The Natural World

This image is full of mystery and magic. The framing and exposure are spot on. The milky, moving water of the stream emphasizes the fairy tale feeling. The contrast and blacks contribute to the almost eerie mood which suits these amazing creatures perfectly. Glowworms are so rare in Europe – I wish I'd taken this shot. It takes my breath away!

I like your portrait of this amazing little plant growing out of a gap in the rock. It's always worth to take time and look at the little things. There's so much to discover! You've perfectly placed the subject as it's leaning into the picture. The bokeh is pleasant and the colours well handled. I'd have like to see a bit more of the top of the plant in focus. Well done for spotting it.

A beautifully caught encounter of two rare bee eaters. Everything is spot on in this image: the light, the bokeh, the colour management, the sense of movement and action, the DOF with the bird's bodies crisp and sharp and the wings conveying the motion. Bravo!

A very painterly landscape image with great framing and DOF. It illustrates how important good light is for a successful image. The water is drawing the eye into the scene and to the mountains at the back. The reflection of the clouds is stunning and makes all the difference. The branch at the front adds interest. Well spotted!

Such a well caught moment of the little fox cub. I like your eye-level approach and the out of focus areas around the animal which add a dreamy effect. I think it'd have been nice to have the little chap more to the right of the frame thus reducing the slightly distracting background in the upper right corner. DOF is perfect, lovely shot.

Another image I really love! Such a well executed shot of this "pas de deux" with beautiful natural colours. Well lit and a creamy, pleasing bokeh which can sometimes be difficult as these scenes can be hard to isolate from the background. A pity that the head of the right butterfly isn't in focus. But you certainly have a photographer's eye.

Panning is a challenging technique but you've really succeeded in capturing the drama and movement of the wildebeast. There's a good balance of focus and blur, the out of focus bits are pleasantly out of focus. The colours are soft and just right. Fab shot!

A beautiful minimalist image of a zebra. I love the simplicity of the composition with a focus on lines and patterns. The monochrome treatment and the strong contrast and blacks add drama and are well executed. If it were my image I'd try a vertical crop. It might even make a stronger impact.

Another fairy tale like image evoking a sense of wonder and magic. It's this sense which inspires a love of nature and the wish to protect our natural world. Beautiful light, colours and mood with the cranes perfectly and dynamically placed. The DOF is just right and emphasizes the distance between the cranes. Definitely an image for the wall. :)

Another magical shot with so much drama and movement. The backlight adds a warm glow and brings out so much delicate detail in the whiskers and fur. The snow crystals which fly about create a gorgeous bokeh. This picture tells a story and with all that was going on it was certainly challenging to take. It'd have been nice to have a bit more space around the hares but then you can't have it all ;)

Superbe macro shot of this chaser. Perfectly framed with the fern frond adding texture, interest and context. Amazing DOF, natural colours and detail. Smooth background and the water adds sparkle and magic. Another image which evokes a sense of wonder and fascination for insects and the natural world.

A dreamy, surreal image which immediately captured my imagination. It's one of those images that makes you want to shrink and enter this little, magical world beyond our own. Fab bokeh, the main subject is in perfect focus and the strong saturated colours really make it all pop. It was so important to give the ant room to fly to the right - I wonder where the journey will take it?

A superb shot of this gull touching the surface of the water. I love the black background which draws the eye to the bird and the perfect reflection. Good natural colours, great lighting. The image has an amazing 3D feel. A true work of art, well done.

Gorgeous portrait of this frog which sits comfortably in the frame. The bokeh is in harmony with the colours of the animal and and helps to make it stand out. It'd have been great to get the whole frog tack sharp but this was no doubt a challenging light situation and the slight out of focus feet and branch emphasize the dreamy, magical scene. Great colour management.