New Joiners - Animals #743

What a cracking image, captured at the perfect time! I love the expression on the bird paired with the fantastic detail on the fish. Whilst the low key effect works, try not to apply too much of a localised exposure change as it can look out of place.

The focus is crisp and sharp throughout the frame and you've done well to ensure nothing is cropped out, which can be awkward with birds in flight. Despite a bright day, the exposure is spot on with no blown highlights.

Despite using an aperture of f/13, you still have great separation from the background which helps draw anyone viewing the image into those striking eyes and defined lines on the wings. The colour is vibrant and bold, yet natural and not over processed.

The wildflowers in this image are divine and really add some wonderful depth, colour and contrast into the image and you've captured some wonderful action too. I'd consider reducing some of the vignetting in the lower corners to enhance the image.

The light and colour palette in this image is lovely, with nice cool hues paired with some subtle warm ones on the snail. Using artificial lighting in a creative way like this can create new and unique images that you otherwise wouldn't achieve in a 'natural' setting.

The shallow depth of field, paired with the low angle works so incredibly well here and ensures this gorgeous fox pops from the image. The focus is crisp and pin sharp and I love the warm colour palette and composition.

The foliage in the foreground acts so well as a natural frame, giving a great sense of scale and depth at the same time. The colour is beautifully vibrant and the shallow depth of field really helps to draw us into the image.

You've captured a perfect reflection here, with nothing cropped off and great symmetry in the face too. The foot up adds to the overall image. The flash / external lighting works well without blowing any highlights on the legs or chest.

Wrens are such charismatic birds and you've captured this one perfectly. I love how the wood in the left foreground acts as a natural frame, paired with the perfectly soft bokeh in the background. The colour palette is warm and aesthetically pleasing.

This image works really well in black and white, enhancing the details in the whiskers and fur along with highlighting that gorgeous catchlight in the eyes. The shallow depth of field is gorgeous and really draws you into the image.

This image works well with a square crop and I love the difference in shapes between the two birds, with great asymmetry and varied angles. I'd love to see how this looks in black and white as, if done well, it could enhance the drama even further.

I love how the mottled light interacts with the foliage in the background, dappling onto the butterfly and flower really nicely. The composition is good and your depth of field ensured that the subject is in focus whilst the background is out of focus enough to still give us context without being a distraction.

The warm and vibrant colour palette is incredibly inviting and aesthetically pleasing and I love how that one dot of blue on the bill really stands out, along with the white eye ring. The composition is good and follows the modified rule of thirds well.

Typically the rule of thirds compositional guideline states that you shouldn't position a horizon at 50% but I think it works incredibly well here. I like this in colour but think it could be even more impactful in black and white.