Bird Photo Competition 4 2012 : Results

Judges Comment
Powerful composition comprising simply a close-up egret and a photogenic stick. Humor meets art!

Judges Comment
Studio-look lighting from below gives this interestingly-posed barn owl an other-worldly feel. Great patterns and textures.
Photographers Comment
I photographed this owl in 1986. I heard about the nest site. When I went to take a look the adult female dropped her wing, as if to hide the nest cavity. It was photographed on Kodachrome 64 (anyone still remember those days?) with a Canon F1 and a 300mm lens. No studio light here, it was in full shade which provides a nice bluish tint to the owl's feathers. John Hendrickson

Judges Comment
Hummingbird feeder shots can become monotonous: this well-composed and atmospheric sunrise silhouette makes a refreshing change.
Photographers Comment
Thank you so much! My name is Christina Behrends and I've only recently developed a passion for photography, so receiving a mark of excellence out of all these great photos is a true honor for me. I took this photograph in Danville, Kentucky on my mothers horse ranch (special thanks to her for waking me up at 5 am to watch the beautiful sunrise). It was taken with a Nikon D80 and a 55-200mm lens. Post processing included a bit of cropping and thats it!
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Judges Comment
Outlining this flying macaw against a black background brings out the distinctive shape and brilliant colors.
Photographers Comment
Thank you for this honor and congratulations to the winner! My name is Ulrich Brodde, I am German, living in Tenerife, Spain. This photo I made for the local zoo \\\"Loro Parque\\\". It has been made in the morning with the natural sun-light and the help of a bird-trainer. The photo (between 5 others) was used in size 2 m x 2,20 m for decoration in the show-room of the zoo. Used camera has been a Canon 1D Mark IV.
www.brodde-foto.com

Judges Comment
This stunning snowy owl is nicely arranged against a blue sky, with yellow flowers to match its eyes.
Photographers Comment
I spent two weeks in northern Alaska photographing snowy owls. I noticed that this owl, when coming in to its nest, always landed upwind. Since the sun never sets I just positioned my blind further upwind where I could get her coming in over the artic poppies. I spent three days in my blind. For two hours each day, the sun lined up perfectly. Luckily, on the third day, I got this shot. John Hendrickson

Judges Comment
Full marks for cuteness as this baby crane takes refuge under its parent's wing.

Judges Comment
Unusual behavior captured as an opportunistic land bird joins the feeding frenzy of the fish.
Photographers Comment
Taken 6/10/12 with my Canon T2i and a 70-300mm lens at the Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, NE. This is one of my favorite spots to take photos d/t the koi and the occasional bird. And yes, this bird did get the bread and flew away with it. Thank you for selecting my photo for a Mark of Excellance out of the competition. I am honored. Tammera Gibson, Omaha, NE

Judges Comment
Great humorous shot as this heron apparently flees a bird only a tenth its size.
Photographers Comment
Thank you so much for the Mark of Excellence award and congratulations to the winner in this competition! This photo was taken at a local park where a lone blue heron took up residence much to the chagrin of some of the other park patrons!! I used a Nikon D7000 with a 55-300mm lens. Minimal post processing with Picnik!
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