ringing a bell....or stumped?
by herfotoman

Comment:
Clever response to the challenge. Doubt it will be understood by the collective...

Bath Time
by ecmguy

Comment:
Cute Factor. Top 3

Mamaw and the baby kitty
by genova24

Comment:
Top 3

Blur - Bokeh - Shallow DOF
by roz

Comment:
Who'd have thought superb shots like this would garner 6.6800? Impressive Roz.

Black Swan
by Neat

Comment:
Native of Australia. Beautiful birds. Interesting choice to go B&W. Good composition. I quite like them offset against a colourful background however and the red bill then adds to it's beauty. Whilst not endangered they are rare in the wild but commonplace around human habitation. The challenge is rather vague so no loss of points for that. In B&W I feel it could do with a bit more contrast and deeper blacks.

A Concentrated Worm Tensioner
by Rodor

Comment:
Super crisp image, wonderful colours and moment caught. Sharp eye and obligatory catch-light. Pity about the OOF stalk in front of the bird. That's wildlife photography! Uncontrollable and impossible to direct.

New Growth
by Enlightened

Comment:
Very pretty entry and complimentary tones in the deer and it's background. No signs of man made structures or obstructions. Crisp clear eyes and good DOF. You've managed to get quite close to the animal so it must be very acclimatised to humans, perhaps in a reserve or park. Possibly captive from this perspective however that's not necessarily grounds for a DQ or DNMC as the challenge requirement is quite vague. DPC doesn't even have a Wildlife Category, only Nature and they are two quite different meanings and interpretations.

Herring Gull, Afternoon Light
by Bear_Music

Comment:
Lovely crisp shot and well exposed, great sky. Just lacking a catch-light so critical to BiF or most bird photography today. Completely void of human structures and objects so technically accurate in terms of WILD-life. Despite the image likely being taken at a dock, wharf or the seaside. The animal is non-captive but probably acclimatised to humans.

Elysium
by SandyP

Comment:
I like this shot a lot. The oft ignored Impala. It's seldom photographed in Africa as it is so common here. It's clean and crisp and nicely composed. The "look" is wonderful and the exposure perfect.
However as a wildlife photographer and purist, all of this is sadly spoiled by what appears to be the hand of man in a wildlife shot; symmetrical light grey concrete rubble in front of what appears to be a partial visible tyre and a fence pole behind the animals rump in the background :( I'm sorry if you feel this is harsh however true WILD-life photography has none of these things (man made objects) in it. This is the difference between wildlife and nature categories, although it is extremely hard to police in photo competitions except by self regulation and honesty as with cropping or better composition these things can be avoided in reserves to make it appear as if it was taken in the animals natural and true but ever shrinking wild habitat.

DPC does not have a wildlife category so this challenge is rather amusing from that aspect.

The Big Kids Don't Wanna Play wif Me
by littlemav

Comment:
Perfect. Fits 100% to the spirit of the challenge.