New Joiners - Animals #806

I like the idea of this image. excluding the whole animal and focusing attention on a smaller part can be an effective technique. Here it has allowed all the attention to be centred upon the elephant's facial features and the lined texture of its skin. The slight over exposure has removed any distracting detail from the background and ensured that the shadows aren't rendered too deep - always a problem when using harsh light. I think a closer crop would make this even more effective - I find the negative space on the right unbalances things a little. The eye is the thing that the viewer is immediately drawn to and should be the hook around which everything else hangs. It's placement doesn't quite work for me, I'd like to see it on the upper third horizontal intersection - a personal choice of course.

I like the mood that has been created in this photograph. the photographer has deliberately under-exposed the image to lessen the impact of the busy background and introduce some 'edge' to the feel of the frame. The brighter parts of the bird's plumage have enabled the photographer to employ this technique and still deliver detail in the bird. The overall composition is solid, the bird slightly left of centre with space to look into on the right. The post appearing on the left of the frame adds a bit of context and I like the way it comes directly out of the bottom left corner. Solid work.

What struck me with this image is that beautiful lighting that has picked out the fur of these animals rather delightfully, the connection between parent and offspring, and the nicely balanced composition. Note how the two animals and comfortably spaced within the frame and how the portions of sky, grassland, and track all occupy horizontal thirds across the frame. But, it is that connection that really makes it, these two rather feel like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle fitting together perfectly.

What stood out to me about this photograph is the lovely symmetry offered by those two identical faces as they balance each side of the tree. The horizontal out-of-focus leaves on either side of the frame, although a little distracting, do balance each other out and cut across similar areas of each animal's face. I also like the balance of poth front legs as they wrap around the trunk and seem to dovetail together. The direct eye contact is a critical element as this creates that connection with the viewer. Nice moment.

What caught my eye about this image is the subtle light on the butterfly which seems rather appropriate for such a delicate creature - almost the perfect way to portray it. I am also a big fan of using the contrasting light filtering through trees to add interesting balls of light and textures to the background of an image - this photograph is a good example of that technique. The subject is sharp in the frame, the shallow depth of field isolating it nicely, focusing all our attention where it needs to go, and creating those interesting background shapes and patterns. The square crop (I'm not usually a fan) also works well here.

I included this image for the overall concept of the shot. I like it when photographers look for different angles on familiar subjects and shooting this image from below against a window of sky in a canopy of trees offers a different perspective. The photographer has captured a nice pose here with the wings fully outstretched in symmetrical alignment. The choice of shutter speed is well-judged to avoid any motion blur, and the exposure has allowed the right amount of detail to be retained across all elements of the image. The vertical crop doesn't work for me and I would have cropped in much tighter (and horizontal) to concentrate more of the attention on the bird and make use of the trees to frame the photograph.

Technically, this is a very strong image. Exposure is well judged, the eagle is in sharp focus, the shutter speed is sufficient to eliminate any motion blur, and the post-processing is sympathetic to the view the photographer would have seen in real time. What makes it a winner for me is the composition. Firstly, I like the diagonal of the tree-covered mountain as it divides the frame neatly in two. This is complimented by the further mountain slope which adds another layer to the background, the low cloud providing a nice upper frame to the shot. It is the placement of the bird itself that balances all these elements - note how it is placed within the bottom left corner, framed by that tree-lined mountain slope. This breaks the rule of thirds, but for all the right reasons. I like the even spread of the wings, and the fish in the talons adds interest and drama.

There are lots of good technical points to this image. The level of exposure is well balanced between shadows and highlights (the bright conditions can make this tricky), the bird is in sharp focus, the shutter speed is well chosen to avoid any motion blur softening the end result, and the background is out-of-focus and evenly toned so all our attention is focused on the subject. It's a shame that the tail of this Great-spotted Woodpecker is clipping the bottom of the frame, and a vertical composition would have better balanced the overall composition in my opinion, but there are some solid skills on display here.

