Verdict: could do better

I’m going to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPOTY) show at the Natural History Museum in a couple of weeks to see the top 100 wildlife photographs in the world. Unfortunately, I know in advance that I’ll like hardly any of them!

The first time I went to WPOTY, I only liked 12 of the 150 images on display, and it hasn’t improved in later years. Let’s see what happens this time, but in preparation for my visit, here are my very own top 100 images—with my modest but honest view of their strengths and weaknesses!

(Images are shown in alphabetical order.)

Details

A lilac-breasted roller carrying a dead grasshopper in its beak lifts its wings to take off from the leafy branch of a bush. It has brown eyes, a grey beak, a white crown, lilac breast, turquoise and blue wings and long tail feathers. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 800mm lens in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania in January 2018.

ISO 640, 800mm, f/8, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

This is probably my favourite shot of a bird, but I was very lucky to get it! I intended to take a run-of-the-mill portrait of a lilac-breasted roller perched on a branch. Little did I know that it would flutter its wings just at the moment I pressed the shutter! To add the icing on the cake, I later saw it was holding a grasshopper in its mouth.

I always tend to prefer an action shot to a portrait, and the position of the wings shows off the beautiful colouration of the feathers. I’m not sure how I did it given all the leaves and trees in the immediate vicinity, but the background dissolved into a lovely, green blur. The grasshopper is just a bonus!

Weaknesses

It might have been a better image if the bird had been landing or taking off, and I did have to remove a few annoying twigs from the foot of the frame.

Details

A lioness walks along a gravel airstrip at sunrise, followed by her young cub. They both have golden coats, made to glow in the warm early morning light. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 180, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is one of many images I took during my marathon, four-month stint in Kenya and Tanzania in 2019, and 23 are still in my Top 100!

I followed this lioness and her cub from before dawn until they were joyfully reunited with the rest of the pride two-and-a-half hours later! The main strength is the archetypal story of the determined mother and the reluctant child—which I’ve tried to bring out in my headline!

The lioness is conveniently staring straight at the camera, which builds a connection with the viewer, and the side-lighting adds dramatic contrast between the highlights and shadows.

The background also helps. Since the lions were crossing an old airstrip, there are conveniently no distractions, and the early morning light throws lovely, long shadows across the warm earth.

Weaknesses

Some people like a golden background, but I often find it distracts from my subject(s). In this case, although the lioness is well-lit, the cub is walking in shadow. That takes away some of the focus from the cub and reduces the ‘Awww..’ factor!

Details

A cheetah chases a Thomson's gazelle in a clearing amongst whistling thorn acacia trees. It has golden fur covered with black spots, and its tail is thrown out at an angle for balance. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 320, 800mm, f/8, 1/1600, 0 EV

Strengths

This was the very first kill I ever saw. I was with Paul Goldstein on an Exodus trip to Kicheche Bush Camp in the Masai Mara, Kenya, and we ended up seeing five cheetah kills in a week!

Paul told me which settings to use, but after that, it was just 10 seconds of panic! I tried to follow the cheetah, but it was just too fast for me, and I eventually ended up focusing on the Thomson’s gazelle by mistake.

In the end, the differential focus works just as well—even though it’s the wrong way round!—and I like the contrast between the cold eyes of the killer and the wide-eyed panic of the prey as they head directly towards the camera at full chat.

There were originally two gazelles in the shot, so I had to remove one of them, crop in heavily and do a LOT of work in Lightroom to create the final version. However, the animals are conveniently positioned against a smooth background of grass rather than thornbushes, and I like the position of the cheetah’s tail, flung over to one side for balance as the predator makes a high-speed turn to chase down its prey.

Weaknesses

The main problem is the gazelle. It’s not particularly sharp, and there are a few annoying stalks of grass hiding its body and legs—even after I got rid of a few more in Lightroom.
The dark bush in the top right-hand corner is also a little distracting (although I could lighten it, I suppose), and the bush just behind the gazelle catches the eye a bit too much.

Details

A lioness lies covered in playful cubs on the grassy savannah at dusk. There are so many of them that only her face and paw can be seen. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in March 2019.

ISO 2000, 1000mm, f/8, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is another image from my big trip in 2019. The light was fading, but I still managed to capture the long-suffering mum being mobbed by her cubs. It’s a very cute image, and it even appeared in The Sun, The Daily Express and The Star on Mothering Sunday!
Helped by the (very!) long focal length, the angle is low enough to create a connection with the animals, giving viewers the same perspective as an approaching lion cub. The foreground and background are also nice and simple with no distractions.

Weaknesses

The main problem is the image quality. Technology has moved on since 2019, but that’s no excuse. I had a very long lens (with a 1.25x teleconverter), the animals were a long way away, and it was after sunset, so it was simply too hard for me to get tack-sharp focus.

I’ve managed to remove most of the noise with Topaz DeNoise, but it’s left the animals looking slightly unnatural. It’s also a shame that you can’t really see the eyes of the cubs.

Details

A leopard sits in the forked trunk of a tree. It has a brown, spotted coat and is looking straight at the camera. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 160, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is another 2019 image that needed a lot of patience! I saw a female leopard on the savannah and followed her for a few hundred yards until she climbed a tree and ended up lying right in the topmost branches.

It was impossible to get a clean shot, and another vehicle left after 20 minutes when the kids got too bored! Fortunately, my patience was rewarded when the leopard came down and posed for me literally only five yards away.
I had to remove a few branches in the background, so it’ll never have a chance to win Wildlife Photographer of the Year, but I still like the direct gaze, the Golden Hour light and the perfectly pose.

Weaknesses

The pose could be a little more symmetrical, and I’m not quite happy with the way the leopard leans forward a bit. Otherwise, there’s not much to say!

Details

A cheetah races along with a green safari truck in the background. It has golden fur covered with black spots, and its legs and the background are blurred by the slow shutter speed. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 280, 800mm, f/16, 1/100, 0.33 EV

Strengths

This is one of my favourite slow pan images. Paul Goldstein taught me the technique on a trip to Svalbard in 2014, and I’ve been trying to perfect it ever since. My hit rate is still exceedingly low, but you only need one, right?!
There are no distractions, and I like the sharpness of the cheetah’s head and the curvature of its back. The safari truck in the background provides some context: it’s almost as though they’re racing each other.

Weaknesses

The problem with most of my slow pan images is that I never seem to get the streakiness I’m looking for. I probably need a slower shutter speed to get that, but it also helps if there’s variation in the tone and colour of the background.

Unfortunately, the average landscape in the African savannah is not exactly as bright and multicoloured as the advertising hoardings at a Formula 1 circuit, so that’s always
going to be a big ask.

Details

A king penguin looks down and wonders what's lying on the beach: is it an egg to nest on or just a rock to step over? Another penguin is having a look, too, and they both have black and orange heads, white breasts with orange patches at the throat, grey backs and flippers and black feet. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in St Andrew's Bay, South Georgia, in February 2016.

ISO 200, 135mm, f/5, 1/640, 0.67 EV

Strengths

I obviously have no idea what was going through the mind of these penguins, but it looked as though the ‘wife’ was accusing the ‘husband’ of losing their egg! Meanwhile, he was trying to calm her down, telling her it wasn’t an egg at all, let alone their egg—it was just a rock.

