New Joiners - Animals #719

Reading the photographer's story, you realise what an important image this is from a conservation perspective - what an encounter! Photographically, the image shows good skill with flash which is often not the most flattering of light sources. The focus is directly on the frog's eye - this is a critical element of successful images as it creates a connection with the viewer. The depth of field is sufficient to retain detail in the frog, but reduce the prominence of the distracting background elements. A tighter crop to remove some of the top left of the frame would improve the overall balance.

There is good use of light in this photograph, using the contrast in exposure values created by the light on the chipmunk against the darker, shaded area behind has generated separation and allowed all the attention to be concentrated on the animal. The focus is on the animal's eye and its position in the frame is well judged. A slight shame about the distracting out of focus twig in the bottom portion.

Foxes always photograph well against the snow as this image shows. It makes their fur really stand out, plus the light bouncing from the white surface adds an extra dimension. The image shows plenty of detail and the direct eye contact creates an important connection with the viewer. Some of the dark holes in the snow are distracting, and I would have cloned out the litter on the left of the frame.

The things that make this image work for me are the contrast in the warm tones of the dog's fur against the cool tones of the background slabs, and those big, dreamy eyes reflecting the photographer in the catchlights. That large dark nose is right in your face, the wide angle of the lens excentuating the strong features I even like the dry leaves to the left which balance the tail on the right, plus the diagonal line of the slab across the frame. I'd crop a little off the left of the frame to balance the image a little better.

For a phone image, this is suprisingly good. The thing with phones is that they capture such a wide dynamic range, as we see here, the sky and the bird both well exposed despite the very different exposure values. I really enjoy the balance of the composition, the bird's pose perfectly in tune with the shape of the two branches as they reach for the sky. The image lacks a bit of definition (no doubt a product of the phone's limited sensor and a heavy crop) but this is a great result with simple equipment.

The complimantary warm tones of the fence work well with the tabby colouration of this cat. I also like the splash of colour and texture that the plant in the foreground brings, and it frames the bottom of the image well. The focus is in the right place, and I enjoy the alert and focused glance away from the photographer. The twig coming in from the right of the frame is distracting, and I would remove this in post production, plus I would crop a little of the unecessary space from the top of the image.

This image is well exposed, tack sharp in the right places, and is taken in pleasing lighting conditions to produce an image full of detail and colour. Some may pick up on the slightly blurry wing tips, but I like this as it adds a dynamic element to the frame. There is too much space at the top of the frame for my taste, but this is personal preference only as the composition does work.

The trick with images such as this is timing the shot. I really like the moment that has been captured here, a split second after the kite has secured its prize. The water splash is the winning element as the unlucky fish is plucked from its watery home. I also applaud the pose of the bird, being low to the water and its wings stretched forward. If the intention was to freeze the motion completely, then a faster shutter speed would have been advisable - 1/5,000 second would have done a better job. I would have compromised on the ISO and aperture settings to make this a priority.

Black and white conversions can produce very effective pet portraits, as we see here. I love the way the removal of colour focuses attention on shape, form, and texture. All the attention is on the gorgeous face of this cat and those big, dreamy eyes. The blanket around its head has produced a pleasing frame, and the vignette helped to reduce the impact of any distracting elements. This is so full of character - a really pleasing image.

The composition of this photograph is very strong. I like the way that the web seems to lead into the spider from all four corners of the frame. I also appreciate the way the gap in the web has been balanced centrally in the bottom portion. The way the backlight is catching the threads really makes it stand out against the darker background. It also highlights some nice features in the spider. I would have tried to position the brighter portion of the background directly behind the spider to further cement it as the focus of the image. Nice shot.

Goslings make such gorgeous subjects - they are hard to beat for the cute factor. I like the use of difused, soft lighting here that has allowed all the beautiful fluffy down to take centre stage. The focus is directly on the bird's eyes, the shallow depth of field has blurred the foreground and background elements sufficiently to maintain the viewer's concentration on the subject. I like the square crop here as I think it balances the image nicely. Some of the blades of grass in the foreground are a little distracting, but difficult to avoid.

I see plenty of Kingfisher portraits such as this very nice example. I think the photographer has done a pretty good job here in testing conditions, the bright side-lighting has meant that some post-processing was essential to bring the image to life. I think this has been done with a skilled hand with just the right balance to ensure a pleasing end result that shows plenty of detail and makes the colours pop without seeming false. What really elevates this photo for me is the background and the beautiful pattern of bokeh which provides the perfect backdrop. I would have preferred the perch to flow out of the frame as I feel an abruptness to its end that draws my attention. But a stunning image nonetheless.