I really like the use of various elements in this photograph that help frame the subject nicely. Note how the fronds of the fern act as a window for the subject, the wooden base an anchor for the bottom of the frame and a nice diagonal line. I also like the contrast in colour between the cat and these framing elements as it makes it pop from the frame. The point of focus is directly on the cat's eyes, the reflection of the sky providing some nice reflective catchlights. The depth of field is also well-judged, the cat sharp and the supporting elements of the photograph softly falling away. I think a tighter, horizontal crop to remove some of the wood from the bottom of the frame would really improve the composition and focus even more attention on the cat - zoom in a little and you'll see what I mean.

Action shots such as this necessitate fast shutter speeds such as we see deployed here - in this case 1/2000 second. This helps freeze the action and avoid any motion blur. It also helps to capture sharp detail in elements such as those mid-air water droplets - things that our eyes will never be able to see in the same way. It's one of the things I love about photography. I also like the detail captured in the dog's face, those teeth are the things that my eye is drawn to immediately. I also like the way the stick is helpfully held at its mid-point, balancing the overall composition. A slight shame one of the front paws is clipping the edge of the frame, and try a slightly lower angle of view too as this can really add that extra wow factor by creating an intimacy with the viewer. Nice job.

Swans are one of my personal favourite subjects. They are such an elegant bird, and they lend themselves to a variety of photographic approaches. Here, the photographer has used the contrast between the bright white plumage of the bird and the dark background to their advantage, under-exposing the background to create that lovely negative space. This focuses all our attention on the swan which is adopting such a tranquil pose, the curve of the neck offering a nice balance to the frame. A lower angle of view would have created more connection with the viewer, and I would like to see less space at the top of the image and more reflection to have been included for balance. A composition that worked around a central horizontal line between the bird and the water would have portrayed the tranquility perfectly.

I love the earthy warm tones of this photograph, the smooth out-of-focus background and forground elements complimenting the tones of this pony delightfully. The shallow depth of field has been used with real skill here to isolate the subject and ensure that nothing distracts the eye from its shape and form. the overall composition ia also really strong, that placement in the right side of the frame is perfect, the pony looking into plenty of negative space on the left. I also like the letterbox crop which adds a cinematic feel to the image. I would have liked to have seen a little more of the head with a squarer angle, but a small point that is overshadowed by all the positives.

I like the idea of this image, close portraits that deliberately focus on a smaller part of an animal are a little more difficult to compose in a way that feels comfortable to the viewer. The success generally comes down to the placement of the eye in the frame and the overall 'flow' of the image. Here I think the photographer has made a success of the composition - note how the eye is on the imaginary horizontal line that separates the top and middle thirds. I also like the element of action here - the bird picking something from between its toes. The background is nicely out-of-focus helping to isolate the subject, and the bokeh adds interesting shapes. There is an element of softness to parts of the image, and the foot is noticeably blurred - a result of too slow a shutter speed to freeze these movements.

Puffins are a popular photographic subject, their good looks and charismatic personalities rarely fail to please. The monochromatic plumage makes the bright colours of their bills really stand out, as we see in this image. I like the framing of this shot, the photographer has taken care not to allow any part of the birds to cut across the edges of the frame. The main action is centrally composed which adds a tranquil balance to things - perfect for the rather intimate greeting the image has captured. The overcast conditions have created soft lighting and this has ensured both highlights and shadow areas are evenly exposed. I also like the out-of-focus vegetation in the foreground which frames the lower edge of the image.

Not an image for the squeamish, but the success of this image is all down to the gruesome reality of a big cat kill. I like the way the photographer has chosen a tight crop to really focus in on the details, deliberately excluding all but the lion's head and paws. This gets us right in on the action which is all about that stare and focus on its bloody meal. The technicals are also good here, particularly the exposure as the photographer has had to deal with a subject in shade against a brighter background, and the point of focus is on the animal's eye - just where it needs to be for shots like this. A point to note is to watch the shutter speed - a speed of 1/250 second was used and has resulted in a sharp shot this time, but this is on the low side for consistently successful results in these situations. I would be looking for a minumum of 1,000 second and compromise on ISO to balance the exposure.