It’s the humour of the situation that I like in this image, and it’s ideal for a caption competition. That comes from the body language of both penguins. They may not be able to speak, but you don’t need words to be able to imagine what’s going through their minds!

I also like the simplicity of the composition. The fact that there are no other footprints on the beach makes it look clean and pristine, and the wet sand in the background gives just a hint of the sea beyond.

Weaknesses

One of the problems with photographing animals with black heads is that it’s very hard to show their eyes—let alone any kind of expression in them. I guess that’s just in the nature of things, but it still means that a piece of the emotional jigsaw is missing.

The light could’ve been better, too. It was an overcast day typical of South Georgia, but it would obviously have brought a lot of warmth to the image if it had been the Golden Hour under a clear sky at sunrise or sunset.

Details

A young male lion pokes his head above a rocky ledge under a blue sky. He has a short mane and is staring straight at the camera. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 140, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

This is not one of my absolute favourites, but it’s remarkably popular with people who see it. Audley Travel even printed out a poster of it to display on their stand at the Luxury Travel Fair in London in 2022!

They liked the blue sky and direct eye contact with the lion, and the catchlights bring the eyes to life. The young lion is also quite cute, which helps.

Weaknesses

My main issue with the image is the rock in the foreground on the right-hand side. It doesn’t match the one on the left, so the image isn’t as symmetrical as it would be otherwise. I did my best to get as high as I could, but it wasn’t quite good enough!

The lion is also side-lit, which means part of his face is in sunshine and part is in shadow.

Details

Two cheetah cubs cuddle up under the tummy of their mother. They have brown, spotted coats and are looking straight at the camera. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 360, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 1 EV

Strengths

Again, this is a shot of cute animals, and cute sells! I like the focus on the cubs and the exclusion of the mother’s face. You just don’t need it. I also like the sense that the mother is protecting them, which comes from the body positions of all three animals.

The angle of the sun means there’s no distracting pattern of light and shade over the faces of the cubs, and both the foreground and background and nice and plain.

Weaknesses

The main problem is the softness of the cubs’ eyes. I didn’t quite nail the focus, so they’re not as sharp as they should be.

Details

A male leopard stares at the camera. It has a brown, spotted coat, whiskers and a green eye. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya in June 2019.

ISO 3200, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/250, 0 EV

Strengths

The only reason I managed to take this picture is that I was patient enough to wait a long, long time for the leopard to come down from a tree and sit right next to me! She couldn’t have been more than five yards away, so it was easy to fill the frame.

Even so, I used my longest lens and cropped the image to show only half the leopard’s face. This is a trick I often use, and it adds an unusual touch to what might otherwise be rather ordinary portraits.

Weaknesses

It was around sunset when I took this shot, so light levels were very low, and I had to juggle my shutter speed, aperture and ISO carefully. However, the slight blur on the nose of the leopard suggests I should’ve used a narrower aperture!

Details

A leopard stands in a tree that is covered in lichen. It has black spots on its brown fur coat and is turning its head to look up. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 1800, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, -1 EV

Strengths

When I visited Kicheche in 2018, the Kaboso leopard put on a real show. For about 40 minutes, she posed in the branches of a tree at just the right distance for me to fill the frame with my 800mm lens.

In this shot, I like the dark background and the fact the leopard is looking up, creating a sense of mystery. I wonder what she was looking at…

Weaknesses

The pattern of the lichen on the branch is a little distracting, and it’s a shame I managed to cut off the leopard’s tail! The paw is also a little close to the edge of the frame.

Details

A Kirk's dik-dik faces the camera from a shady spot in long grass surrounded by bushes. It has a brown coat, two short horns and a pale ring around the eyes. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens at Klein's Camp, Tanzania, in March 2019.

ISO 500, 800mm, f/8, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

This is another cute photo, and I like the perfect pose and the cosy framing of the grass in the foreground and the branches behind—although I had to remove a lot of annoying stalks and leaves!

Weaknesses

Unfortunately, the main problem with a photo like this is that it shows a Kirk’s dik-dik rather than one of the more iconic African species, such as a lion or a leopard. People are just less likely to get excited about a picture of an animal most of them have never heard of. Sad, but true.

Details

A lioness is about to slap a male lion with its paw after mating. They both have golden coats and are standing on a patch of burnt grass in the warm evening light. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in the Serengeti in Tanzania in March 2019.

ISO 180, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I was lucky enough to see 29 lion matings during my 2019 trip, and I learned a lot about how to photograph them. The key thing is that the mating itself is quite boring and uneventful. It’s the reaction of the female afterwards that you want to capture.

A lioness feels discomfort and even pain when the male withdraws, and that often drives her to snarl and even slap him. If you’re ready and well-positioned in front of the lions, you can get shots like this.

I like the expression on the male lion’s face and the fact that the lioness has raised a paw to slap him. In addition, there are no distractions in the foreground or background, and the burnt grass is a little out of the ordinary.

Weaknesses

This was one of the early matings, so I hadn’t quite worked out all the correct settings. As a result, my shutter speed was a bit too slow and my aperture too wide to keep the lioness’s paw sharp.

Details

A Bengal tigress lies up to her neck in the dark shadows of a water hole. Her name is Maya 'The Enchantress', and she has orange and black stripes with white patches on her head. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 800mm lens in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in India in May 2017.

ISO 400, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, -1 EV

Strengths

I love the chiaroscuro (light and shade) effect in this shot. I underexposed deliberately, but it still took a lot of work in Lightroom to get it right. As it is, it almost looks as though the tiger is lying in a cave, illuminated by a single shaft of light.
I also like the fact that the tiger is lying in profile, and the water is calm enough to produce a nice reflection.

Weaknesses

You can’t see the tiger’s eyes properly, and the reflection is not quite perfect.

Details

The golden profile of a giraffe's head and neck can be seen against a pure black background. Shot with a Nikon D800 and an 80-400mm lens at the Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno, near Santander, Spain, in June 2017.

ISO 1100, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/4000, -2 EV

Strengths

I took this shot as an experiment. I wasn’t happy with my pictures, and I wanted to do something different. In the end, I produced something I’d never seen before. I call it a ‘sunny silhouette’, and I’ve tried it several times since then.

I like the simplicity of the composition, with the black background and the bright, golden outline creating a dramatic contrast. I also think it’s more powerful and suggestive because you can’t see the whole shape of the animal.

Weaknesses

There’s nothing exactly wrong with it, but perhaps it’s just too simple. I don’t know. Maybe I’ve just got used to it over the years, so it doesn’t have the same impact on me any more.

Details

A leopard lies on the branch of a tree that is covered in lichen. It has black spots on its brown fur coat and is looking straight at the camera. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in May 2019.

ISO 720, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I originally rated this image as four-star rather than five, but it’s grown on me! Everyone loves a leopard, and the direct gaze and catchlights in the eyes make it properly raw and confrontational. I’ve also used Lightroom’s Lens Blur to make the leaves in the background slightly less of a distraction.

Weaknesses

The leaves and branches in the foreground on the right are slightly distracting and hide part of the leopard’s paw, and its coat is rather yellow for some reason.

