New Joiners - Animals #666

This is quite a busy shot, with trees, buildings and fencing behind the trotting mother and foal. Therefore, converting this image into mono was a logical and sensible step to take - doing so has simplified the frame and focused attention on the subject, rather than its surroundings. The light, bright processing suits the image well.

I like the context of this shot, with waves rolling in behind the gull. The reflection of the bird in the wet sand adds interest, and overall I think this is a well captured shot. The highlights are maybe a touch over-exposed - I would try to recover some highlight detail in processing. I would also tidy-up the few distracting marks (and bits of out of focus debris) in the foreground using the Clone or Healing tool.

This is a striking portrait. It is unusual to see a photograph of a gorilla looking defensive or aggressive, but in this shot you really are reminded of the the animal's might. I wonder what caused the animal to react in this way? Those blackened teeth are extraordinary, and the eye-contact is engaging. A well timed and captured photo.

There is something about this image which I really quite like. The processing and tone provides a slightly vintage, wild-west look in my opinion. The bison's eye is bitingly sharp and the hint of blur around its hind legs and tail create a touch of motion. A simple, but attractive photo.

This is another slow-burner - a photo that might not hit you between the eyes at first glance, but the longer you view it, the more you appreciate the subject and atmosphere. I like the vertical composition and the negative space, which helps provide a good sense of place - in fact, I think the photographer could have more daring and captured the coyote even smaller in the frame. The foggy weather adds an attractive level of diffusion to this photo.

This is a nicely timed shot of a fishing heron. The suspended water droplets, and the fish and pond weed in the heron's beak, really add interest to the shot. The photographer says that they had to crop the image to achieve this frame-filling result, but - personally - I would be tempted to leave a little more breathing space around the subject and not crop so aggressively.

What a sweet shot. I love the inclusion of the woodland environment, which really helps create a sense of scale and place. I might be tempted to crop this photo into a squarer aspect ratio, and lose the larger branches on the right hand side of the frame, which are a little messy. It is unfortunate that the white stone just above the mouse is so distracting.

Although the toad's eyes could possibly be a touch sharper (the sharpest point appears to be the top of subject's legs), I do like this low perspective. By getting down to eye-level, the photographer has captured a really natural and striking portrait. The shallow depth of field helps the subject standout boldly - and placing the subject centrally produces a nice symmetrical result.

This is a cute shot with plenty of 'ahhhhhh' factor. The low viewpoint and shallow zone of focus helps the subject 'pop' from its surroundings. I think the piece of grass on the animal's nose actually adds interest, rather than providing a distraction. The light is a little harsh, but overall this is a well captured photo.

A well captured flight shot, with the puffin sharp and well-positioned. However, the subject's dark plumage does rather blend in with the dark cliffs behind. Also, the sensor dirt in the top right corner is distracting - do check your sensor regularly and have it cleaned when required.

Unfortunately, this hawk moth photo isn't quite sharp enough to make the cut. It is an extraordinary looking insect, though, and the photographer has done well to spot it. However - unless you are moving an insect to safety - it is always best to avoid handling dewy insects, as they are not able to fly due to the cool temperatures and are easily damaged if accidentally dropped or mishandled.

The photographer has timed this shot well to capture the robin in full song. Unfortunately, the camera's autofocusing has locked onto the closest object - the branch - rather than the subject. Try selecting a different AF mode, like eye-detection (if your camera has it) to help prevent this happening again in the future.

I like this low-key portrait, with the dark, shadowy background providing a clean, simple backdrop. I might have been tempted to include the top of the ram's horns rather than frame the animal so tightly. But otherwise, it is a well captured shot - and the vegetation in the grazing animal's mouth adds interest and a splash of colour.

Another well-captured and timed action shot. It is tricky photographing white birds, like this egret, in direct sunlight. The photographer has controlled exposure well, although I would be tempted to pull-back highlight brightness slightly more. I would also crop this photo tighter, pulling-in from the top left corner and losing the muddy shoreline, which - at present - is a little distracting in my view.