Wizard
by Phocal

Comment by Lydia:
8 from me... I love that rain adding diagonals everywhere!

Rear View
by Phocal

Comment by tate:
CX! =) This is one of my favorites in the challenge. Although I'm left thinking it can't help but be a DNMC and I'm wondering if I'm biased due to my love of CX and cute ladies =D

Rear View
by Phocal

Comment by clickodak:
Wow nice composition. Give 8

Rear View
by Phocal

Comment by Lydia:
Ha! I love this!

Rear View
by Phocal

Comment by RyanW:
extra point bump for inferred action in title

Rear View
by Phocal

Comment by doctabrez:
meaty perspective

Rear View
by Phocal

Comment by tanguera:
Love this image. But I'm having a hard time deciding who the subject is!!

Alpha
by Phocal

Comment by Phocal:
[user]ciaegle[/user] Thanks for the comments. I would have liked a different angle but a lot of times in wildlife photography you take what you can get and hope for a better angle/lighting/behavior the next time around.

Alpha
by Phocal

Comment by Phocal:
ArnaMarie Thank you for your comments. I wanted more of the nose in focus but it would have required a much smaller aperture and would have pushed my ISO into the area where I would not use the photo due to noise. On a brighter day it would not be an issue but on a cloudy rainy day it was just not going to happen.

Light Pole Sitta
by Phocal

Comment by Ecce_Signum:
Hi Ronnie, welcome from Andi at the Critique Club and catching up on some old critique requests ;)

When I first opened this pic I did have that 'WOW' moment and was a little confused to see the score/position and have no idea why it didn't score 6+ even in a FS.

A great spot and love the composition, it must have been uncomfortable for him. The image is nice and sharp with good detail everywhere except for his neck which looks a little over exposed on my monitor. Is that a real Texan sky or did you adjust it somewhat? either way it does look a little false so me, too even and blue.

A very picky thought but is the pole just half a degree of vertical? I really like the shot and leaving still confused with the score.