Details

A male cheetah jumps down from the diagonal trunk of a tree. He has brown fur covered with black spots, and in the background can be seen a line of trees. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 560, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

This is an action shot that I had to take from a long way away as I was worried the cheetah would jump if I tried to get any closer! I like the simplicity of the composition, and the tree and the cheetah are nicely set against the grass rather than the trees, which allows them to stand out.

Weaknesses

Normally, you want to show animals and birds as they take off rather than land, so this image doesn’t quite work for me. The cheetah’s eyes are also slightly hidden from view.

Details

A cheetah races along with its legs tucked under its body. It has golden fur covered with black spots, and its legs and the background are blurred by the slow shutter speed. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 250, 800mm, f/16, 1/100, 0.33 EV

Strengths

This is another of my 2018 Kicheche slow pans. The position of the legs, gathered under the cheetah’s body, suggests a kind of potential energy, the head is sharp and the background is nice and clean.

Weaknesses

Again, the shutter speed wasn’t slow enough to get the blur and streaks I was aiming for in the background.

Details

An Indian roller with a catchlight in its eye perches on a thin branch in a forest. It has a pinkish face with a blue patch on top of its head and brown wings. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, in May 2023.

ISO 200, 600mm, f/4, 1/2500, -3 EV

Strengths

If you’re on a tiger safari with Paul Goldstein, you have to be very secretive about taking pictures of anything other than tigers! Fortunately, he wasn’t looking when I took this shot. I like the contrast between the light and shade and the juxtaposition of the bright, golden feathers of the roller against the deep green of the forest.

The background is nice and clean, and there’s a lovely, bright green glow on the right-hand side.

Weaknesses

Again, this is ‘only’ an Indian roller, and Paul wouldn’t even have taken this shot, which is rather static and doesn’t even show the bird eating.

Details

A leopard is running over tyre marks on a sandy track through long grass in the golden light of dusk. It has golden eyes, black spots on a yellowish-brown coat and a white tuft at the end of its tail. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in Chobe National Park in Botswana in April 2016.

ISO 450, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/400, 0 EV

Strengths

I always like to show the juxtaposition of man and Nature, and a reliable way of doing that is to capture animals using tracks. The raised paw of the leopard denotes movement, and the early morning light gives her coat a golden glow.

Weaknesses

Unfortunately, the camera position is too high to be at eye level, and the tyre tracks on the road are a bit of a distraction.

Details

A male lion shows the flehmen response by opening his mouth wide as if he were roaring. He has a golden coat that glows in the warm early morning light. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 80-400mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 280, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the early morning light, and the flehmen response suggests the lion is roaring at the photographer. Fortunately, he wasn’t!

Weaknesses

The grass is just a little bit short to give the impression of a wilderness.

Details

A plains zebra stands in silhouette as the sun clears the horizon at dawn. It is backlit, so all you can see is the outline of its head and mane. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, in August 2023.

ISO 100, 840mm, f/10, 1/1000, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the simplicity of this shot, and the rim lighting is a nice touch, giving the zebra a kind of halo. Half-hiding the sun behind the animal works well, I think.

Weaknesses

The main drawback is the sky. It’s rather too yellow for my taste, and there are no clouds to liven things up.

Details

A Bengal tigress with a catchlight in her eye lies up to her neck in the dark shadows of a water hole. Her name is Maya 'The Enchantress', and she has orange and black stripes with white patches on her head. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 800mm lens in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in India on 13 May 2017, which just happened to be my birthday!

ISO 220, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, -2 EV

Strengths

This tiger photo shares the same strengths as the other one I took in Tadoba, with a nice contrast between the bright patches on her coat and the dark foreground and background. You can also see her eyes properly.

Weaknesses

My main reservation with the shot is the composition. I never know how to crop this properly!

Details

A brown bear with shaggy, brown fur is about to catch a salmon in its mouth at the top of Brooks Falls, Alaska. The fish is only a few inches away from its gaping jaws. Shot with a Nikon D800 and a 28-300mm lens in Alaska, USA, in July 2015.

ISO 400, 300mm, f/9.0, 1/1600, 0 EV

Strengths

This is probably the best shot I’ve ever taken—although I had to clone out an open wound on her back and Genesis Imaging generally sharpened it up. I love the rushing water and drama of the moment. It’s also one of the rare occasions when I’ve had a particular shot in mind and actually managed to take it!

Weaknesses

The most obvious problem is the lack of separation between the bear and the fish. The overlap annoys me every time I see it!

The narrow aperture was intended to give me a little more wiggle room in keeping both the bear and the fish sharp, but it also caused the background to be too intrusive—even after a bit of softening with Lightroom’s Lens Blur.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican glides over a lake in bright sunshine with the water turned into blurred streaks. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 50, 200mm, f/22, 1/15, -1 EV

Strengths

This is the best slow pan I took when I was at Lake Kerkini. The waves create the streaky, blurred background I’m always looking for, and I like the fact that the pelican’s wingtip is almost touching the water.

Weaknesses

The head is not quite sharp enough for my money, and it would’ve been nice if the bird had decided to fly in the other direction to improve the lighting!

Details

The right eye of a Grévy's zebra can be seen in close-up against a blueish background. Shot with a Nikon D800 and an 80-400mm lens at the Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno, near Santander, Spain, in June 2017.

ISO 1100, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/250, 0 EV

Strengths

I wanted an extreme close-up, and that was easy to get in the Cabárceno safari park! I like the simplicity of the image, and the eye is on one of the intersection points using the rule of thirds.

The blue background is nice and blurred, but I have no idea where the colour came from as the only thing behind the zebra was grass!

Weaknesses

I’m not quite happy with the half-and-half composition, and some of the eyelashes are blurred.

Details

A lilac-breasted roller with a catchlight in its eye flies in the sunshine, looking towards the camera. It has turquoise and blue wings, a lilac neck and a black and white stripe on its head. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, in August 2023.

ISO 800, 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the colours of the lilac-breasted roller, and this shot shows them off to great advantage against a clean, golden background. There’s a catchlight in the eye, the wing position is good, and the tiny bit of blur at the wingtips is a subtle way of indicating movement.

Weaknesses

The fact that the wings are up means that the body and head of the bird are quite low.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake in profile, casting a reflection. It has white plumage with a pink eye and a yellow and pink beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/8000, -2 EV

Strengths

Simplicity. That’s the main thing. Once I noticed that the colour of the water and the distant mountains were identical, I tried to take advantage of that by making the horizon disappear so that it almost looked as if the bird was floating in mid-air.

Weaknesses

The pale yellow bill is not as eye-catching as the red ones, and the reflection is slightly disturbed. There’s also no action.

Details

A female cheetah sits in a grassy plain, turning her head to the right. She has brown fur covered with black spots, and the background is blurred out. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens at Kicheche Bush Camp in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 220, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is my favourite portrait of a cheetah. I didn’t initially give it five stars, but I love the colour palette, the catchlight in the eye, the pose of the cheetah and the beautiful, golden bokeh, and I was annoyed it didn’t make it into the Remembering Cheetahs book!

Weaknesses

Again, no action, and my editing of the eyes was probably a bit heavy-handed…!

