Andrew Forsyth

Pelican preening
taken at London zoo EOS1n 100-400IS

Thanks to the staff who let me photograph despite having a big white lens...

Why We Chose It:
It is quite difficult to get these very tightly composed portraits right, but this one works very well. Whether this was composed as tightly in camera or whgether this is the result of judicious cropping later is not, in our view an issue. The diagonal line from the top left with the birds eye down the gentle curve of the beak to the bottom right really works well. It is also a well exposed shot that is critically sharp.

Peter Madeley

Adder 1
Taken during Geoff Simpson's Reptile workshop
Provia 100F, 100-400IS with 500D diopter AV at f11 and f16 on beanbag with mirror lock up and electronic release

Why We Chose It:
Composition is again quite important with this shot ? the snakes head and eye are placed on the intersection of the thirds lines (good use of the rule of thirds), the ?neck? and coils of the body then fall away on the diagonal. The parallel placement of the film plane with the snakes head means that all of it is kept nice and sharp, despite the fact that Peter was working with a limited depth of field. Good use of depth of field keeping the background well out of focus and so helping to make the subject really stand out.