New Joiners - Animals #699

Puffins are always a winning subject, there is just something about their faces that grabs the attention and connects the viewer. This is a good example of a close up of the head, revealing lots of detail to enjoy. Most elements of this are correct technically; the point of focus, depth of field, clean background, and overall composition. The whites around the top of the bill and below the eye are becoming a little blown out; a small amount of negative exposure compensation during image capture is generally a good move when you have white areas of plumage to consider.

An unusual image, and one that makes me smile. Not only has this photograph got a comedic element to it with that vegetation decorating the alligator's head like a hair piece, but the composition is so strong. I love the way that the tail of the animal out of shot leads into the bottom right corner, perfectly balanced with the main subject's own tail disappearing into the opposite corner. This creates a lovely diagonal, leading the eye through the frame. The position of the main subject is spot on, and the focal point makes the photo, the concentration held on the head. I also like the post production and the vignette.

This is a rather unusual image, and I like it for that in itself, but there are so many things to appreciate here. What strikes me most is the way the warm tones of the bear and the tree contrast with the cooler tones of the sky and mountains. This creates a clear separation between subject and background, assisted by the shallow depth of field the long lens and wide aperture employed has enabled. I also like the way the branches of the tree mirror the shape of the mountains beyond. The bear is in such an interesting and intriguing pose, it's position in the frame arguably unorthodox (convention would have the head inclined towards the open area on the right) but I think it works. There is some odd fringing around the bear and tree and do hope the image is as was shot in the field, and the fringing purely a result of local adjustments.

This is a classic shot of the Eastern Screech Owl and has been pleasingly executed. I love the symmetry in this shot, which has been so skillfully composed. The shape of the tree cavity is the perfect frame for the owl as it sits at the entrance looking out. I also like the choice of crop which compliments the round feel of the subject and its frame. Good job.

I like the fact that the photographer has paid attention to the perch as well as the subject for this shot. If you are going to take 'bird on a stick' images, then make sure the stick is attractive and interesting too, and compliments the subject, as we see here. The positioning of the bird in the frame is pleasing, and the focus is directly on its eye. I like the lighter tones in the out of focus background, but the darker areas are a little distracting, and I would have either adjusted my shooting angle to exclude them, or lightened them in post production.

There are lots of elements that I find pleasing about this image, the first being the rather bold composition. At first glance, the position of the turtle in the frame looks rather unusual. Indeed, it would be unbalanced were it not for the inclusion of the surf in the top right corner of the frame. Without the oncoming rush of water, this image wouldn't work. Its inclusion helps complete the story of the newly hatched turtles plight, the large area of open space generating a feeling of scale which is inspired. I also really like the choice of black and white which adds to the feeling of drama, and picks out some lovely tonal detail. A shame the focus isn't on the turtle's eye, but this is still a great shot.

This is the best pet portrait in the selection in my opinion. I like to see strong composition in these shots, and this is a very well thought out image. The choice of location has allowed the photographer to include tones that compliment those of the dog's fur - this makes it work really well. I also really like the use of a long focal length and wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field. This has rendered the foreground and background areas beautifully soft, while still retaining enough detail for the viewer to appreciate the surroundings. All the concentration is on the pet which is critically sharp in the frame. The exposure is good, and the dog's gaze beyond the photographer is delightfully wistful. I would have lightened the darker areas in the upper half of the frame slightly, but a personal choice only.

The photographer has done well with the low point of view here, which creates a better connection with the viewer. The animals in this location are photographed from moving vehicles, so a low angle adds a complexity to getting the shot that most viewer's would not appreciate. I like the central composition which works rather well here with the pleasing curve of the track from bottom left to top right. I also like the complimentary colours and tones throughout the frame. The camera has focused on the front legs as opposed to the eyes which is a shame. Also, there is some motion blur in the head area adding to the softness. This is down to the modest shutter speed employed - do not be afraid to increase the ISO to achieve the best shutter speed and aperture combination - I would be using at least 1/500 sec in this case (probably more). The Sony will cope with ISO well above 2000 with little noise to worry about.

The soft, warm lighting in this photograph really highlights the tones of the animals fur. The sidelighting helps to create contrast which sculps the features of the face and brings out the detail of the fur. The focus is on the animal's eye and I like the little catch light which lifts the photograph. The composition is nicely balanced, but I find the background a little distracting.

I love the beautiful warm tones in this image and the pose of the deer which is nicely balanced in the frame. I also think the lighter strips of sunlit vegetation at the top and bottom of the photo frame the photo nicely. Technically, the image is well exposed, the focus is in the right place and the composition strong. The thing that really makes it is the saliva dribbling from the deer's mouth. I would like to have seen more of the legs, rather than having the bottom of the frame cutting them off, but a beautiful image nonetheless.

Elephants make great subjects for black and white conversions, as we see here. The texture of their skin and their large and familiar frames make this a popular approach. This has lots of good technical elements. I like the vertical crop which compliments the shape of the animals and allows a variety of background tones to be included. The focus is in the right area and the aperture and shutter settings are well chosen. A slight shame the other two elephants in the group are lost behind the leader.

This is a good example of using depth of field to concentrate the viewer's attention on the main subject, while retaining a sense of environment and place in the rest of the frame. Here the photographer has chosen the settings and focal length well to achieve this aim, the contrasting lighter tones of the snakes head also helping to make it stand out. The focal point is on the eye, which is the centrepiece of the image. I love the detail in the scales and th water droplets on the snakes head. I would be tempted to lighten the darker areas in the left of the photograph to give it more balance.

A nice action shot that has captured a great moment in this play fight. I love the ability of photography to freeze moments in time and the way still images manage to portray a feeling of energy and motion at times, as this shot demonstrates. Technically, the choice of settings is good, with the photographer using just enough shutter speed to keep everything sharp, while the shallow depth of field keeps all the concentration on the bears. I also like the falling water droplets that are highlighted against the dark background. Personally, I would have placed the bears centrally in the frame for this shot. I would also have been tempted to clone out the dark blob by the neck scruff of the right hand animal.

Sometimes, us photographers have a tendancy to look for frame-filling shots too often, and ignore the wider view. Including more space can tell a much broader story about the subjects we are photographing, as is the case here. The photographer has chosen to include the environment in which this bird is found, as opposed to concentrating solely on the bird as it dives for food. This tells the viewer much more of a story about where this species is found and how it makes its living. I applaud the use of high ISO to enable the photographer to achieve the shutter speed and aperture settings they wanted. This has ensured that the photograph has no motion blur and a sufficient depth of field. I think the image could do with a white balance adjustment as it appears too cool to my eyes, plus the booby is overexposed slightly - I am sure there will be enough scope in the raw file to bring this back a little.

The composition makes this image work so well. I really like the tight crop which concentrates the attention on the detail of the heads and the lovely feeling of symmetry that has been captured. There is plenty of detail in the fur and facial features for the viewer to enjoy. However, the saturation is overdone and post processing has left untidy fringing around some of the fur edges, especially around the heads.