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake, cocking its head and casting a reflection. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/8000, -2 EV

Strengths

One of the great things about going to Lake Kerkini is that you can get so close to the birds. It’s easy to fill the frame, and the weather is generally so sunny that you can get great saturation in the colours, as you can see here with the red beak. The calm conditions also help by creating high-fidelity reflections in the water.

Weaknesses

I was using a prime lens, so I couldn’t very well zoom out, but the bird doesn’t appear to have quite enough space to breathe!

Details

A cheetah cub lies against the curved wall of a concrete pipe looking out while its sibling stands facing the other way. They have golden fur covered with black spots, and the pipe is surrounded by long grass. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 1600, 800mm, f/8, 1/1000, -0.33 EV

Strengths

I love the position of the cub on the right, with its head pushed forward by the curved side of the pipe. That’s what makes this image for me. There’s also a nice symmetry in having the circular pipe in the middle of the frame, with one cub on either side. Finally, the flat light removes any pesky shadows…

Weaknesses

The problem is the cub on the left. You can’t see its face, and it’s not really contributing to the image.

Details

A young cheetah cub lies snuggling next to its mother on a grassy plain. They both have brown fur covered with black spots, and the cub is scanning the savannah. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 360, 800mm, f/11, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

The cheetah cub is young enough to be very cute, and its position lying right next to its mother shows the strong, familial bond. I also like the catchlights in its eyes.

Weaknesses

Again, nothing’s going on, so it’s not an action shot, and it’s not entirely clear which parts of the animals are which!

Details

A lioness lies on the horizon in silhouette against the golden sky at sunrise. She is facing the camera with one leg stretched out on one side and her tail on the other. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 100, 130mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I like silhouettes in general, and this one is clearly identifiable as a lioness. The sky is colourful and pretty, and the pose is interesting. The horizon is well situated, low in the frame.

Weaknesses

The clouds aren’t particularly appealing, and the wide aperture means that they’re not particularly sharp. The silhouette isn’t quite clean enough on the right-hand side.

Details

A female leopard stretches her back on a rocky ledge surrounded by bushes. She has brown fur with a white underbelly and rings of black spots. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens at Ol Jogi, Kenya, in April 2022.

ISO 2500, 600mm, f/4, 1/1000, -0.7 EV

Strengths

It’s great to be able to capture the ‘decisive moment’, and, as one of my friends once told me, this is “the money shot”! I love the extension and curvature of the spine, and the angle of the cat creates a perfect profile shot. The rock and the trees also create a nice, internal frame around the animal.

Weaknesses

The leaves and branches don’t quite balance—even after a little attention in Lightroom! The leopard’s eyes are also not quite visible, which is often the case if the animal is shown in profile.

Details

An elephant is throwing dust over itself with its trunk on a bare earth slope with trees in the background under a blue sky. It has mud stains on its trunk, and the dust is exploding in a cloud against its wrinkled grey skin. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in Chobe National Park in Botswana in April 2016.

ISO 140, 85mm, f/8, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the clear blue sky, the dynamic pose of the elephant and the dust exploding against its flank.

Weaknesses

There are rather too many shadows on the elephant due to the time of day, and the shutter speed isn’t quite fast enough to freeze the lines of dust.

Details

A male Bengal tiger walks through the forest, which is blurred in the background. He has orange and black stripes with white patches on his head and chest. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, in May 2023.

ISO 50, 600mm, f/20, 1/5, 0 EV

Strengths

This is my best slow pan of a tiger. It was hard to avoid all the leaves and branches in Bandhavgarh, so I followed Paul Goldstein’s advice and slowed down my shutter speed dramatically, leading to nice streaks in the foreground and background.

Weaknesses

The tiger’s face isn’t sharp enough, and its forelegs are the wrong way round, closing off our view of its chest.

Details

A great egret flies lifting wings at dawn. It has white plumage, black legs, a yellow beak and black and yellow eyes. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in October 2022.

ISO 160, 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, -1 EV

Strengths

This clear blue sky is typical of what you get in Botswana, and it adds to the simplicity of the composition: just a white bird in a blue sky. The wing position is dynamic but elegant, and the feet are neatly stowed away.

Weaknesses

This is a bit of a ‘So what?’ picture. Sadly, however strong the technical aspects might be, the subject and its movement just aren’t enough to hold the viewer’s attention for long enough.

Details

Three Adélie penguins watch another jumping between two ice floes. They have black heads and backs with white bellies. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens on Brown Bluff, Antarctica, in February 2016.

ISO 72, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

This is my most popular photograph. It’s been downloaded more than 3,000 times, and it even appeared on a poster in the US TV show Atypical! I love the position of the jumping penguin, with its feet thrown out to the front and its flippers to the rear, keeping it balanced.
The watery background is nice and clean, and the other penguins look suitably doubtful and unimpressed!

Weaknesses

Again, because of the black heads, you can’t really see the penguins’ eyes, and the three on the left aren’t all looking at the one in mid-air.

Details

A common eland stands on the horizon just after sunset. It is thrown into silhouette by the bright orange sky. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya, in January 2024.

ISO 100, 600mm, f/7.1, 1/20, 0 EV

Strengths

I like the colours in the sky, and the variety of clouds add interest to what might’ve been dead space. The silhouette is also recognisable as a common eland (if your African animal recognition is up to snuff!), and the horizon is nice and low to emphasise the scale of the sky.

Weaknesses

The clouds aren’t quite dramatic enough, and the eland isn’t the most iconic creature on the planet…

Details

A black rhinoceros stands staring towards the camera, lit from the side by the golden rays of the rising sun. It has brown, leathery skin and a long horn pointing vertically. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter at Ol Jogi, Kenya, in April 2022.

ISO 800, 840mm, f/5.6, 1/320, 0 EV

Strengths

This is one of my favourite images. I love the chiaroscuro effect due to the side-lighting, and the black background provides drama and simplicity.

Weaknesses

It looks rather ‘manufactured’ (which it is, of course!). Even with good lighting, you’d never see such a thing in Nature.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake, casting a reflection of its body and beak. It has white plumage with a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/8000, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the absence of the pelican’s eyes from the shot. It focuses viewers’ attention on the main subject of the photograph, which is the beak—and pelicans, of course, are famous for their capacious beaks.

I also love the deep saturation of the colours, which are the vaguely symbolic red, white and blue!

Weaknesses

Leaving out the eye seems arbitrary, leaving the image without a clear focal point.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake, turning its head and casting a reflection. It has white plumage with a pink eye and a yellow and pink beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/8000, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the simplicity of the shot, made possible by the hidden horizon, the lack of waves and the matching reflection. Eye contact is always good, too.

Weaknesses

The reflection isn’t perfect, and the bird isn’t actually doing anything…!

Details

One of a flock of Dalmatian pelicans stretches its neck and opens its beak to grab a fish lying on a rocky shoreline. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a pink and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 24-70mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 26mm, f/2.8, 1/12800, -3 EV

Strengths

I like the drama of all the birds competing to get the fish, and I’m amazed that the eye and beak of the central bird are in focus. The ground-level point of view adds to the involvement and excitement, making the viewer feel part of the action.

Weaknesses

Due to the wide aperture, the fish is blurred, and the wings of the birds are a bit too chaotic.

