New Joiners - Animals #808

This is a very pretty portrait of a Raven, which demonstrates its strength and character. The dark tones are properly exposed and that's a big deal for this bird as it's tough dealing with the dynamic range when they're included in a lighter scene. The neck and bill feathers stand out with their strong textures as well.

While the Grey Heron is the subject and primary focus of the image, it's the lines and streaking created by the running water that stand out most to me. I appreciate how the lines slant and fall nicely out of the composition on the lower left side of the frame.

Taking an image with two Zebras close together gives the photographer an opportunity to create different shapes as you can see here. These animals are suited for such a composition as their patterns come together and interact in a unique way. The layered brown and tan tones from the ground add a nice background.

The soft features on the bee and the flower its perched on are quite pleasing to the eye. The flower's color offsets the otherwise bland subject and the out of focus background is stunning in color and shape. There's some hints of bokeh in the background if you look close enough.

I come across a good amount of Kingfisher images, but this one has the added components of strong interaction and connection. It's one thing to capture the bird with a fish, but this one is starting right back at the Kingfisher and into its open mouth, where it will be headed shortly.

High key exposures always capture my attention as they create artistic imagery. By pushing the exposure to make the white snow very bright without much detail, then all of the attention is brought to the Squirrel and the seeds that it's eating. I like the vertical composition and the place of the subject as well.

Great Horned Owls are large and intense birds of prey that are extremely difficult to spot in the wild as demonstrated by this shot. Upon first glance you can see how the owl's color and texture blend in so well with the tree bark. The rule of thirds placement of the subject adds balance to the open cavity.

I'm not exactly sure how to take in the shape of the Bee in this image, but it's quite intriguing to me. The shape of it looks statuesque or a bit abstract in nature. The out of focus orange background compliments the subject nicely as does the slight vignette that's been applied.

The shallow depth of focus utilized by the photographer works so well in this Cat Snake shot. The head and eye are both in focus and rest of the body is rendered soft and melts away in a pleasing manner. The extended tongue is an added bonus and demonstrates some behavior.

The mood that's captured in this Great Blue Heron image is top notch. The strong light through a fast exposure is dramatic and really brings out the textures of the bird including all of the wonderful feather detail. The low key or dark background simplifies the frame and creates a studio like atmosphere. This shot is truly artistic!

Instead of attempting a close up image of just the Lizard, the photographer allowed a bit more space here and it definitely paid off. The surrounding foliage frames the subject and compliments its green tones. The image is also broken into multiple layers starting with the concrete and ending with the sky.

Human interaction with animals is a great theme to capture and always tells many stories. The wide angle perspective works well as the cats are centered and all of the action and attention around them are included with a bit of curved distortion. Examining each onlooker and their respective reactions takes time, but it's worth it.

There's a good amount of macro images in the contest and this Stick Insect shot is one of the best in the bunch. The green tones on the insect's body are complimented by the leaf it's perched on. It's interesting how the frayed and eaten away pieces of the leaf expose the bug's body and textures.

This is a rather simple Mute Swan capture, but there's beauty in simplicity. The soft colors are pleasing as is the bird's shape while it looks down into its reflection in the water. Upon close inspection, there's a single leave floating just ahead of it. This leaf is a hidden gem and brings it all together.