New Joiners - Animals #782

On occasion, there is a single image in these contests that just immediately stands out as the winner, and this is one of those. Photography is all about understanding light and shooting to capture it and its relationship with the subject. The backlighting here is simply wonderful and has added both a three-dimensional feel and dynamic to the image which brings it alive. Under exposure is the key to really making it work, darkening down those areas in shade and ensuring that the bright spots are not blown. The exposure here is spot on and has created separation between the subject and both the background and foreground elements. These are layered beautifully giving the image real depth. The fast shutter speed has frozen all motion, yet there is still a strong sense of energy to the whole thing.

I think the complimentary tones of the Cheetah and the grassland background work well in this image. The long lens has helped to create a shallow depth of field that isolates the subject and holds our attention. Getting a low angle of view is tough when photographing from a vehicle, but the photographer has done well here to achieve an image at almost eye level. The body shape of the animal is pleasing, that slight head turn making the whole image feel comfortable to look at. I also like the slightly open mouth and hint of teeth.

Close portrait shots need to show a degree of character in the subject to work well. In this image, the direct eye contact with this orangutan is the key element that delivers this. Ensuring that the focal point is directly on the eye and that a relatively shallow depth of field spearates the subject from the background has meant the viewer's attention is maintained in the right place. I like the composition here too, placing the subject off-centre to the right of the frame adds a comfortable balance to the scene. I love the relaxed pose of the animal too, she looks rather contemplative as she stares down our photographer's lens. Great work.

Hummingbirds in flight can be tricky subjects to photograph as they are so small and relatively fast-moving. The trick is to predict where your subject is likely to hover, and this is usually achieved by attracting them with a sugar feeder. Many take these shots using a multiple flash set up, but here the photographer has chosen the natural light approach. The wings move so fast that getting enough shutter speed to freeze them is virtually impossible, especially in these tropical low-light situations. I don't mind a bit of blur as this adds an energy to the shot. The composition is nice - I like the diagonal the birds forms across the frame from bottom left to top right.

Dragonflies are such interesting subjects, their prehistoric looks and large goofy eyes are so compelling. Here we see an a well-taken portrait shot of a species common across a lot of Europe. Critically, the point of focus is directly on the insect's eye - this is so important when working with small subjects and very shallow depths of field. I like the way the depth of field has isolated the subject and formed some interesting shapes with the fence posts disappearing from view. The darker background has also ensured that we don't lose the subject in too much clutter. The exposure is well judged given the bright light and darker background. A tighter horizontal crop would work better in my view as the space above the subject is redundant.

Birds in flight has always been one of the more challenging aspects of wildlife photography. Modern cameras with their sophisticated autofocus systems make things easier, but there is still a lot of skill involved in the process. Here we have a good example of a solid flight shot that has so many things right. The point of focus has critically locked onto the bird's eye, ensuring that the head remains sharp. The shutter speed is just sufficient to ensure minimal motion blur and freeze the flight action. The plain sky background isolates the bird and ensures that all our attention remains on it. The exposure is well judged and the overall composition solid - see how the photographer has placed the subject left of centre to give it some room to 'fly into'.

This portrait is all about the use of contrast to create impact. The darker, warm tones of the cow's fur creates immediate and obvious separation from the snowy background, it also helps the white head stand out. A shallow depth of field has ensured that our attention remains where it needs to be, and that direct eye contact is the central draw of the image. I like the position of the cow coming our of the right hand side of the frame, the space on the left balances this well. The little flurry of snow flakes adds an extra dimension.

I was drawn to this image as it provides something a little different. I like the use of the silhouetted trees against the setting sun. It is rather clever to use the trees to frame the sun, their branches helping to shade the worst of the glare while retaining the glowing ball. Placing this to the right side of the frame also works well, the smaller trees on the left giving balance. The silhouetted deer add interest and the position of all the animals in little gaps is a nice touch. The position of the division between the ground and sky is bold, but it works really well adding some drama to the frame. I also like the little blobs of lens flare which spotlight some of the grazing deer.

I rather like this image and the way the animals in the foreground are lined up in a pleasing arrangement - the central character is nicely balanced by the two groups either side that act as bookends. The focus is in the right place, the depth of field shallow enough to isolate the subjects sufficiently, but still retains some nice detail in the surroundings to give a sense of place. I would have been tempted to crop this image as a wide panoramic, excluding the sky altogether and focusing entirely on the animals themselves.

A nice moment of action to capture, the timing of the shot is the thing that drew me to it. The image shows the moment of impact between the lioness's swiping paw as it connects with this male. There is no denying who is in control here! The clear separation of the lions' bodies is another crucial factor. With moments like this, pay attention to the shutter speed and use the ISO to balance the exposure. 1/2000 second is the minimum I would be looking for with action like this, although the photographer has got away with 1/500 on this shot, save for the blurry tail on the lioness. Also, a closer crop would remove the uneccesary space on the right of the frame and the wonky horizon. It would further help to mask the male's tail cutting across the left border.

A combination of a contrast in colour, the relatively shallow depth of field and the light falling on the subject has helped to isolate this water dragon from its background and focus our attention on the detail of its head. I like the diagonal that is formed by the angle of the head, running from bottom left to the top right of the image. The focal point has grabbed the eye of the animal, and the depth of field has rendered lots of detail in its skin for us to enjoy.

The photographer has made use of natural vignetting and enhanced this is post production to create a frame for this image. the darker surrounds help to draw our attention to the subject, a clever trick when this can't be achieved with a shallow depth of field. The focus has fallen directly on the animal's eye, and this is the central point of the photograph. I also like the curve in the top part of the image formed by the mother's fur. The grass stems at the bottom are a little distracting and I would remove these in post production.

Close up head portraits can be so powerful if you get it right. This image demonstrates many of the qualities that make a successful close portrait, the primary one being direct eye contact. I go on about this a lot, but it creates an immediate connection with the viewer that grabs the attention, and that's the key. A long focal length lens, a wide aperture and close proximity to your subject creates a shallow depth of field that further allows the concentration to remain on the eyes and facial features - assuming the focus point lands on the eye as we see here. I also like the tight crop that excludes some of the head and ensures that any background elements are kept to a minimum.

This is another good example of a portrait-style shot that portrays the character of the animal well. Direct eye contact isn't a factor here, but this gives us a sense that we are rather voyeristically peering upon a private moment with this fox. The relaxed posture as it scratches an itch tells us that either it wasn't aware of the photographer, or that it simply isn't bothered by their presence. It is this relaxed air that gives the the fox its character and engages the audience. Composition, exposure and focal point are all solid, although I do find the tree trunk in the background a little dominating.