Details

A European bee-eater perched on a dead tree stump tosses a fly up in the air. It has green and brown wings with a black, brown and yellow head. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens at Kicheche Bush Camp in the Masai Mara, Kenya, in January 2021.

ISO 250, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/640, 1 EV

Strengths

The fly is perfectly positioned between the two mandibles of the bird’s beak—although this was a complete fluke!—and the background is a lovely, green blur. I also like the matching colours of the bee-eater.

Weaknesses

Again, it’s ‘only’ a bee-eater, and it’s ‘only’ a fly!

Details

A yellow-billed kite lifts its wings coming in to land. It has mottled brown feathers, black eyes and a yellow beak and legs. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in October 2022.

ISO 500, 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, 0 EV

Strengths

The wings of the kite are in a powerful, dramatic position, with the energy emphasised by all the diagonal lines of the feathers. There’s even a bit of rim lighting on the wings and especially the tail.

Weaknesses

The background is a little intrusive, and the eyes of the bird are flat and expressionless.

Details

A humpback whale surfaces just in front of an inflatable boat packed with photographers wearing multicoloured jackets and carrying cameras. The whale's dorsal fin is visible above the waves, and in the background can be seen a steep cliff covered in snow. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 400mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter at Foyn Harbour on Enterprise Island off the Antarctic Peninsula in December 2021.

ISO 640, 560mm, f/4, 1/2000, 1 EV

Strengths

I like the juxtaposition of Man and Nature, enhanced by the contrast between the warm colours of the photographers’ jackets and the cool hues of the whale, the ocean and the ice and snow. All the people are looking in the same direction at the whale, which is nice!

There’s good separation between the Zodiac and the whale, and the background is nice and clean, with just enough detail to show what it is.

Weaknesses

There’s a blown highlight in the reflection on the Zodiac, and the shot doesn’t really show off the whale itself. It would’ve been more impressive to show the fluke disappearing beneath the waves…

Details

A blue wildebeest on the horizon is silhouetted against a yellow and black sky at sunset. Its horns are visible in outline, and it's standing with its head turned. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Serengeti, Tanzania, in April 2019.

ISO 64, 800mm, f/8, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

I like the colours in the sky, the clear silhouette of the wildebeest and the rim lighting around it. The horizon is also nice and low.

Weaknesses

It’s ‘only’ a wildebeest standing around on the savannah…!

Details

A great white pelican comes in to land out of a clear, blue sky above distant, snow-capped mountains. It has white plumage with a pink eye and a pink and yellow beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, -1 EV

Strengths

I love the colours of the pelican’s feathers and body, and the wings are in a great position. The snow-capped mountain ridge is nicely blurred and separated from the bird, and the sky is a lovely shade of blue.

Weaknesses

The pelican’s foot is a bit too close to the mountains, and it’s too late in the morning for the colours to be perfect. I would’ve liked a bit more purple in the mountains…

Details

A leopard lies in the fork of a tree with its head up. It has black spots on its brown fur coat and is looking for prey. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 64, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/500, -1 EV

Strengths

I like the colour palette, the dappled sunlight and the negative space on the right of the frame. There’s a partial internal frame, formed by the tree trunk and the leaves. The leopard is also staring intently.

Weaknesses

The branches on the left and right are too cluttered and messy, and the patches of light don’t cover the leopard’s face properly.

Details

A male lion lies with its head bathed in the light of dawn. It has a big mane and is staring into the distance. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in March 2019.

ISO 280, 1000mm, f/7.1, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is my favourite wildlife portrait, and I use it as the wallpaper on my iPhone! I love the golden light, the black background, the catchlight in the eye and the regal expression on the lion’s face.

Weaknesses

Again, it just looks a bit ‘fake’. I had to do a lot of work in post to achieve this effect, but you’d hardly ever see it in the real world. Sadly…

Details

A hippopotamus stands up to its eyes in a waterhole, staring toward the camera. The reflection of the clouds makes it look like it's floating in mid-air. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens at Kicheche Bush Camp in the Masai Mara, Kenya, in January 2021.

ISO 900, 800mm, f/8, 1/1000, 2 EV

Strengths

I like the symmetry and the original concept. It’s the only time I’ve taken this sort of picture, with an overcast sky casting a reflection in the water and making the animal appear to be floating in mid-air.

Weaknesses

It’s only a hippo, and it’s only a portrait. It’s also not quite properly lined up, and the reflection isn’t perfect.

Details

A backlit Cape buffalo stands facing the camera at dawn. Its body is in silhouette, and the sun is rising above the horizon behind. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens at Kicheche Bush Camp in Kenya in January 2021.

ISO 90, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, -1 EV

Strengths

I love the atmosphere of this shot, with the different elements combining so well: the golden sun, the misty grass, the easily recognisable silhouette and the blood-red sky.

I also love my headline: Horn of Africa!

Weaknesses

Again, it’s only a buffalo, and it’s not doing anything. The sky is also slightly too brown.

Details

A blue wildebeest gallops across the savannah in the sunshine. Its legs and tail are blurred by the speed. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in April 2019.

ISO 31, 400mm, f/9, 1/50, 0 EV

Strengths

I like the energy and movement in this slow pan, and the head is reasonably sharp.

Weaknesses

The shutter speed isn’t slow enough to generate much blur or streaking in the background.

Details

A female cheetah chases a female common impala down a rocky slope. She has golden fur covered with black spots, and her tail is thrown out at an angle for balance. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya, in January 2024.

ISO 500, 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, 0 EV

Strengths

For me, there’s nothing more exciting in wildlife photography than a cheetah kill. This shot shows both predator and prey in a headlong chase down a rocky hillside. That’s pretty dramatic, and the two animals are close enough to heighten the anticipation.

The cheetah is the one in focus—as it should be—and you can see the cold calculation on her face. The leg positions of both animals also help to ‘sell the sizzle’!

Weaknesses

Inevitably, the background is very messy, and there’s an argument that the face of the impala needs to be either sharper or much more blurred.

Details

A guanaco jumps in the air on the horizon with blue sky in the background, stretching out its forelegs and hindlegs. It has a woolly coat with patches of light and dark brown. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Torres del Paine, Chile, in October 2023.

ISO 320, 600mm, f/4, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

The animal is in mid-air, and, crucially, its body is in a slightly upward position, showing that it’s still gaining height. The horizon is nice and low, and the sky is just blue enough.

Weaknesses

I took the shot of a moving animal from a long way away, so the image quality isn’t quite satisfactory, and the animal doesn’t quite look natural.

Details

A marine iguana is lying in dappled sunlight among rocks, leaves and moss-covered tree roots. It has a scaly black skin with brown and green patches and is in the middle of the frame staring straight at the camera. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador in January 2016.

ISO 400, 400mm, f/5.6, 1/250, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the Jurassic look of this marine iguana, and the head is super sharp compared to the background. I also like the matching colour palette of the animal and its surroundings.

Weaknesses

It’s only a portrait, and the animal isn’t doing much. It’s also ‘only’ a marine iguana!

Details

A long-tailed macaque with brown fur and a pinkish face leans on a bamboo pole in the trunk of a tree. Its head is resting on both its front paws, and it is looking straight at the camera. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 80-400mm lens on Monkey Island in Can Gio, Vietnam, in August 2018.

