Predators

This image caught my attention immediately. This is an extremely difficult photograph to capture and the photographer has done so in an almost perfect way. The shallow depth of field that a macro lens provides means that there is no room for error when focusing on the subject which is pin sharp here with a good level of detail in both the wasp and its prey. The lighting and composition are also solid, and I like the subtle hint of background which adds to the story of the image and the wasp returning to its den with its prize. This is just so good!

This spider is certainly not short of prey items! I think this is a very clever image and a great example of expert exposure. I love the subtle use of light to highlight all the small insects caught in the web which bejewel the spider’s trap and help lead the viewer’s eye to the centrepiece of the image, brilliantly highlighted by the out of focus ball of light behind. I also really like the placement of the spider off centre and the deliberate under exposure to highlight only the important elements of the frame. The two bokeh balls to the right of the frame add balance.

I see countless images of herons capturing prey, most are either relatively poor record shots which capture a moment which the photographer had not anticipated, or from well known hides where the results are uniformly similar. This image is different and I really like the blend of ambient light and flash, the application of both are subtle enough to really make the subject ‘pop’ and create great separation from the background. The heron is perfectly side on to the camera and I love the bit of weed attached to the perch in the heron’s beak. The grass strip at the bottom of the frame is overexposed and slightly distracting, and I assume the image was cropped to minimise it’s impact on the frame.