New Joiners - Animals #604

This is a very striking image. The background is a kaleidoscope of colour and - while clearly artificial - it does give the shot punch. The beetle itself it well-captured - sharply focused and nicely lit. However, is the subject alive or dead? The photographer provides no background on how they achieved this shot and that always makes me nervous. The slow shutter speed (and stacking technique) suggests this is not a live subject - which poses the question, how or why did it die?

Even if the beetle is alive, was it photographed ethically? With such a slow

Camera club judges are often quite disparaging about photographs of 'a bird on a stick'. I'm not a camera club judge, though, and I like this shot. The light is gorgeous and the bokeh helps frame the flycatcher. The thorns add interest and the composition is simple, yet effective. An expertly captured portrait or a beautiful little bird.

That deep blue background really helps the swan standout. This is a simple but effective shot. The water dripping from the swan's beak adds interest, focusing is spot on, and I like the shallow depth of field, which neatly draws attention to the swan's head. The shot is a little oversaturated for my taste, but overall, this is an impactful photo.

This is a great action shot with the caiman devouring its prey. The low shooting angle helps produce a very natural perspective, while the reflection adds interest and symmetry. The detail and sharpness are excellent. For me, the subject is a little too central in the frame, though - I'd prefer to see more negative space in front of the animal.

The photographer has captured a lovely bit of interaction, with this hen feeding her chick. The image is beautifully sharp and the tight framing provides lots of impact. It is a slight shame that the second chick (just behind) merges with the first, but animals rarely do just what you want them to! Lightening the subject/shadows has revealed some noise around the coot's neck and head. Some localised noise reduction would solve this.

I really like this quirky squirrel portrait. By shooting close-up to the subject with a wide-angle lens, the photographer has achieved a an unconventional viewpoint. Unfortunately, the eyes lack critical sharpness (the sharpest point of focus is between the eyes, rather than on the eyes themselves). I suspect using a slightly larger depth of field would have helped in this instance - for example, selecting an aperture of f/5.6, rather than f/2.8.

I would love to know a few more details about this shot. The photographer has done really well to generate enough depth of field to record this colourful spider sharp throughout. The image is nicely lit and the photographer has captured stunning detail - just look at that delicate web and those water droplets! The dark background provides good contrast. A well captured close-up.

Puffins are popular subjects, so it is hard to produce a standout shot. However, I love this photo. This shot is all about that beautiful background colour and bokeh! Those gorgeous out of focus highlights frame the puffin beautifully. The photographer has composed the shot intelligently and processed the file sensitively. It is a nature photo with bags of impact - very classy indeed!

This shot boosts oodles of atmosphere. The light, misty backdrop helps the cormorants pop from their surroundings. Although it can't be easy shooting from a kayak, the photographer has stabilised themselves expertly to capture a sharp result. The low shooting angle produces a really intimate result.

This looks like it is a nice shot that I should be Commending, but the file is clearly very low resolution and pixelated. I can only judge images on what I see, and sadly the poor image-quality means I have to reject it. Before submitting your shots, always check you are uploading a file of sufficient quality.

These hungry baby robins are very photogenic and I can understand why the photographer wanted to take their photo. However, it is important photographers keep a safe and responsible distance from fledgling birds - or at least attach a telephoto lens and take photographs from distance. Getting too close can panic both young and parents, so next time, please keep your distance.

To maintain balance and focus while shooting from a kayak can't be easy, but it provides a unique perspective and the low shooting angle works very well in this instance. Overall, the image is well captured and timed - the focus and camera set-up are spot-on too with the photographer prioritising a fast shutter to freeze the action. A very nice image - just don't fall-in with that lovely R7!

This is an excellent shot - well worth the wet feet! The low perspective provides an intimate view, and the timing is great with the otter battling this large crab. In an ideal World, the crab's legs wouldn't obscure the otter's left eye, but for me, it's not a deal breaker. The photographer has managed the contrasty light well, and produced a great nature shot. Well done - you made good life choices!

This is a beautifully captured and processed image. Despite the busy woodland environment, the photographer has found a clean view of this roe deer - and intelligently used the branches and vegetation to frame the subject. The composition works perfectly. This is such a natural capture and the wintry conditions produce a lovely seasonal result. A gorgeous shot.

This is a nicely timed shot, with the ponies lovingly nose-to-nose. The tight crop works well, but I might be tempted to crop even tightly and use a squarer aspect ratio in order to lose a chunk of the sky above. I wonder if a black and white conversion would suit this image. Going mono would simplify the shot further, and also highlight the lovely detail and texture that the photographer has captured.