ISO 720, 330mm, f/5.6, 1/400, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the intensity of the animal’s gaze and the powerful connection created by the eye contact. The head is also framed by the bamboo pole and the branches of the tree.

Weaknesses

The position of the head isn’t quite right. It doesn’t obey the rule of thirds—or any other rule!

Details

A female African bush elephant stands looking towards the camera, lit dramatically from the side against a black background. It has short tusks, and its trunk hangs down to the ground. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 70-200mm lens and a 2x teleconverter in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in May 2022.

ISO 400, 242mm, f/5.6, 1/500, -1 EV

Strengths

This is almost a sunny silhouette, and I like the familiar contrast between the golden outline of the elephant and the dark background, caused by the side-lighting.

Weaknesses

You can’t quite see the eye properly, and the whole thing is slightly unnatural.

Details

During mating, a male lion and a lioness roar at each other. The female is lying down, and the male is crouching above her. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in March 2019.

ISO 450, 800mm, f/8, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the expressions on the two lions’ faces and the angle of the male’s body, showing he’s trying to get away from his mate! The background is also nice and clean.

Weaknesses

Again, the grass is a little too short. It looks more like my garden than an African wilderness!

Details

Close-up of a golden eagle's head with a catchlight in its eye in bright sunshine against a blurred grassy background. Shot with a Nikon D800 and a 50-500mm lens at Battle Abbey in East Sussex, England, in October 2014.

ISO 110, 500mm, f/9, 1/250, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the detail in this picture. When my friend James first brought round a print of this image, we talked for 20 minutes, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it! The angle of view is a perfect 90°, the background shows nice bokeh and the catchlight is a nice touch. (It was a very cloudy and rainy day, so I was lucky to get that!)

Weaknesses

I took this picture after a falconry display at a reenactment of the Battle of Hastings, so the eagle isn’t wild. It’s also just a portrait.

Details

A male Bengal tiger races across a dirt track through the forest, passing a parked jeep. He has orange and black stripes with white patches on his head and chest. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, in May 2023.

ISO 1000, 95mm, f/2.8, 1/500, -1 EV

Strengths

Tigers and other cats spend so much time lying around sleeping that it’s hard to be ready for any action that does occur. Fortunately, someone shouted out a warning just before this creature ran across the road, so I just had time to grab my other camera and take a burst of shots.

I like the energy and sense of movement in the leg position, and the jeep provides useful context.

Weaknesses

The background is still a little intrusive despite the wide aperture, and the road is too orange for my taste. The jeep is also cut off in a suboptimal way.

Details

A lioness lies on the horizon in silhouette against the golden sky at sunrise. She is facing left, staring into the distance. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 720, 400mm, f/16, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I like the perfect pose and the contrast between the deep blacks and the rich yellows.

Weaknesses

The lioness doesn’t have a recognisable enough shape to make a good silhouette, and the light in the sky is too yellow for me. The clouds are also disappointing.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake, resting its head, neck and beak on its body and casting a reflection. It has white plumage with an orange eye and an orange and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 250, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/32000, -2 EV

Strengths

This is another one of my pelican shots with a hidden horizon. I love the intensity of the colours, the calmness of the water and the almost complete reflection.

Weaknesses

It’s ‘only’ a bird floating on a lake…

Details

A blue wildebeest is silhouetted against the setting sun on the horizon. It has curved horns and is walking towards the sunset. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 280, 800mm, f/16, 1/500, 0.67 EV

Strengths

I love the sky in this image, and the silhouette of the blue wildebeest against the sun is a nice touch. The horizon is also suitably low to emphasise the scale of the sky.

Weaknesses

One of the other guests managed to take a close-up of the same animal, and I remember thinking that was much better than mine!

Details

A Cape buffalo walks through long grass towards the rising sun. Its two curved horns stand out in silhouette in the mist. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens at Kicheche Bush Camp in the Masai Mara, Kenya, in January 2021.

ISO 180, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

Again, I like the combination of the misty grass, the sun, the sky and the silhouette.

Weaknesses

The silhouette isn’t a great shape, and the sky is too brown for my taste.

Details

A vervet monkey sits on a green painted wall looking at the camera with its hands resting at its feet. It has brown eyes, a black face and brown and black fur. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 80-400mm lens in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania in January 2018.

ISO 220, 400mm, f/8, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

The monkey is posed nicely, and the eye contact is important. The green wall matches the grassy background quite well.

Weaknesses

It’s only a monkey sitting on a wall…!

Details

A lion cub sits staring towards the camera. It has mottled brown fur with a paler chest and a bright rim of gold around it due to the backlighting. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter at Ol Jogi, Kenya, in April 2022.

ISO 400, 840mm, f/5.6, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is a simple image that feeds off the connection between lion cub and viewer, formed by the intense stare into the camera. I also like the colour palette and the rim-lighting around the cub.

I also love the headline: Mother’s Pride. It was actually suggested by my girlfriend at the time, so thanks a lot, Miriam!

Weaknesses

The undergrowth is still too messy, despite my vain attempts to clean it up in Lightroom! And it’s also still just a portrait rather than an action shot.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake, casting a reflection. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 100, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/8000, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the simplicity, the red-white-and-blue colour scheme and the perfect pose of the pelican, plus the reflection in the water and the hidden horizon.

Weaknesses

The bird is just a bit too small in the frame to see the expression on its face clearly.

Details

A leopard lies on the branch of a tree that is covered in lichen. It has black spots on its brown fur coat and is looking for prey. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in the Masai Mara in Kenya in July 2018.

ISO 800, 800mm, f/5.6, 1/250, -1 EV

Strengths

This is my favourite leopard portrait. I love the pose and the intense stare, and I named it Olympia after the eponymous painting of the prostitute by Manet.

Weaknesses

I’ve used the Lightroom Lens Blur feature to lessen the distraction of the background, but it hasn’t quite worked!

Details

A lilac-breasted roller with a catchlight in its eye takes off from a thorny branch, looking towards the camera. It has turquoise and blue wings, a lilac neck and a black and white stripe on its head. Shot with a Nikon D850, an 800mm lens and a 1.25x teleconverter at Klein's Camp, Tanzania, in April 2019.

ISO 2500, 1000mm, f/16, 1/2000, 0 EV

Strengths

I love to take pictures of birds just touching a branch on tip-toe when taking off. It’s pretty hard to do, especially with small birds, but the timing was perfect in this case. You can see the beautiful plumage, and the wings are perfectly spread. The background is also nicely blurred out.

Weaknesses

The thornbush is a bit messy, and the subject probably brings it down from ‘great’ to merely ‘good’…

Details

A Dalmatian pelican lifts its wings and hops along to help it take off from a lake near a row of trees on the shoreline. It's silhouetted against the light of dawn with golden highlights on its head and neck. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 250, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/12800, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the golden hour lighting and the timing of the shot just as the pelican is about to land on the lake. The spray and the rim lighting are nice touches, and the angle is perfect for the silhouette.

Weaknesses

There’s only a small amount of rim lighting on the bird’s head and nowhere else. The image is also a bit monochromatic.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake, opening its beak and casting a reflection. It has white plumage with a pink eye and a yellow and pink beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 250, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/32000, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the fact that the pelican is opening its beak, plus the usual good things about all the Lake Kerkini shots.

