New Joiners - Animals #811

Good composition seems to be a theme of this contest, and this image is no exception. I like the use of thirds here, the water line placed comfortably on the intersection between the middle and bottom horizontal thirds. Note the placement of the vole to the left of the frame, the eyes close to the intersection of horizontal and vertical thirds. This provides plenty of space on the right for it to look into. The photographer has done well to get a fairly clear shot - these animals are so often hidden away in heavy vegetation, but there is a nice balance here with a clear window between the reeds. The out-of-focus stem on the left of the frame is a little distracting, and I would be tempted to selectively darken it to reduce its impact. Also, the point of focus appears to have locked onto the animal's side as opposed to its eyes, but a cracking shot nonetheless.

There are some solid elements to this photograph that are to be admired. Firstly, I like the clear distinction between the foreground strip of grass, the middle distance scrub and the distant mountain. These provide the image with a strong compositional foundation. I also like the position and orientation of the rhinos, the adult's bulk clearly defined by that side-on pose, the infant appearing more fragile with the slighter, more head-on angle. The clear separation between the two animals adds clarity, and I like the way the youngster is framed in the middle of the mountain profile. For me, there is way too much sky which is bland and uninteresting - in complete contrast with the rest of the scene. This unbalances things, taking the emphasis away from the subject. I would apply a more cinematic crop, reducing the sky and perhaps even removing a sliver off the left edge. This would bring more focus to the animals and the mountain ridge, adding extra drama.

The main draw for me to this image is the intimate connection between parent and offspring that the photographer has captured. The overall composition is solid, the way the animals fit into the frame feels very natural - note the adult's eyes on the intersection of thirds. The direct eye contact from the adult is also important - this creates that connection with the viewer and it is the first place that our eyes are drawn to. I also like the backlight and slight over exposure - this really highlights the soft textures of the fur. The focus seems to have locked onto the area around the adult's ears and shoulders making the facial features a little soft.

I like the idea of this image, the use of contrast between the light and shaded areas of the frame has rather cleverly brought an emphasis to the eye of this horse. The flies around the eye adds an extra element of interest and has me itching to brush them away! The point of focus is directly on the eye, a crucial part of making the image a success. A revisit of the crop might be worthwhile here change the placement of the eye slightly. I would be tempted to crop some from the left and top of the image to position the eye on the intersection of thirds - a rule I think would work well in this case.

There are some good technical qualities to this image. Firstly, the exposure has been well-judged with good detail captured in the bird's plumage with no harsh highlights or deep shadow areas to distract. I also rather like that strong diagonal formed by the foreground branch. The pigeon is in sharp focus, the cluttered background isn't too distracting due to it being out of focus - this helps us keep out attention on the subject. I would have cropped in a little tighter and reduced the space at the top and right side of the frame.

You can't ignore the comedic quality of this photograph. Weavers are charasmatic birds, that dark facial mask emphasisng the contrasting, brightly coloured eye giving them a distinctive appearance. The pose here is so nice, and it reminds me somewhat of a trapeze artist swinging from a bar at the top of a circus tent, adding that anthropomorphism quality. I also like the placement in the frame here, positioning the bird to the right of centre has given it space to look into with that glance into the left side of the image. The out-of-focus vegetation makes the frame a little busy, but the simple blue sky background helps to water this down.

What I rather like about this image is the gorgeous light of the background that compliments the tones of this leopard's fur nicely. The image is obvioulsy taken when the sun is at a lower angle in the sky, and the tones are of a richer, warmer nature than those found in the middle of the day when images like this are often taken. The exposure has been well judged to make the most of the light and tones. I also like the nice diagonal line of the foreground grass which is mirrored by the cat's body pose. I would be tempted to crop in a little tighter, perhaps with a 16:9 ratio to remove the strip of sky at the top of the image and better balance the overall composition.

The contrast between the white petals of the flower and the shaded background has been used to real effect here to isolate the subject from the background. this places all the emphasis on the flower and the crab spider sitting at its centre waiting for its next meal. I like the central placement of the flower in the frame, it helps balance the off-centre position of the spider. There is so much detail captured here - the slight under exposure has meant there is plenty of detail in the whites, the spider taking centre stage. I also think the balance of depth of field is just right here. The image provides a perfect narrative - these spiders use their colouration to hide themselves from prey items that visit the flower's centre.

The photographer has really taken care over the composition of this image. Note how the rounded shape of the head and folds of skin all sit with precision inside the frame. The eyes and nose are the obvious focal points, and these sit comfortably in the upper third of the frame. The point of focus is on the eye and the direct eye contact creates immediate connection with the viewer. The shallow depth of field helps to emphasise these features. Nicely done.

I'm not generally disposed to central compositions, but they do have their place as this image demonstrates. The central placement is perfect for the head-on view and the symmetry of the horns and facial features of this animal. The wide angle of view provides the perfect frame and an interesting narrative for the viewer. The strip of litter at the bottom of the frame has me begging all sorts of questions. the generous depth of field helps the photograph as detail in the surrounding elements has been retained for us to explore. I would ha cropped in a little tighter to exclude the tree trunk on the left edge, and perhaps gone with a 16:9 ratio to provide more of a cinematic feel.

You can't ignore the eyes in this photograph, the square crop is the ideal partner for their central placement in this frame. Compositionally, I rather like the way the photographer has chosen to exclude all of the fox, its body arching in tfrom the top left of the image. The shape of the prey emphasises its lifelessness as it hangs in a rather complimentary curve and frames the fox's facial features. The leg of this fawn is clipping the right edge of the frame and this looks a little awkward. A slightly different crop would easily deal with this.

I'm a big fan of using out-of-focus foreground elements to frame a shot. Here the photographer has spotted a window through the leaf canopy to frame this bird. I also like the fact that the space behind the bird is relatively clear, with some interesting shapes and colours of the out-of-focus background adding to the scene. The point of focus is clearly on the subject and the central composition works surprisingly well with the cinematic crop - not something I would have thought to do myself.

I like the use of contrast in this photograph. The white plumage of this egret stands out so well against the much darker environment. The central position of the bird works in this instance as the photographer has used the trees on either side of the frame to create a window for the bird. The lighter-coloured hanging vegetation almost seems to decorate these framed edges. The pose of the bird is also pleasing.