight is one of the most challenging techniques to master. This is a very good effort.The bee is well positioned, but - despite the fast shutter - the insect isn't quite sharp enough to make my top ten. Unlucky, but do try again.

Lovely light, lovely subject. Shooting captive subjects can be a great way to hone your camera skills. Opting for frame-filling shots like this is an effective way to disguise manmade environments. The long focal length has allowed the photographer to single out this flamingo, being beautifully illuminated. Just look at the texture and colour of that plumage. Beautiful!