Weaknesses

The beak is yellow rather than red, and the reflection is disturbed.

Details

A lion cub walks through long grass towards the camera. It is lifting its right paw and staring intently. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in April 2019.

ISO 2000, 1000mm, f/8, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the low point of view in this one. I was only able to achieve that my lying on the ground as the cub walked towards me! (And don’t worry, it was quite safe…)

I also like the catchlights in the eyes and the pose with the lifted forepaw.

Weaknesses

There’s too little space around the animal, and the light isn’t as warm as it might be. It was the golden hour, but there was no sun!

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake in profile, casting a reflection. It has white plumage with a pink eye and an orange and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 200, 180mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, -1 EV

Strengths

I love the colours in this image—admittedly helped by boosting the Blue Primary Saturation slider in the Lightroom Calibration section to 100! The waves in the background also show a lovely, regular pattern of shadows.

Weaknesses

The point of view is too high. I was nervous about dropping my camera in the water, so I wasn’t too keen on leaning outside the boat…!

Details

A pig peeps out from behind a wall on the street in an old Indian village. Shot with a Nikon D800 and a 28-300mm lens at Tordi Sagar in India in November 2013.

ISO 250, 300mm, f/11, 1/125, 0 EV

Strengths

I vividly remember taking this picture in a little village in India. First of all, I happened to see the pig poking its head round one of the pillars, but then it went behind the wall again. I got into position as soon as I could, but it cost me a very painful 10 minutes on my knees before my chance came!

It’s a nice pink and grey colour palette. It’s also a great pose, one that any kid might take up, so I love the anthropomorphism as much as anything else. It’s a very popular image, and I’ve sold more prints of this than any other.

Weaknesses

Again, it’s only a pig…

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake in profile, casting a reflection. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 125, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/5000, -1 EV

Strengths

This is only a simple portrait, but I like the colours and the hidden horizon.

Weaknesses

It’s a little bit too simple…!

Details

A male Bengal tiger races across a dirt track through the forest, chasing another male off his territory. He has orange and black stripes with white patches on his head and chest. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, in May 2023.

ISO 1000, 95mm, f/2.8, 1/500, -1 EV

Strengths

I like the energy of the tiger’s movement and the positioning of his two front legs, well separated and with the right one further back to show the chest.

Weaknesses

The background isn’t particularly attractive, and the road is again a bit too orange!

Details

A female leopard lies on a rock surrounded by trees. She has brown fur with a white chest and rings of black spots. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter at Ol Jogi, Kenya, in April 2022.

ISO 1250, 840mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, -1 EV

Strengths

Environmental portraits are becoming more and more popular, and this is one of my favourites. I love the unusual landscape and the calm yet regal pose of the leopard.

Weaknesses

The placement of the leopard bothers me. However I crop the image, it always appears to be in the wrong position!

Details

A leopard tortoise walks across a dry, grassy plain. It has a black shell with mottled brown spots and scaly front legs. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens at Ol Jogi, Kenya, in April 2022.

ISO 100, 158mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the low viewpoint and the obvious contrast between the sharp head of the tortoise and the blurred shell and background.

Weaknesses

There might be a little too much blur in the tortoise, and it’s still only a tortoise!

Details

Two Dalmatian pelicans swim side-by-side in bright sunshine across a lake, reflected in the rippled water. They have white plumage with orange eyes and red and black beaks. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 200, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/32000, -2 EV

Strengths

I like the strong colours, the hidden horizon and the relationship between the two pelicans, shown swimming happily side-by-side.

Weaknesses

The pelicans are dragging weeds through the water with their necks, and the second pelican is too blurred. I should probably have used a narrower aperture…

Details

A male Bengal tiger walks in darkness, lit by the setting sun. He has orange and black stripes with white patches on the head. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, in May 2023.

ISO 800, 600mm, f/4, 1/1000, -1 EV

Strengths

I wasn’t quite sure about this shot initially, but after a little polishing in Lightroom, I’m very happy with it. It’s (almost) another sunny silhouette, and I like the arty look. It belongs on an Athena poster!

Weaknesses

I’m never quite convinced by the portrait format when it comes to photographing four-legged animals…

Details

A plains zebra walks across the savannah just as the sun drops below the horizon. It's thrown into silhouette by the bright sky, but the rimlighting creates a thin, golden outline. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya, in January 2024.

ISO 100, 600mm, f/16, 1/200, -2 EV

Strengths

I love the clouds in the sky and the rim lighting around the zebra, whose positioning is perfectly beneath the setting sun.

Weaknesses

I can’t quite get the foreground right. The rim lighting is good, but the zebra is perhaps too small in the frame for it to dominate the composition.

Details

A lioness walks down a gravel airstrip next to her young cub. They both have golden coats, made to glow in the warm early morning light. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 800mm lens in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in May 2019.

ISO 640, 800mm, f/8, 1/500, 0 EV

Strengths

This is the shot of the lioness and cub on the airstrip that I prefer. The two are much closer together, almost walking in step, and the background is darker and therefore less distracting.

Weaknesses

The animals are ‘cut through’ by various shadows and other lines in the background. They’re also not doing much of interest…

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm, blue lake in profile, casting a reflection. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 400mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 125, 400mm, f/2.8, 1/5000, -1 EV

Strengths

This shot made me smile when I first saw it. It exudes calmness, and I love the simple, minimalist composition and the red, white and blue palette.

Weaknesses

The subject and the lack of action are two common problems with all the Lake Kerkini shots.

Details

A Bengal tiger pokes its head past a tree in a forest, letting its mouth hang open. It has orange, black and white stripes on its head. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Bandhavgarh National Park, India, in May 2023.

ISO 2000, 600mm, f/4, 1/1000, -3 EV

Strengths

This was intended to be a ‘peekaboo’ shot like the one of the pig in India, but it didn’t quite turn out that way. I still like it, though, and the tree and undergrowth make a nice frame for the tiger’s face.

Weaknesses

The light isn’t great, so it’s hard to show off the beauty of the tiger in this one.

Details

A male polar bear stands on the tundra, lifting his paw as if he's a pointer. He is backlit in the darkness, so you can only see his golden silhouette. Shot with a Nikon D850 and an 80-400mm lens at Arviat in Nunavut, Canada, in November 2021.

ISO 80, 270mm, f/9, 1/3200, -4 EV

Strengths

This is another sunny silhouette, and I like the pose of the polar bear.

Weaknesses

The outline is not quite complete.

Details

A backlit chacma baboon sits on top of a termite mound. It's a silhouette surrounded by golden rim lighting against a black background. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in October 2022.

ISO 500, 600mm, f/4, 1/1000, -1 EV

Strengths

Again, I love the simplicity and dramatic lighting in this sunny silhouette. I only took it as an afterthought after I’d already taken a front-lit shot and just happened to notice the potential for a backlit version. I’m glad I did!

Weaknesses

It’s only a chacma baboon sitting on a termite mound…

Details

Three male lions take down a female Cape buffalo on the African savannah. They are all grabbing her from behind with their claws and teeth as the buffalo falls to earth. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in the Serengeti in Tanzania in April 2019.

