Solo Wildlife Portraits

The textures and colors of this image are what truly sell it for me, from the layered fur of the bear's broad head to the pink scales of the salmon down to the brilliant blue water. I have seen so many brown bear salmon fishing images and this is one of my favorites. I think the position of the fish in the bears mouth- almost gentle, less gruesome than the norm, makes for a much more aesthetically pleasing image than a feeding shot. I like the leading line of the bears muzzle leading into the rigid body of the captured salmon, taking the viewer's eyes down the image to soak in all these wonderful details.

I absolutely love everything about this shot! The tree separates the image roughly into thirds, the bear balancing nicely on the stump, caught posing. The beautiful mossy colored evergreens in the background complement the golden brown fur of the bear nicely as well. Altogether this is a gorgeous bear shot and lovely portrait.

This portrait is so nice with its limited details, the gannet itself barely visible against the high key sky and tangle of vegetation. This captures an interesting behavior that takes the portrait up a notch to an extraordinary image. I think my favorite detail of the photo is how the blue eye is perfectly framed despite the chaotic foliage all around. There is a nice balance of busyness and simple clean lines in this shot. Really lovely work!

This is a truly fabulous close up look that puts into perspective how unique and complex arthropods are when viewed up close. I really like the perspective, like the viewer is dwarfed by the massive spider, a viewpoint that we rarely, if ever, get to see in media. I have a new appreciation of huntsman's! The fine details of the hairs and the row of eyes are quite compelling to me. This image clearly took some advanced technical skill and is artistic and undeniably eye catching.

This very artistic portrait caught my attention immediately. The striped body of the hoopoe splits the image in half diagonally, while its long bill draws the eye down to the captured spider, the most compelling little detail of the shot. The soft green light adds a nice atmosphere as well. I enjoyed this image quite a bit!

This image has a very nice balance to it and great depth. The moment is captured well, the action sandwiched between the brilliant choppy waves above and the deep blue of the ocean below swallowing up all light. It's generally unusual to prefer a tail shot of an animal rather than a face portrait, but I believe in this image the perspective adds a sense of magnitude to the subject as well as invites the viewer in- I really feel like I'm there with you in this moment.

The layering of light in this image is phenomenal. It is a great example of a shot that shows an incredible narrative with very little detail, a trick of the eye that encourages imagination. The backlit bear exploring the tiers of its mountainous habitat draws the eye across several leading lines down to the subject. A very artistic and beautiful image overall.

This is a rare example of the backside of a subject walking away being just as poignant as a portrait shot. This elephant leaving the corpse of a former friend or family member carries quite a bit of heavy emotion that I think almost anyone can relate to. The process of moving on is not easy for human or animal alike. Technically - this image is excellent in composition and execution- and I enjoy the decision to keep it black and white. Emotionally - this is an evocative image that makes the viewer wonder what the relationship of these two animals was, and also encourages us to accept that humans and wildlife aren't so different after all. Great work!

I can't think of a more accurate way of depicting a hyena so true to their species and their importance in the ecosystem. The eye contact here is vital, drawing you into the viscera of a rotting elephant. The variety of textures and composition of the cavity make this a fascinating image to me, brutal though it may be. I am a huge fan of behavioral shots and especially ones that portray the subject in its element. This image is beautiful to me!

This is one of the most interesting monkey images I've ever seen! The macaque gently holding onto the temples of the head of the monkey statue in repose is quite compelling. The soft light of the jungle provides a suitable ambience. This is a lovely portrait all together, both intriguing and well shot.

This is an excellent habitat shot of a very elusive creature most people will never get the opportunity to see in their lifetime. The spectacled bear seems to be a difficult subject to capture- so to not only see one, but take such an amazing image is quite a feat. I really enjoy the emphasis of habitat in this image, critical to supporting this rare species. The moss in this photograph is so spectacular, almost as much a key subject to the image as the bear itself.

This image captures so much about the subject in a relatively small frame. The lion's beautiful eye glows like the sun, immediately drawing the viewer's eye to his- and the intensity captured within. I love the fine network of lacing scars across his face, a stark reminder of so many battles won. The flies add another element of intrigue, searching for any morsel of liquid they can in the heat of the savannah, swarming around their king. I think the artistic choice of focusing on these fine details was really clever and so much more moving than it would be as a full bust or body portrait. The image says everything it needs to about the subject without showing too much. Very tasteful.

A king, under the weight of a tremendous crown! This image is so fascinating to me and I love everything about it- the foggy background, the out of focus dried bracken in the foreground, and of course the stag partially obscured under all the vegetation he'd stirred up with his antlers. I think this image captures several elements I find important in wildlife portraiture - habitat, behavior, and the charisma of the species depicted. Well done!

This absolutely adorable subject is so compelling with its little ears tilted forward curiously. I think the slightly below eye level angle gives the viewer the perspective of a fellow hamster- a glimpse into their tiny world. The soft lighting of the background helps illuminate the subject beautifully, the light passing through those ears is quite something. I find this image to be very compelling and artistically shot.