New Joiners - Animals #681

I love the story behind this image and how each side of the frame comes together. A battle weary Polar Bear mother on the lighter side of the shot and a sleepy, protected cub on the darker and shadowy side. As a viewer, you understand that the mother is watching over and protecting the innocent newcomer. Great work!

This is a very pleasing portrait that will bring a smile to your face at first glance. The black and white feel is perfect as it highlights the contrast between the dog and the bed. The eye direction suggests thought and engagement even without a head on stare. toward the viewer.

This Lion portrait is exceptional due to the red bloodstains and blood dripping from its mouth. While the eyes are not directly looking back at you, the level of intensity is not diminished here. The blood actually adds a pleasing pop of color to an otherwise dull animal and includes a story.

This is a cute Spotted Owl shot with an emphasis on the strength of its talons as well as its facial expression. The exposure was pushed a bit in order to render the owl bright enough at the expense of some highlights and it's done well. I suspect this individual may turn out to be a good climber.

I rather like the black and white conversion of this bison image as it puts an emphasis on the animal's texture, including the snow on its head and back. The blown highlights in the background actually add to the image as it provides a high key and studio like look.

I absolutely love the framing and concept behind this pig image. The tilted opening adds character as does the subject's expression. While the focus appears to fall on the eye and frame opening, it would be great to see focus also land on the animal's snout. I'd love to give it a pet.

The warm tones and sense of separation make this stag image stand out to the viewer. There is also a nice sense of motion that can be felt as well. A shallow depth of field works perfectly in a situation like this when you have a field and tree line in the near distance.

I love the sense of grandeur and space that surrounds this chipmunk image. The centering of the subject in the frame works well and the photographer was careful not to intersect the chipmunk's head with the horizon. This is a scene that I would personally want to step into and enjoy for myself.

The dark and low key look of this Kudu portrait is a bit haunting but in a pleasing way. The eyes are black and appear lifeless, yet you are still drawn into the expression. I also appreciate how the highlights are bright on the face and stand out in a symmetrical manner.

This close up and wide perspective of a duck is very pleasing as it incorporates a sense of expression, intimacy due to the low angle, and the surroundings which are also rendered soft and not distracting. The paved walk way also guides the viewer into and out of the composition.

Introducing two animal subjects into one frame always increases interest. I like how the position of each horse in the frame adds a sense of balance from one side to the other. I'm glad to see the aperture was stopped down to f/11 as both subjects are in focus as is the incredible backdrop.

At first glance one would consider this a missed opportunity as the dog is slightly out of focus and leaving the frame on the lefthand side. That said, the shadow being cast on the ground definitely adds some interest after closer inspection. That looks like one heck of a jump.

I like the vertical composition and the wide focal length that's used here which exaggerates the fence and the horse's face just a bit. The rising corner post cuts through the frame nicely and the light leads you right to the subject's eye. The dark vignette also adds a nice sense of mood.

Goldcrests look similar to our Kinglets over here in North America and both are beautiful for similar reasons. It is great to see the crest popping out in this image as well as the singing pose, which is a nice sense of behavior. Light is fantastic and sharpness techniques are spot on.