Wildlife

This photograph of a breaching humpback in the Bahía de Banderas is the image everybody wants to come home with when they go whale watching. The timing is impeccable as the humpback was captured at the very peak of its breach and the image is tack-sharp too. A second breaching humpback is visible on the left-hand side, which provides both additional interest and depth.

The zebra’s black and white markings means this image works particularly well in monochrome. We like how the zebra’s high contrast pops against the surrounding landscape’s low contrast. The minimalist composition stands out too, as the eye is immediately drawn to the lone subject before drifting into the negative space.

Photographing a kingfisher is a rite of passage for bird photographers and you’d be hard-pressed to find a finer example than this. The subject has been captured exiting the water with a very successful (double) catch. We particularly like the kingfisher’s pose, with both wings spread wide. A super-fast 1/4000 sec shutter speed was used to freeze both bird and water droplets, and the blurred background amplifies the subject by featuring no distractions.

The very best wildlife photos aren’t just about capturing a magnificent subject. This family of bears is bathed in beautiful golden light and the two cubs playing on the sloping rocks makes for a very pleasing composition. The depth of field is also just right, with all three bears in focus, with the background blurred slightly.

Primates always make for delightful subjects that are bursting with character, and this portrait of a Japanese macaque certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s the hand-on-the-face expression that makes this photograph so powerful, which is undeniably human to the point of feeling slightly uncanny.

It would take a long time (and a lot of memory cards) to capture another image like this. Not only is this landing limpkin beautifully framed and pin-sharp, but it’s been frozen just as it makes contact with the water, wings fully extended like an angel. We also like how the background has been blown out slightly, adding an ethereal quality that complements the angel-like subject.

A dragonfly is the perfect subject for this type of image as it cuts a distinctive silhouette that shows off its delicate wings. We also like how the golden discs of bokeh draw the viewer in, without detracting from the splendid subject.

The symmetry of this photo is so remarkable we initially assumed the image had been mirrored in post. We like how the frame is positioned at a low angle – almost at the same level as the damselflies – which reveals more of the reflection and in turn amplifies the sense of symmetry.

We really like how the landscape plays almost an equally important role in this image as the Icelandic horses. Sometimes it’s nice to take a step back and capture the environment surrounding your subject, especially if it provides the viewer with clues as to what species your subject might be.

What were the chances of photographing this stag precisely within a small patch of golden light? Steve sat tight and waited for the fallow deer to move into the light, and used quick reflexes to capture the image just before two children inadvertently spooked it. The temptation is to always fill the frame with your subject, but we like how the deer has been photographed within its surroundings.

This puffin portrait was captured during an overnight visit to Skomer Island. The image depicts classic puffin behaviour – a beakful of sand eels – and the subject is looking directly into the camera. The plain, blurred background frees the frame from any distractions and creates a studio-like aesthetic.

These Dalmatian pelicans were photographed on the shore of Lake Kerkini. Philippa wanted to capture the birds’ bright pouches, displayed during the breeding season. In doing so she captured an unusual composition that really stands out. The middle pelican’s eye is framed by the birds in the foreground and is the focal point of the image, which has been captured perfectly crisp.

This is a fantastic image. We like the blurred reeds in the background and the use of negative space to the left of the subject. This image is perfectly timed, and the fast 1/4000 sec has frozen the kingfisher and water droplets sharply.

We love the gentle light that frames this pair of common blue butterflies. Photographing one of these insects is a difficult task, let alone two positioned back-to-back on the same plant. The subjects pop against the blurred background, which features complementary tones to the butterflies’ markings.