New Joiners - Animals #710

The medium zoom focal length combined with the wide-open aperture of f/2.8 has allowed the background to blur away nicely in this image, isolating the owl as it perches on the branch of this tree. I rather like how its statuesque pose is anchored by the imposing trunk of the tree which holds the left hand side of the frame. The focal point is on the bird's eyes, and a generous shutter speed has been employed to ensure there is no blur from motion of camera shake - far better to compromise on a bit of extra ISO to ensure you get the shot right. The end of the branch to the right of the bird is a little ugly, and a the post processing saturation is a little heavy-handed, but apart from that, a really nice frame.

I never seem to tire of seeing images of jellyfish floating through the blue. There is something about the amazing shapes that they form as they drift endlessly through the water. This image is a good example and has captured the contrasting cool tones of the water and warm tones of the jellyfish well. However, I think that there needs to be more of a central character for the viewer to focus on - the centre of the frame is rather empty. An interesting image nonetheless.

Eye contact can be very powerful in photography, as we see in this shot. The eyes of this macaque and staring directly into your own as the viewer. There is so much expression being conveyed, and this immediately connects you to the subject. Note the composition of this image, the photographer choosing to place the subject off to the left hand side, leaving a little space on the right. This works so much better than a central composition. There is also so much lovely detail in the fur, those little water droplets on the chin really make the shot.

This is another great example of using a low angle of view to create an immediate connection with the viewer. One of the quickest ways to improve your wildlife photography is to get down and dirty in the dirt and mud (or in this case the sand) and get on the same level as your subject. This not only allows the intimate view, but also creates separation between your subject and the background as we see here. The composition is strong, the crab placed in the lower part of the frame, balanced by the darker strip in the top third. The lighting is a little harsh, but I think the photographer gets away with that, by over-exposing slightly to isolate the crab in the frame. Lovely image.

This is a great example of how a low angle of view can be so important in successful wildlife photography. Look how this creates an intimate connection with the viewer. It has also allowed the photographer to capture pleasing symmetry in the form of a perfect reflection. I really like the use of light here, falling on the duck and separating it from the dark background, which is nicely out of focus. The exposure is well balanced, the focal point spot on, and the overall composition very pleasing. A great example of putting all the elements together and coming up with a beautiful portrait. A deserving winner.

Using out of focus foliage in the foreground as a 'window' through which to view the subject is one of my favourite techniques, and one we see on display here. It can give images a rather voyeristic feel, as though you are peeping through a natural keyhole. The scene on display is rather pleasant, the photographer having captured the deer in a gentle pose as it stops to lick or scratch its fur, completely unaware it is being observed. There is perhaps a little too much unecessary space at the top of the frame, and I would be tempted to crop a little squarer.

There are some really nice elements in this image that come together well to make a pleasing result. The interaction between the two birds is rightly centre stage - the point of focus is bang on, being on the eye of the dominant bird. The perch sweeps in a nice diagonal across the frame, and the birds are framed perfectly by the darker leaves that adorn the top and right hand side of the frame. The subjects are also set against an out of focus background with some nice textures and complimentary tones. A slight shame that the tail of the bird on the left has been clipped by the edge of the frame.

This photograph shows decent skill when it comes to assessing the correct exposure. In situations such as these, where the subject is in shade and the camera is pointed towards a brighter sky behind the subject, often the camera will be fooled into under exposing and the bird comes out rather dull. Introducing some compensation for this from the photographer's part demonstrates good reading of the situation. I like the overall composition of this image, the bird framed by the branch which sweeps up on the right of the frame, and the foliage to the top and left of the frame. The long lens has rendered a lot of the background out of focus, with some bokeh starting to creep in from the highlights of sky through the leaves of the surrounding trees. The focus is on the bird's eyes, and everything is as sharp as it could be.

Every one of the contests I judge on this platform has a peacock in the selection somewhere, and these are of varying quality. This image caught my eye as I like the use of light and post processing techniques to focus attention on the bird's head and colourful breast, rather than trying to feature the spread of tail feathers as the main course. The photographer has left these features in for the viewer to enjoy, but the dark vignette dulls their impact and brought attention to the head an bright metalic blue breast, which are the central features of this image. There are some really nice techniques on display here.

I'm a big fan of taking a wider view with wildlife photography and giving subjects more room to breathe. Putting animals in the context of their habitat for the viewer, and creating an image that works, is a far more difficult skill than a tight portrait. Here, the photographer has used the Antarctic environment well, resisting the temptation to go too close and taking a wider view instead. I love the inclusion of the sculpted ice flows, their cool tones the perfect backdrop for this rather lonely-looking penguin. Personally, I would have been bolder with the composition and placed the bird closer to the bottom of the frame to include more of the ice behind and amplify the vastness of this landscape. Nice work.

There are many things that go to make an image with impact, and to show personality in a subject is one of those. This photograph is full of personality, that direct eye contact with the viewer grabs the attention, but it is the overall pose of the bird and the way the feathers of the ruff of its neck have caught the wind that really makes this image work. The fact that the background is of contrasting tone and completely out of focus, isolates the bird and draws attention to the feathers. The image does appear a little soft, with the point of focus being on the ruffled feathers and not the bird's eyes.

I love to shoot into the light whenever I can as it creates far more dramatic results than when the light is behind you. This image demonstrates this perfectly, the backlighting catching the dew, not only on the spider's web, but also on the water droplets on the vegetation behind. This creates bright points of light that, when out of focus, create lovely balls of light decorating the frame like baubles on a christmas tree. The framing here is also well thought out - the web positioned in the centre, its supporting threads fanning out to the borders of the frame, the vegetation pointing inwards. These elements draw the viewer's attention to the spider - really nice work.

There are plenty of things to commend about this image: the point of focus is directly on the eye, everything about the bird is sharp as a sufficient shutter speed has been employed, the exposure is good (not straightforward with a black bird in dull conditions), the background is nicely out of focus and not distracting, and the overall composition is solid. What makes it is the open gape as the bird calls, this animates the image. The foliage in front of the bird is a bit of a shame, but it is tricky sometimes to get a clear shot in the field. A really strong image.

This image will be a favourite with the crowd, as all puffin photographs seem to be. I find the overall composition of the image well balanced, and the backdrop of out of focus sea allows all the attention of the viewer to go to the puffin. The exposure is also well judges - black and white plumage in bright conditions can prove challenging, even for today's technology. Unfortunately, the point of focus seems to have landed on the birds wing, rendering the head and eyes rather soft - a common problem with some auto focus settings. A tight group, or single point focus setting would help overcome this issue on older camera models that don't have the benefit of eye detect features.