New Joiners - Animals #667

I really like the low angle of view for this photograph which creates a connection with the viewer. It also tells a story of the dragonfly's life cycle as it lays its eggs and begins the next generation. The composition is good and has included the reflection and some space for the dragonfly to look into on the left of the frame. The wings are a bit tatty, but this does tell the viewer that this animal is coming to the end of its life. The frame also looks like quite a heavy crop which has softened some of the detail, but a great shot nonetheless.

The advantage of the diffused lighting you get in the rainforest enables so much detail to be captured in areas like feathers and fur. In this case, the viewer is treated to bags of detail in the fur of this Tayra. Just look at all the texture and tones that are captured in this image. I also really like the direct eye contact which immediately connects the viewer to the subject, and the composition is nicely balanced. The light area behind the animal helps to isolate it and focus the viewer's attention where it needs to be. There is also a nice feeling of the environment here too. I'm pleased to see the light touch to the post processing which keeps this feeling authentic. Great image.

Photographing animals at night with flash is a tricky thing to balance correctly to create an image with depth. This is a great example of getting that balance right - the position and strength of the flash has a good balance to it, bringing out so much colour and texture. I really like the composition too as snakes are quite difficult to photograph with an interesting pose. The slight coiling on the branch has balanced this well and the clear view of the eyes is essential. My first thought was that I would crop this tighter to remove the branch to the left side of the frame. However, I think the choice here is right as it gives the viewer a good sense of the environment, and the angle of the branch is quite pleasing and not distracting. I also like the complimentary colours on show here.

Although this is a captive bird and not wild, I think the photographer has done a really good job with capturing the kestrel. The pose is really nice and displays beautiful symmetry in the wings and the fanned tail. The correct shutter speed has been selected to ensure that the subject is sharp in the frame and the focus is right on the head and eyes. The satellite tag is a bit distracting and could be removed in post, and I would have cropped a little more off the top of the frame.. The post production is nicely done and not too heavy-handed. Great techniques on display here.

Many photographers concentrate their efforts on taking hummingbirds in flight, so it is nice to see a perched bird, especially one which shows so much plumage detail from this angle. The lighting in the rainforest has enabled so much of the detail to be captured, from the different colours and tones, through to the feather structure and texture. The background is sufficiently out of focus so the attention of the viewer is drawn to the bird, but retains enough detail to give the viewer an insight into the bird's habitat. The post processing is sympathetic and the overuse of the saturation slider has been avoided. You have to accept that birds will do what they want and we need to be happy with what we get, but the head facing to the left and looking into the larger space would have been ideal, as would the absence of the out of focus bright vegetation in the bottom right which clips the tail slightly. This image transports the viewer to the rainforest in Ecuador and I would have loved to have been there to see this.

This image is all about the eye which is the central part of the image - the eye is in sharp focus, a critical element. I quite like the fact that the photographer has chosen a central position for it in this case. The flash lighting is quite harsh, but not overdone. It has picked out a bag full of detail and shown the colours and tones in this Cayman's skin. The framing is good, nothing is obscured by the forest floor. The dark background isolated the head nicely and draws the viewer's attention where it needs to be.

Eye contact is such a powerful element in a photograph as it creates a connection with the viewer. The eye contact in this photograph is really strong, and the slight angle of the fox's head adds to the overall gentle feel of the image. The lighting is good, bright and fairly even, which has enabled plenty of detail to be captured. The left eye has a small area of shadow that could be lightened in post, but a minor point. I also like the uncomplicated background which focuses all the attention on the fox. The composition is also strong and the photographer has resisted the temptation to be too heavy handed with post production. A really strong image.

I really like the warm colours in this shot and the direct eye contact with the moose, not something you see too often with this animal. The background is out of focus enough to not be distracting, but has enough detail to add some interesting textures. The lighting is warm and soft, and there is detail in the fur and the antlers. I find the bright area in the top/middle left edge of the frame distracting and would have cropped this out and gone tighter into the head. The image also looks a little soft, the camera appearing to have focused on the area of the shoulder and not the head. This is a lovely image of an amazing animal with complimentary colours and tones.

Three always works well in a photograph and I really like the three generations of elephant on display here, the youngster at the front, the 'teenager' in the middle and the parent at the back. This gives the image a really nice balance. The overall mood is one of calm and tranquility, the central line in the middle of the frame where the sky meets the land helps to maintain this mood. The lighting is warm and soft, complementing the tones of the animals and their environment. The middle and left elephants are slightly angled away from the viewer, which is a slight shame, but I appreciate that this is a result of where the tour guide would have positioned the vehicle. A tip would be to increase the shutter speed by a factor of two or three as there is some motion blur in the baby elephant which could have been avoided. Don't be afraid of increasing the ISO in this situation as the light is good enough to avoid excessive noise.

This is a really accomplished landscape image which has a really nice balance to it. The addition of what I think is a Guanaco does add interest to the image and makes it qualify for the category. The composition of the landscape elements in the frame is nicely done, and I like the contrast in cool and warm tones have been positioned to produce lines that lead the eye through the frame. The exposure has also been well balanced so no detail is lost in the highlights or shadows. The position of the animal is not ideal, I would have liked to see this on the intersection of thirds ideally. Also it is angled away from the viewer which creates a slight disconnect. This should not take away from what is a very skilled image which shows a good understanding of composition and exposure.

I love the idea of this image - the composition is both bold and slightly unusual which made it stand out. The focus is critically on the eyes, not an easy thing to do with a shallow depth of field and slightly obscured eyes. The lighting is slightly harsh, but it does provide essential sculpting to add depth to the image. The photographer has done well here to avoid blowing out the highlights, while still retaining detail in the shadows. I love the details you can see here - a really nice idea that works well in my view.

This image has so many elements to it which are needed for a successful photograph. I really like the pose this fox is striking, the viewer can feel the intensity of its gaze as it stalks its prey. The side view is ideal, and I like the framing the vegetation at the bottom of the frame provides and the nicely out of focus background. The vertical branch to the left is distracting and could be cloned out to provide a cleaner feel. Also, the post processing is a little overdone. My guess is that the saturation slider has been boosted globally, which has brought too much attention to the cool tones in the shaded areas, and the colour of the animal itself is no longer accurate, which is a shame.

What I really like about this photograph is the bold composition. Many people would be tempted to place the owl more centrally in the frame, but I think this works much better. The branch on the right of the frame is slightly obscuring the bird, not much the photographer could do in this situation. The addition of all that space to the left has compensated for this really well, the thick out of focus branch to the left providing balance. The lighting is soft and provides enough contrast to give the image depth. The depth of field keeps the viewer's attention on the subject while still providing enough to place the bird in its environment. I also like the light touch in the post processing.

The most successful images of frogs feature their eyes as the main part of the composition, as is the case here. The focus is centrally on the eyes, as it should be, the direct contact providing intimacy with the viewer. The depth of field is shallow, emphasing the eyes, while giving the viewer enough detail on the rest of the animal. The exposure has been well balanced with detail in the highlight and shadow areas. Nice photograph.

This is a fabulous example of the expert use of light to add depth and mood. I really like the light coming in through a window to the side of the horse. This has emphasised details in both the animal and the saddle on its back. You can feel the power of this animal through the muscle details the lighting has revealed here. The airborne dust kicked up by the hooves is a nice touch, adding drama to the scene. The colours and tones are sublime and the post processing very skilled. I want a little more separation of the head from the dark area of background, but a minor issue only. Fabulous shot.