New Joiners - Animals #833

Coots fall into a group of species that people don't often go out for specifically, as they're quite overlooked vs species like kingfishers. You've shown here that they have just as much potential to capture brilliant images of and I love the colours in the reflections.

There's such a great and dramatic atmosphere in this image, almost to the point where you feel like you're physically there witnessing it yourself. The use of a shorter focal length was wise to show the environment and a wider depth of field to ensure they're all in focus.

I really wanted to award this image more because compositionally and artistically, it's fantastic. You've got good symmetry and an intriguing subject, but sadly the image quality and/or focus on the subject was a little too out for it to reach higher up in the rankings.

I like how well the koala is framed by the surrounding foliage, not only due to the contrast of colour but also the change in detail too. To make this image look more 'natural' and remove the colour from the building in the back, I'd consider converting to black and white.

The light catching the eye on this hippo makes the entire image for me, drawing you in from the surrounding details given the pop of colour as well as the focus and detail. The foreground foliage frames him well, as well as adding some additional colour.

You've captured such an array of colours in this image, from those vibrant blues to some lovely warm colour in the background which contrasts well and add to the overall image. The composition is good with the subject looking into the frame.

Despite the image having a relatively consistent colour palette, you've still achieved a good separation from the surroundings with the depth of field due to your aperture and focal length. The composition is good and even though the focus missed slightly it's not too detrimental.

There's so much character and personality bursting out of this image with such a lovely, charismatic subject. It works well in colour due to those striking amber eyes which draw you in and keep you engaged. This could also be a candidate for a square crop.

I love the detail you've captured in this image and how well it draws you in with all the detail on and in the mouth. The focus is so crisp and sharp with no distracting elements to draw you away.

The framing and composition here couldn't be better and creates such an artistic and compelling image. It works well in colour with those gorgeous, warm hues and I love it in portrait orientation too as it's very unlikely it would've worked in landscape.

Whilst there may be some softness in the fine details of this image, it doesn't detract away from what's otherwise a brilliant capture. The composition and shapes you've caught them in with compelling behaviours make this a really strong photograph.

The warm colours and reflections in this image really works so well and with a well chosen composition too. The golden hour light adds a lovely aesthetic to the image, ensuring there's no harsh shadows or contrast across the image.

Whilst most of the face and head is obscured or hidden away, this image still works well to show a koala in its natural environment. I like the contrast of colours and light, along with how much detail you've captured in the fur.

There's so much beautiful detail and contrast in the fur here and the light is truly divine. It's nice that the eyes seems to be the last bit of the face which is catching the light and it''s great that we can see the pupils too.

I love the curiosity in this birds pose and expression, with the branches of the tree creating a partial natural frame which the subject is essentially peering around. The colour palette is warm without being over processed with nice details in the feathers.