New Joiners - Animals #713

Gulls make ideal subjects to practice bird in flight photography. This juvenile is confiding enough to come close, allowing a detailed portrait to be captured with a relatively wide angle lens. This has increased the depth of field and allowed some nice detail in the sky to be included in the frame. The pose of the bird is good, with wings and tail nicely extended. The exposure is also spot on, sometime tricky to do when photographing subjects against a bright sky.

The conversion to black and white is a clever choice for this image. The subtraction of colour has simplified a scene that has some complexity in it, specifically the background, which may have proved distracting in a colour version. Without colour, concentration is on shape and form, those elements now adding to the frame. It has also allowed more concentration on the cat which is positioned nicely in the frame, balancing the composition. The direct eye contact adds a nice connection with the viewer. Watch out for the small elements such as the rather annoying cord that appears around the cat's legs - I would have removed this in post production.

Mute Swans make excellent photographic subjects, their elegant frames providing an endless supply of compositional opportunity. Their bright white plumage can also gift the photographer with the chance to create images with dynamic contrast - as we see here with the swan illuminated by the sun against a background in shade. I have used this technique myself many times to create images that isolate the bird against seemingly dark surroundings. I like the pose of the swan, and the overall composition is strong with plenty of detail on display. I also like the way the light sculpts the features of the bird, the light and shade creating a three dimensional depth. The post processing techniques have over saturated the image and I would re-process it with a more delicate touch.

This photo is all about the clever use of light and the skilled judgement of exposure that has created a beautifully crafted image. The viewer is drawn immediately to the lion, that golden backlight illuminating its head with studio precision. The dark, shaded rock provides the perfect backdrop to create this contrasting scene. The exposure here is so well judged - the dark background is essential for the mood of the image, to emphasis the gorgeous lighting, and to ensure that the background is not distracting while still retaining a sense of place. Some deliberate exposure compensation would have been needed here. I'm not keen of the bright foliage which creeps into the left of the frame as I find it distracts the eye from the subject a little. A tighter crop to exclude this would have been my choice.

This is a nicely captured portrait of a proud-looking young stag. The lighting is beautifully soft, and has allowed the photographer to capture gorgeous detail in the animal's fur for the viewer to enjoy. I also like the direct eye contact which connects the viewer to the animal. The backlit droplets of rain, forming small streaks around the frame as the fall from the sky, provide a nice adornment and hint at the conditions often found in this environment. The warm tones of the out of focus background are the perfect partner for the warm tones of the animal's fur. I find the bright sky in the top of the frame a little overpowering, and the ommission of the lower half of the animal's legs perhaps isn't the best choice - I would either have shot wider to include them, or tighter to exclude them altogether.

This image shows great technique. I enjoy the overall pose of the bird and the background is sufficiently out of focus so as to isolate the bird and not be distracting to the eye. The tones and shapes of the background add a sense of place to the image. I find the snapped end of the perch quite ugly and distracting - by cropping tighter in a more vertical format would allow the exclusion of this and the vegetation in the bottom right corner of the frame.

Big game cats are a popular subject, and this is a nice example of a well-taken portrait. The exposure and focus are spot on, and the subtle lighting has allowed so much detail to be captured for the viewer to appreciate. I particularly like the open mouth which displayes the animal's impressive canines. I would be tempted to crop in tighter and place the subject off-centre to the left of the frame to balance the overall composition more effectively.

The composition of this image is rather clever. I particularly enjoy the relationship between the cat and the pumpkin behind - both have similar colour tones, and the pose of the cat has given it a rounded profile, mirroring the pumpkin. The slight overlap and diagonal off-set works well - even the placement of the two bowls in the shot have a nice symmetry. The little portion of tongue poking out of the cat's mouth, and the direct eye contact, finish the frame off nicely. I would be tempted to crop a little squarer to remove a bit off the top of the frame.

There is an overriding feeling of energy in this photograph. The viewer can't help but feel a little anxious when staring into its depths, the elephant clearly showing its annoynace. With its trunk swinging wildly, you can almost hear its heavy footsteps as it runs towards the focus of its frustration. Good use of camera skills to nail the focus and freeze the motion of the moment are on display here. I hope the vehicle had engaged reverse by this point....

Sometimes winners just jump straight out at you, and this is one of those images. Firstly, the background trees are full of lovely repetitive textures and tones, the trees catching that soft light and creating fabulous contrast between their structure and the darkness of the shadows. The white egret draws the eye immediately, standing out as it does from the background like a glowing beacon in the dark, its wings spread in an angelic pose. Its placement in the frame makes for a very pleasing and balanced composition. I applaud the use of high ISO here to ensure everything is sharp - gone are the days this needs to be a major consideration with modern sensors and processing technology.

Creating an image with an obvious narrative can be very powerful in photography, providing the viewer with more to digest than simply the subject itself. This is just such an image. I love the overall composition, which is so well balanced; the spokes of the old wheel providing a beautifully complimentary frame for the dog, the warm tones of the wood mirroring those of the animal's fur. The dog's rather whistful expression as it stares into the distance is the perfect choice for the scene. The post processing shows a skilled touch and has balanced the image perfectly. I would prefer the line between the darker background and brighter area of sky not to cut through the dog's head, but a minor point only as this is a beautiful portrait of a pet that is obviously much-loved.

Bears make such interesting subjects and I rather like this portrait. The soft lighting has allowed plenty of detail to be recorded, from the structure of the animal's fur and its subtle tone variations, to the slightly gaping mouth and exposed bottom teeth. The background is sufficiently out of focus to isolate the bear, while still retaining a sense of environment. I would have been tempted to place the bear off-centre to the left of the frame as its head is inclined to the right as the viewer sees it - this would also help exclude the distracting foliage in the top left. I also find the rock above the head a little bright and would have toned this down or removed it altogether.

I like the attempt at creating a different image with this shot. I'm a big fan of experimentation, and using subjects that contrast starkly with their backgrounds, as we see here. The white plumage of the swan is the perfect subject for the dark water backdrop. I really like the reflection and its distortion with the gentle ripples. Simple and effective.

What I really enjoy about this image is the contrast in the background and the subject. There is so much detail and texture to enjoy in the wood, its flaky white paint highlighting the warm tones of the bee. The phone used to capture this shot has managed to record an impressive amount of detail and a large depth of field - perfect for a composition of this nature. I would have cropped slightly to centralise the subject.

This is a really good example that great images are posible in the harshest of lighting conditions. In this instance, I would even go so far as to say that the bright lighting actually makes the image. The stark contrast in light and shade works really well here to highlight the vertical lines of the wall, further contrast in form introduced using the circular shape of the hole, standing out with its contrastingly dark tones and bold angled shadow. I really like the placement of the hole in the frame too, as it really emphasises the vertical lines. The squirrel just makes the image complete, poking its head into the frame with a rather sinister pose; the harsh shadow giving it a rather Godfather-like appearance.