New Joiners - Animals #685

If you like photographing birds, then a trip to a Puffin colony in the summer months is something that you will never forget. From a compositional perspective, this image has a lot of qualities and will be popular with the crowd. The out of focus foreground and background elements of the frame focus all the viewer's attention on the Puffin. The bird is in a nice symmetrical pose with its wings outspread, its position in the frame pleasingly central. Overall it has a really nice balance to it that it would be difficult to fault - 10 out of 10 for composition and technical settings. However, the colour processing is incorrect, the white balance too far to the warm and yellow side. The blacks also need to be deeper to add contrast to the scene. The photographer says they have lightened the image in post - if this were a global adjustment then it would explain the loss of contrast in the blacks. The colour balance and black point are easily fixed simply by reprocessing the original raw file.

The image may be a simple portrait, but it is well executed. The point of focus is correctly centred on the animals eyes, there is sufficient depth of field to retain plenty of detail in the fur, while rendering the background out of focus to remove any distractions. The exposure and post processing are also spot on. I would be tempted to crop a little from the top of the frame.

Swans are a very confiding species and are easy to photograph. There are lots of images of them as a result. I rather like the wide angle approach and the overall muted feel - this adds an element of drama to the scene. The inclusion of the buildings and the urban environment work well adding interest for the viewer. The falling snow against the leaden sky is the main ingredient here and makes the whole image work.

I really like the drama that this image conveys. The backlit dust kicked up by the bull adds a sense of dynamism to the frame - you can sense the power of the animal. The relative position of the bull and the cowboy is also rather pleasing - I particularly enjoy the element of contact as his hand just touches the bull as he fends it off. The light area in the middle of the frame is perfect for focusing the viewer's attention where it needs to go. The subtle vignette helps to frame the image. A shame the bull's tail is cropped out of the frame.

This is an animal that I would like to see for myself. I particularly like the light coming in from the top of the frame, its rays fanning out and focusing attention on the ray. The exposure and focus are well judged in a scene that has lots of contrast. The patch of air bubbles above the head are a little distracting, but a minor issue only.

This is technically a very accomplished photograph. The composition and framing is nicely balanced, the point of focus in the right place, the exposure well judged and the background out of focus and uncluttered with a nice complimentary tone. A nice close up portrait which has been well executed.

This is all about composition and symmetry. I really like the bold choice of crop which is rather unusual but cleverly chosen to highlight the slenderness of the neck and legs and the symmetry of the reflection. I think the position of the legs and the dipping head and neck are nicely balanced. The central position of the reflection line is perfect which, along with the pastel tones, give the image a feeling of tranquility. I would clone out the dark blob in the background behind the top of the bird's head, but hard to fault otherwise.

This is all about comedy. Giraffes have a rather goofy look about them when viewed from a certain angle as this photograph demonstrates. Technically it is solid, the focus in the right place, the exposure well judged and the post processing simple and straightforward. A nice image that makes me chuckle. I would lose some of the space on the left of the frame to place the giraffe exactly central.

I find the complimentary muted tones in this image rather pleasing. I also like the position of the bird in the frame, roughly on the intersection of thirds, with the bird looking into the space on the left. The out of focus reed stems on the left of the frame balance those on the right and hold the image together. The processing has a light touch, perfect for the style of the photograph. Nice job.

For me, this photo is all about the trail of water which cleverly winds its way from the top right of the frame and leads the eye to the buffalo. A portrait orientation was absolutely the right choice here and I find the contrast between the light area of water and the buffalo very pleasing. A slight shame that the bend in the water in the mid left of the frame is clipping the left edge of the image, but I really like this nonetheless.

This image is very eye-catching. I really enjoy the puff of dust which the Elephant has thrown over itself, the harsh lighting working in its favour. I also really like the larger bits of earth and stones that are frozen in midair to the top of the frame. The two-tone effect that the mud has created, splitting the trunk in half is another nice touch. The colourful background contrasts nicely with the more muted tones of the Elephant. I would have cropped this image tighter to lose the animals on the right hand side of the frame.

This is an image which grew on me over time as I looked at it. I rather like images like that as they hold my attention. I think it all comes down to the nice diagonal that the stump and the sleeping bear form from the bottom right of the frame to the middle left. The pose of the bear and its relaxed form give a feeling of calm. I also rather like the light which is falling on the fur and creating an element of depth. A shame about the out of focus foliage coming in from the lower right side of the frame. I would also be tempted to crop out some of the upper portion to create a squarer crop. This would exaggerate the diagonal and strengthen the composition.

This photograph has quite a bold crop, which I think is rather dramatic and works well as it helps to keep attention on the grasshopper. I also like the very shallow depth of field which focuses attention on the head while the rest of the image melts away. The lighting is a little harsh creating hotspots in certain places, but reprocessing may be able to improve these.

This image is not only about the nictitating membrane which is covering the eye and making it look rather odd, but the dramatic light which is coming in from the side. It is acting rather like a spotlight highlighting the white of the head and placing it in strong contrast to the darker background. The focus is directly on that eye, just where it needs to be, plenty of detail is retained in the plumage, while the background is out of focus and uniform. I also like the crop which is well judged and nicely balanced. I see a lot of head and shoulders shots of Bald Eagles, this one is rather exceptional.

Black and white conversions should add to the image through the process of subtraction. In this case, taking away the colour has emphasised the tones and texture of the Rhino's skin. I like the post processing which has really brought out these elements. I would have perhaps cropped in even closer to lose some of the lefthand edge and create more of an abstract feel to the image.