New Joiners - Animals #764

This image is all about that gorgeous light, I love the way it’s warmth is in contrast to the blue sky and the obvious chill of the ice and snow. It is also perfect for bringing out those warm tones of the rock and the fur of this fox. I also like the overall composition; shooting wide has provided a great sense of place and environment for this animal. I am so pleased that all of that angular rock was included, and look at the indentations in the ice, sculpted by the shadow cast by the low angle of the sun, they mirror the triangular shape of the jutting rock. The pose and angle of the fox is pleasing, staring rather wistfully into the space on the right of the frame. I would have preferred some separation from it and the rock behind, but this is such a minor issue - cracking shot!

This is such a clever image in so many ways. Technically, the exposure, depth of field, and overall composition show real knowledge and skill. The photographer’s intention here is to tell the viewer a story of this urban snail, and they have achieved this with great aplomb. I simply love the way they have used the top of the wall as a strong line to lead your eye through the frame after it first lands on the main character, taking you on to the buildings beyond. The person on the right of the frame is the icing on the cake - bravo.

I am not normally a big fan of central compositions, but I think it works well in this case. The surrounding vegetation has been cleverly used by the photographer to isolate and frame this fox’s head ensuring that all the viewer’s attention is focused on the animal. The lighting here is sublime; I love the warmth it provides, highlighting the warm tones of the animal’s fur. The fact it is coming from the side creates depth through light and shade.

What has been captured so well here is a feeling of scale that would be lost without the diver as part of the scene. Technically, this image is accomplished and shows good technique when it comes to exposure, composition and depth of field. Adding that human element has elevated it and created an intriguing and compelling image. Photography is difficult to do well at the best of times, but going underwater adds a whole new level of complexity to the process. Congrats on a great image.

Balancing the exposure in situations such as this where you have bright light, ice, and a dark subject can be tricky. But the photographer has managed a nice harmony here, retaining detail across the entire frame. I like the way the ice has a triangular shape which frames the seal pup and is somewhat mirrored by the shape of the animal. There is plenty of detail in the ice and the fur of the seal for the viewer to enjoy. I would have been tempted to crop this image in a more cinematic, letterbox way as the area of sea in the upper portion of the frame adds nothing to the photo.

There is so much to admire in this image, but it is the lighting that makes it for me. The balance of ambient and artificial lighting is spot on here, highlighting the main focus of the frame while retaining a sense of place. It has also introduced some really effective contrast between the cooler tones of the surrounding ocean and those glorious warm red colours of the octopus. I am always amazed by the skill of underwater photographers, there are so many more complexities to taking effective images such as this that show so much technical ability.

I love the complimentary textures and tones in this photograph, the rocks provide the perfect backdrop and frame for these sea lions. The diagonal of the supporting rock slab at the bottom of the frame is pleasing and somewhat mirrored by the rock shapes above. The placement of the adult in the frame is nicely balanced, the separation provided by its more erect posture is vital to make the image hang together. I also like the interaction between the squabbling youngsters. A slight shame about the pup on the right being dissected by the right edge of the frame, it needed all of the flipper included to fully get away with it.

There is so much that I like about this image. The lighting is bright with a complimentary warm tone, the exposure nicely balanced to deliver the right amount of detail in both the highlights and shadow areas. The focus is directly on the animal’s eye, and the depth of field treats the viewer to plenty of detail in the frog while keeping the background distractions to a minimum. I like the vertical crop, but the hind leg is lost to the right edge which is such a shame. Concentrating on getting the other things right may have resulted in the framing error - an easy mistake to make!

I like the use of the elevated perch and the vertical crop, both of which help to highlight the erect crest feathers - the main focus of the image. The lighting is also very pleasing being soft with nice warmth, the direction creating areas of light and shade that give the photo depth. The point of focus is bang on, the depth of field well judged, and the exposure nicely balanced. If you look at the horizon line of the sea you will notice that the image needs levelling in post production. Paying attention to these small items makes so much difference to the overall success of an image.

If you are going to take a portrait style image then it is important that you capture some personality. This image is a great example of the photographer achieving just that. This frog connects with the viewer immediately via that direct eye contact, but it is those templed fingers that give it a human-like quality - it’s as if it is passing some form of judgement over the person taking his photo. The lighting here is really good, the background under exposed to lessen the impact of any distracting elements and focus our attention on the subject. Some form of off-camera artificial light has been used here to light the frog, but the photographer gives no details as to what this may be. Whatever was used, the lighting is well-judged and helps create depth to give the frog a three dimensional feel.

A good example of a well taken bird portrait. The bird itself is in sharp focus and has good depth of field to showcase lots of detail in the plumage. The background is nicely out of focus and is of even tone with no distracting elements - this ensures that all the viewer’s attention is on the subject. The lighting is gentle and even, the strong vignetting helps to frame the bird but is a bit heavy-handed for my taste. Post production shows a light touch - so many are tempted to boost the saturation and contrast, creating an unnatural feel, not the case here.

I really like the composition of this photograph - the toad has been placed in a very comfortable area of the image and is framed beautifully by the green blades of grass that stand out from the rather drab colour palette of the rest of the photo. I also like the shallow depth of field that helps to focus attention on the subject, although the point of focus appears not to have locked onto the eye but an area just behind - I would have liked to have seen that eye razor sharp. The overall balance of exposure is well judged and the post production shows a light touch.

This image has a rather gentle feel to it. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that this stag has its eyes closed. I like the detail that has been captured in the fur and the antlers, the soft, diffused light of the overcast conditions has helped this. The background is a little busy, but the long focal length of the lens has helped to reduce its distracting impact, instead it adds a sense of environment and highlights the harsh conditions. The vertical crop works well here too and I like the little flakes of falling snow.

If capturing macro images that display loads of detail is your thing, then this image is a masterclass. Technically it is excellent. The lighting is even and pleasing, the background is clean and complimentary, the depth of field has captured loads of sharp detail in the butterfly and it’s perch, and the overall composition is solid. Those veins in the wing really stand out and are mesmerising!

Shooting pleasing images with animals small in the frame is a challenging thing to do. Not only do you have to consider the subject, but you also have to compose them pleasingly within the wider scene - as a result, there are more elements to juggle. I rather like the simplicity of this composition. The angled ridge of this moorland habitat forms a nice diagonal against the sky as it travels across the frame. The stag appears as a simple silhouette on the ridge line, immediately recognisable to the viewer. I love the doe’s head just peeping above the ridge further up - were it not for the stag you may be left wondering what you are looking at. The black and white conversion subtracts the distraction of colour and enables us to fully focus on the shapes and overall composition. I would have cropped this with a 16:9 format to create a more cinematic feel and slightly reduce the element of sky.