# Stepping back to get animal in their environment

**URL:** <https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/stepping-back-to-get-animal-in-their-environment/52423>\
**Category:** Image Critiques\
**Tags:** wildlife\
**Created:** [September 29, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/stepping-back-to-get-animal-in-their-environment/52423 "2026-09-29T21:11:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![paolo1](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/85f322/32.png) [@paolo1](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/paolo1)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/stepping-back-to-get-animal-in-their-environment/52423/1 "2026-09-29T21:11:29Z")

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![Original - DSC_5866.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/a/3/a36d65596cc927b96c5d04b515f733dca3a4cf2e.jpeg)

**Critique Style:** Initial Reaction

Please share your first response before reading the hidden notes below. The photographer is looking for an unbiased initial impression.

**Feedback Focus:** Artistic + Technical

### Questions for Viewers

I took this shot with a 105mm macro lens and even though I wanted to get closer, I couldn’t. Notwithstanding, I am appreciating shots where animals are portraied in their environment. What’s your first impressiona and opinion on this picture? What do you prefer super-sharp closeup/macro versus a habitat shot?

### Technical Details

Camera: Nikon Z8  
Lens: 120 mm Sigma  
Focal length: 105  
Shutter speed:1/120  
Aperture: 9  
ISO:160  
Flash: no

Processing software: Lightroom  
Major adjustments: Masks on the subject and foreground to adjust light, enhance shadows, reduce lights  
Blending/stacking:  
Other notes:

Tripod/handheld:  
Focus method:  
Filters:  
Technique:  
Conditions:

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**Author:** ![Huw\_Thomas](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/huw_thomas/32/87850_2.png) [@Huw\_Thomas](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Huw_Thomas)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2026, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/stepping-back-to-get-animal-in-their-environment/52423/2 "2026-09-29T21:37:55Z")

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As it is .. is lovely for me

great topology of location, nice light, well highlighted frog … what’s not to like ! Well done!

Suggest you consider toning down the bright sticks and areas on the RUC and Right side so they do’t distract the eye

## Visual Notes

[Crop] possible crop (may be a bit extreme

 ![visual notes](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/c/a/cad6e0d5355ffff35fa0f4ad7899aa6072accd5c.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2026, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/stepping-back-to-get-animal-in-their-environment/52423/3 "2026-09-30T21:29:38Z")

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I like the idea of keeping a reasonable amount of environment in images like this Paolo. The frog stands out well enough for the viewer to know it’s the subject of the image and there’s plenty of detail in it when viewed closely. That said, as an overall aesthetic piece, I find the bright patches on the right third of the frame to break the calm mood of the left 2/3, so I’d be tempted to go with about half the frame which lets the frog go nicely off center-perhaps something like this:

 ![Paolo-DSC_5866 copy](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/1/0/10a113bf325efd9bde845f7a1be75c950530dc70.jpeg)