New Joiners - Animals #883

The key to a successful silhouette image is choosing a subject and situation that your viewer will instantly recognise. This photograph is a great example, the shape of the ostrich unmistakable. The photographer has chosen a composition that clearly divides the frame into comfortable horizontal thirds, the bottom and top thirds sandwiching a brighter strip in the centre which frames the bird. A vital element of the composition is the position of the ostrich on top of a ridge - this ensures that the entire outline of the bird is clearly visible and cleanly separated from the brighter background. What makes the photograph is the dramatic light as it breaks through the cloudy sky, the photographer using underexposure to create a theatrical feel. The placement of the bird to the right of centre, and the cinematic crop adds to the drama.

This is a photograph that delivers strong compositional elements. Note how the frame is clearly divided into horizontal thirds: the out-of-focus green vegetation anchors the bottom, the deer and its background curtain of vegetation our main focus in the centre, and the brighter, out-of-focus background space in the top third forms the perfect backdrop. The shallow depth of field has helped to create these clear layers that focus our attention on the deer. The placement of the subject in the frame is ideal, the right of centre composition feeling natural and balanced providing space on the left for the deer to move into. The direct eye contact creates immediate connection with the viewer, the crisp focus in this area drawing our gaze immediately and making the animal come alive.

Big cats are an understandable draw for wildlife photographers, their good-looks and strong presence often producing memorable images. In this example I rather enjoy the contrast between the cooler tones of the shaded background and the warm tones of the animal's fur. This creates a separation of these elements, further emphasised by the shallow depth of field ensuring the tiger is the only thing in sharp focus. The central placement of the animal in the frame is an obvious choice that makes the composition comfortable. The focus is on the eyes of the tiger and these anchor the frame. A slight shame the branch in the background overlaps the tiger, but a strong image nonetheless.

Peacocks are a tempting draw for photographers, their bright colours and outrageous plumage make them compelling subjects. Most portraits I see involve displaying birds with the tails fanned to reveal their amazing markings. This portrait is more subdued, and I like it for that. The use of the split tree trunk as a natural frame is clever, the background sufficiently out-of-focus to avoid distraction. I would selectively brighten the bird to bring more attention to it as the subject, this would strengthen the composition.

I like the tight cropping of this image which draws all our attention to the direct gaze of the cub and instantly connects the viewer to the photograph. The photographer has created a well-balanced flow through the image, the shape of the adult's hind legs and tail forming pleasing lines that guide our eyes across the image. The simple, even-toned background is the perfect canvas that ensures that our attention never waivers from the animals. The depth of field is spot on, delivering crisp detail in the fur and its beautiful markings. A slight over-exposure is a great choice, lifting the image and giving it a bright and clean feel. Note how the photographer has chosen a frame from (what must have been a sequence of many) that ensures the cub is framed by the adult, the tail clearly seperated with no overlap - a vital element.A well-constructed photo that is an absolute winner.

The key to the success here is the tight crop - note how the photographer has deliberately removed any distracting background elements and anchored the top corners of the frame with the dog's eyes. The flow through the frame is strong, the snout forming a natural funnel that delivers our gaze to the nose and that tongue. The muzzle strap actually adds to the composition, acting as a natural frame for the main focus of the image. The black and white conversion removes the distraction of colour and keeps all our attention where it needs to be.

What I like about this photograph is the way that the photographer has used out-of-focus foreground vegetation to help frame the cheetah. This is a clever use of elements that could otherwise detract from the image. The shallow depth of field, enabled by the long focal length, has helped to achieve this effect. The central position of the cat is a good choice in this instance. The strong light of the middle of the day has created a rather flat feel, but a little post-production work could improve things. I would experiment with darkening the framing vegetation around the edges of the image to reduce its distraction and help lead the eye to the subject. Remember to be subtle with adjustments - anything that appears obvious will detract rather than enhance.

There are two elements that stand out for me with this photograph. The first is the gentleman's bright jacket, the colour simply pops out and dominates the frame, contrasting as it does with the warm, rustic tones of the stable wood. It's a surprising and compelling element - not something you expect to see in the environment. The second thing is the connection between man and animal. This is usually delivered by physical contact, but here it is the pose - both seemingly looking down at the ground lost in thought. The horse's white fur and the man's shirt, trousers and sneakers are also nicely complimentary. An unusual and interesting image that is a joy to look at.

This would have been a tricky image to expose - the bright background often leads to an underexposed subject in the shade. In this instance, the photographer has managed the exposure well, keeping detail in the monkeys and allowing us to focus on the interaction between parent and baby - the crucial element the hands of the infant as it clings to its mother. The long focal length on the lens and distance between subject and background has created separation and helped us maintain focus on the subject. I rather like the wistful glance of the adult that adds a calmness to the scene.

Technically, there are many things to admire about this photograph. The composition is nicely balanced with the beaver to the right of centre creating a comfortable flow across the image for the viewer's eye. Exposure, point of focus and depth of field all ensure that our attention is on the animal and that both highlight and shadow areas retain detail. The post-processing is also subtle, bringing out the best in the file, while retaining a natural feel. But it is the rather comedic value of the beaver's pose that makes this image a winner, that raised rear paw and facial expression resembling a buck-toothed grin, gives the image a human-like quality that instantly connects. If I was super picky, then I would have cloned out the out-of-focus reed that draws the eye on the haunch of the beaver to the bottom right corner of the photo.

Hummingbirds make compelling subjects, but their small size and swift movements often make getting a decent shot rather tricky. I see many photographs taken in controlled conditions at feeding stations, but much prefer to see a more natural shot, as we have in this example. The photographer has done well to get the bird sharp, including freezing the motion of those fast-beating wings. This has been achieved using the ambient light and a super fast shutter speed. I also enjoy the chaos of the surrounding fuchsias - their bright colour a nice compliment to the darker background. A slight shame about the out-of-focus flower across the body of the bird, but sometimes natural images are worth the imperfections.

We see a lot of pet portraits in these contests, many of which are simple snaps of pets with no thought given to composition. Not the case here. I am drawn to images that give an insight into the personality of the subject - this is a great example. I really like the way the photograph delivers only a partial view of the cat's face, the net curtain delivering a fresh, clean feel to the composition, acting like a veil across the face. The well-judged exposure has ensured that the highlights retain detail and texture in this element, the folds clearly visible and creating vertical lines that compliment and create a natural flow for our eyes to navigate. The darker gap forms a comfortable contrast and frames the partial view of the cat's face, the head angle following the flow of the folds. I would have been tempted to experiment with a slightly tighter crop for more impact, but this is a personal choice.

A well-captured portrait of a grey squirrel that delivers plenty of detail for the viewer. I like the hunched, classic pose, the shape of the animal forming a pleasing shape that allows our eyes to travel comfortably through the image. A combination of lens focal length, the distance between the subject and background, and the closeness of the photographer to the animal has delivered good subject to background separation and delivered a clean feel. The plant coming in from the bottom right corner is a distraction that keeps drawing my eye away. When photographing animals, even those that appear relatively still, keep an eye on the shutter speed. In this example the photographer has managed a sharp image at 1/80 second, but the chances of motion blur at this speed and focal length are high. Better to use the ISO to balance the exposure and employ a much faster shutter speed to increase the keeper rate.

This photograph demonstrates great use of underexposure to create a dramatic tight portrait of this dog. Exposing for the area of light on the side of this dog's face has allowed the areas of shade to fall away into blackness delivering mood and drama, and giving the image a three-dimensional quality. All our attention is drawn to the side of the face that is in the light, and the immediate draw is the eye - that bright catchlight a nice touch.