Retouch - vignetting

The first thing to catch my eye in this image is the unusual high angle from which it was shot, one we're not used to seeing this animal from. At first glance, it also almost looks like the animal's eyes are closed. It's interesting, and confers the shot an aura of peace. The sharpness on the beak and head is satisfying, adding precious detail for the eye to feast on. The intense vignetting beautifully isolates the bird from its surroundings, instantly making the image more powerful and artistic. Overall, this is a unique shot that certainly deserves its place in the competition.

Still life images tend to be a minority in contests, so I was pleased to come across this beautiful and well thought-out capture. I like how the elements have been positioned, with greenery being used to fill gaps and complement the composition. The frame is busy, but tidy and balanced. The eye enjoys travelling from item to item, lingering on shapes and textures, discovering something new at every corner. The vignetting works very well to focus attention onto the main subjects, at the same time conferring an old-school vibe to the photograph that works well with the vintage items.

I love how different this image is from a typical wildlife portrait. We can tell exactly what animal we're looking at, even if it remains mostly enveloped in darkness, giving it an aura of peace and mystery. The soft back light nicely defines the badger's silhouette, touching its coarse hair and giving us glimpses of both its texture and colour. The depth of field, beautifully shallow thanks to the telephoto lens used, helps the subject stand out and gives the image captivating painterly qualities. I think grading this capture in black and white and adding vignetting was a successful creative choice, one that makes an already beautiful image into an artistic piece.