ISO 1250, 260mm, f/11, 1/1250, 0 EV

Strengths

I took this shot during one of the most exciting and satisfying moments of my photographic career. I was with a very nice couple on a game drive, and we got to see just about the whole kill. It started with one lion and ended with three. After that, yet another one joined in to feast on the carcase!

I love the drama of the moment and the clean background—although I had to remove an annoying bush!

Weaknesses

The harshness and direction of the lighting are the main problems with this image. There’s a nasty shadow cast on the right-hand lion, and it happened too late in the day.

Details

A male polar bear stares towards the camera with a single golden eye on the left side of his face. He has whitish fur that has a blue tinge in the early morning light. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 400mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter at Arviat in Nunavut, Canada, in November 2021.

ISO 8000, 560mm, f/4, 1/1000, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the intimidating power of the polar bear’s gaze, accentuated by the half-face composition. The blue tone comes from the timing of the shot in the early morning, and it’s nicely set off by the golden iris.

Weaknesses

It was pretty dark when I took this shot, so the ISO was too high, really, for the image quality I was after. Maybe I should’ve gone with a slower shutter speed or a narrower aperture to keep the bear’s fur sharp…

Details

A Galápagos tortoise lumbers slowly across a long, straight dirt road that stretches off to the horizon. Beyond the grass verge, there is dense forest on either side. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador in January 2016.

ISO 360, 400mm, f/8, 1/200, 0 EV

Strengths

This is a remarkably popular image. I’ve sold it over 350 times, and I’m not quite sure why! I like the leading lines and all the different greens of the forest, plus the pose of the tortoise.

Weaknesses

Believe it or not, I had to run to get into position for this shot, and I was just a little bit late—as you can see from the position of the tortoise relative to the road.

Details

A little bee-eater with a catchlight in its eye raises its wings as it comes in to land on a bare branch under a perfect blue sky. It has green, yellow and black feathers and a black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in May 2022.

ISO 250, 840mm, f/5.6, 1/3200, -1 EV

Strengths

The moment when a bird flares its wings before landing is always a good photo-op, and the timing of this one is pretty good. The wings are in a perfect position, and the little bee-eater is just about to land on the branch under a clear, blue sky.

Weaknesses

Neither the bird nor the branch are quite sharp enough.

Details

An African bush elephant walks past trees in the savannah from left to right. The slow shutter speed blurs its legs and the background. Shot with a Nikon D810 and an 80-400mm lens in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in April 2019.

ISO 31, 400mm, f/36, 1/4, 0 EV

Strengths

I like the energy and purpose of the elephant, and the angle of view is good.

Weaknesses

The wrong front leg is forward, and I’m not happy with the blurring of the front legs or the background.

Details

Two little bee-eaters perch on a diagonal branch with a green, leafy background. They are both turning their heads and have catchlights in their eyes. They have green, yellow and black feathers and black beaks. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in May 2022.

ISO 640, 840mm, f/5.6, 1/3200, -1 EV

Strengths

This is my favourite bird portrait. I love little bee-eaters in general, and these are fine examples. Their plumage shows rich colours, they have catchlights in their eyes and the green in the background mirrors the green of their feathers. They’re also mimicking each other in their positioning on the branch.

Weaknesses

The birds don’t quite match exactly in terms of their physiognomy or their positions. There’s also an annoying patch of brown in the bottom right-hand corner that I haven’t managed to fix!

Details

A female cheetah races through standing water in the African savannah. Her feet are gathered under her, and she leaves a splash of water in her wake. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya, in January 2024.

ISO 5000, 600mm, f/8, 1/1600, 0 EV

Strengths

I like the position of the cheetah’s legs and the standing water splashing up in her wake.

Weaknesses

The background and foreground are too messy, and the water is blurred.

Details

A Dalmatian pelican floats on a calm lake, casting a reflection. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 400, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/32000, -3 EV

Strengths

I like the black background, the golden hour light and the pose of the pelican.

Weaknesses

If I show the golden light, the feathers aren’t white, but if I show the white feathers, I can’t see the golden light!

Details

A gentoo penguin stands in profile at the top of a snowy slope, holding its flippers by its sides and thrusting its head forward. It has a white chest, black and white head and red beak, but everything is blurred by a fierce blizzard. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 400mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter on Danco Island off the Antarctic Peninsula in December 2021.

ISO 640, 560mm, f/4, 1/2000, 1 EV

Strengths

I love the simplicity of the composition and the evocation of what was a terrible blizzard. It was blowing a gale as well, so I couldn’t even turn round for fear my lens hood would fill up with snow! As Alfred Wainwright once said, “There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!”

The snow creates a lovely, blurred effect, and the penguin is sticking its head forward, as if trying to see what’s ahead.

Weaknesses

The flakes of snow don’t really show up, so you perhaps don’t get a full sense of the power of the snowstorm.

Details

A little bee-eater with a catchlight in its eye spreads its wings as it dives towards the camera from a bare branch. It has green, yellow and black feathers and a black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 600mm lens in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in October 2022.

ISO 500, 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, 0 EV

Strengths

The eye of this little bee-eater is sharp, and its wings are in a good position with a little motion blur at the wingtips. And it’s always good when wildlife comes directly towards you…

Weaknesses

The position of the bird rather hides the branch, so the image can be a little confusing.

Details

A black-winged stilt flies along a river in the sunshine, raising its wings. It has black wings, a white body, red legs and eyes and a black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 600mm lens in Chobe National Park, Botswana, in October 2022.

ISO 200, 600mm, f/4, 1/3200, -0.7 EV

Strengths

I like the perfect pose of the bird and the clean background, providing just enough detail to show that it’s water.

Weaknesses

Unfortunately, I took the picture in late morning, so the light wasn’t great, and there are shadows over the bird’s neck, wings and upper legs.

Details

An Antarctic petrel flies directly towards the camera. It's banking so far that its wings are positioned diagonally, and the sky is a perfect blue. Shot with a Sony ⍺1, a 400mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter in the Southern Ocean in December 2021.

ISO 320, 560mm, f/4, 1/3200, 0 EV

Strengths

I love the geometry of this shot. During the course of two hours on a pointless day at sea on a trip to Antarctica, I decided to pass the time by photographing the seabirds. In the end, I took over 38,000 photos, so I’m glad at least one turned out all right!

Weaknesses

If you look closely, the symmetry is not quite perfect…

Details

A Dalmatian pelican stretches out its wings and feet just before landing on a calm lake near snow-capped mountains. It has white plumage with an orange eye and a red and black beak. Shot with a Sony ⍺1 and a 70-200mm lens on Lake Kerkini, Greece, in February 2023.

ISO 320, 173mm, f/2.8, 1/3200, -1 EV

Strengths

I love the colours in this shot, from the purple hills to the golden wings and scarlet beak of the pelican. The position of the bird’s wings is also perfect, and the background is conveniently clean in the part of the frame.

Weaknesses

The main problem is the shadow on the bird’s wing. Once you’ve seen it, you can never unsee it…!

Verdict

So there you are. A lot of work went into processing these images, so most of them would be disqualified from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year! However, I’ll keep on plugging away, trying to get things right in camera next time…

What do you think? If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please let me know in the comments below.

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