Photo taken: Aug. 4, 2022, near Seward Park in Seattle

Photographer’s description: “I was on my deck Thursday morning to see the Blue Angels do their practice flight when a family of house finches took a flight of their own. The new family has three to five new babies, and it is fun to watch as they are leaving the nest for the first time. Here, the dad lands on my hummingbird feeder stand right above where I was sitting. The overcast sky created a ‘studiolike’ backdrop for the shot, and the finch added character with his movements. It was a great session with him and the babies taking turns being my muse. Taken with my Nikon Z50.”

Critique: “Well done. You never know what will happen when you have your camera at the ready. I like the sense of whimsy here — he looks as curious about you as you are of him. The finch’s bright plumage helps capture the eye, and the subtle texture and detail demand attention. Your composition is very good, too, with that studiolike sky providing a nice, clean backdrop. Thanks for sharing!”

Below is a gallery of previous Reader’s Lens picks. Share your recent photo from around the Northwest. Submit online at seattletimes.com/submit-photos. Our favorite will appear in this spot next week. We judge the year’s best and award prizes in December.

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.