New Joiners - Animals #721
Caron Steele

New Joiners - Animals #721

March 2024

Crowd and
Expert winner
Entry 19868030
1st
37

This is such a gorgeous image of a Cheetah. The composition is strong as the wider perspective incorporates its perch and takes advantage of the surrounding expanse. The colors are soft and pleasing and the depth of field is just right as the cat and foreground are in focus while the Acacia tree and background are pleasingly blurred. This will make a great print. Excellent work!

Entry 19907868
8th
11

89 Photographers

Entry 19834553
10th
16

Meet the expert judge

Entry 19837320
61st
6
Entry 19842122
40th
53

This dog portrait is well thought out and executed. The light source falls primarily on the subject leaving the surroundings in shadow and eliminates any potential distractions. The depth of field is shallow and provides a nice separation from the background as well. Further, I like the direction of the dog's gaze out of the frame.

Entry 19849969
59th
5

I love to see loose compositions of songbirds as it's hard to do since they're quite small. The surrounding wood and window frame the bird nicely and also provide a good sense of scale for the viewer. The textures also take center stage and compensate for the overall lack of color.

The backlight entering the frame falls down nicely on the Honeyeater as it sings. The light also illuminates the background along with its shapes and colors that add some complexity. The vertical composition is strong as well as the bird's placement in the frame. The exposure is balanced and strong considering the strong light.

The black and white conversion of this image results in a powerful statement that brings attention directly to the center of the frame. The sheep's stare is frame perfectly by the fence and grasses. This shot allows the viewer to feel present in the moment. A closer inspection reveals some interesting surrounding details.

Entry 19876756
35th
32

The photographer's usage of light and shadow really come together for this frog image. The angled light hits the frog's face perfectly and provides a portrait, studio like effect. The green tones are very pleasing and the surrounding shadows add some drama. There's a bit of character that's captured here as well.

100 Images entered

Entry 19862312
43rd
8
Entry 19865500
71st
7
Entry 19865927
12th
9

This is very attractive portrait of a Flycatcher. The bird's color is striking and the perch gives a sense of its preferred habitat and surroundings. The out of focus foliage in the background adds rather than detracts with an added layer of complexity. I think a cooler white balance might make the bird stand out even more.

I don't see many spider silhouette images so that itself makes this image unique. Great job finding focus on such a small animal. The center placement in the frame works fine while breaking some compositional rules at the same time. It looks like this Spider has been busy as there's lots of treats to snack on soon.

Entry 19882973
24th
10
Entry 19885904
42nd
6

I haven't seen an image focusing on a parental relationship in a while, so this is quite refreshing. The young Macaque is out in the open and captured nicely as it clings tight to its parent. The surrounding rocks create some interesting angles and lines that support the composition as well.

The highlight of this image is the placement of the sun ball. It's in between the horse's legs and just above the distance mountain horizon. It lights the entire image nicely and provides a warm overall tone. The backlight also creates some long shadows in the foreground that also act as leading lines.

Entry 19900379
17th
12

This Pigeon image breaks so many rules, but I'm still intrigued and appreciate it. The rainbow ends with the bird and that's not a bad idea. The colors are very deep and powerful, even the green metal perch at the bottom of the frame. The Pigeon's placement is risky but it's always good to take chances.

Entry 19904156
13th
10

What a powerful portrait of a Brown Bear. The stare immediately brings me in, but I'm drawn to the extended claw. Bear claws are formidable and reminds you they are not to be messed with. The surrounding snow is a nice touch and works well as these animals prefer a cold and northerly habitat.

Brief

See more contest details

Welcome to Photocrowd’s ‘Animals’ contest for New Joiners! These contests are a chance for new members to introduce their photography to the community, and get a taste of how Photocrowd contests work. They can be entered by anyone within their first 28 days of joining Photocrowd. After 100 images have been submitted the contest closes and the Crowd will start rating the images. The Expert Judge will also be judging the images and writing reviews at the same time. All the winners, both Crowd and Expert, will be announced after 3 days of judging. Make sure you also check out our two other New Joiners contests - ‘People’ and ‘Landscapes’.

Entry 19876757
7th
25
Entry 19886354
22nd
11
Entry 19890317
11th
12
Entry 19895424
92nd
3
Entry 19897544
39th
5
Entry 19903178
9th
12

8,914 Ratings

This is a stunning Mute Swan image. The photographer wisely incorporates another swan in the background to compliment the primary subject and also tell a story of their relationship. I rather like how the distant swan is partially covered and obscured by the surrounding grasses. There's also a nice line formed between both birds to strengthen the composition.