Bird Photo Competition 5 2012 : Results

  • Competition Winner : First Prize
  • $736.50
  • Judges Comment
  • With a little thought, great bird photos can be taken anywhere. One of the best tips is to shoot from the bird's eye level, as illustrated by our winning photo, in which the low shooting angle transports the viewer right into the duckling's world. Shallow depth-of-field draws the attention to the duckling itself, but the mirrored shape of its mother wrapped around it in the background conveys the theme of 'protectedness' to perfection.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you for the Winning Prize. In Southern California, Spring showers lasted almost a week straight. It was the first day after the rain, the Mallard hen took her ducklings out for a walk at the local pond. I layed in the wet mud on my belly with my Nikon D300 and a 500mm lens. The baby duck kept walking closer, with mama cautiously following behind. The extremely shallow depth-of-field was the result of short distance between the ducks and the camera. Andy Nguyen.
  • www.wildwingsphotography.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Further evidence of the accessibility of great photographic subjects as this macaw's feathers are magnified to bring out a fascinating combination of color, texture, shape and line. The imperfections in the regular patterns draw the eye to all parts of the image.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you so very much for the honor. My name is Colleen Renshaw, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The photo was taken using a Sony a550 shot with a Sony 75/300 zoom. The subject is a Macaw, place, the Santa Barbara Zoo
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • An atmospheric composition with the Swallow-tailed Kite placed ahead of the sweeping line of cloud hanging over an exotic mountainscape.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thanks. I spent almost a month living on a mountain top in Costa Rica last year. Each morning the kites would thermal up so I was always ready. On this morning, everything just came together. Canon EOS Mark IV with a 100-400 zoom set at about 200mm. I figured this shot had a chance to do well or even win until I saw the duck shot which is indeed very wonderful. John Hendrickson
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • An image with hidden depth as the eye wanders around piecing together the complete picture with only monochrome tones to guide it.
  • Photographers Comment
  • The snowy egret is another one of my favorite avian models in the florida wetlands. The reflection creates an interesting prespective for this monocrome image that was taken with my Nikon 3200. I am a wildlife photographer based in Florida. Thank you to I shot it for being so suportive with my images Elizabeth Yureklier DiRosa.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • An intimate portrait of a Black Skimmer in its natural environment, the fine spray of the breaking surf adding to the sense of 'being there'.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • The perfect picture of Spring as this splendid Lazuli Bunting is caught in full song amongst the budding flowers.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thanks. I took this in the early morning with my Canon EOS Mark IV with a 500mm lens. It is one of my favorite photos as it is the first photo I took after recovering from cancer treatment. John Hendrickson
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A radical viewpoint that we can appreciate as humorous, but which the heron's prey would perceive somewhat differently!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you very much. My name is Lawrence McCrorey and I live in San Jose, Ca. This Great Blue was perched at the edge of a roof which allowed me to get into 'prey position'. I was surprised at how closely I was tolerated. I'm sure the bird could hear the shutter clicking and my heart pounding. This photo was taken in Campbell, California at the Los Gatos Creek Park using a Nikon D5100 and 55-300mm zoom [f/5.6 1/1600s ISO400 @300mm]. The only post-processing was a curves adjustment.
  • www.mccrorey.net/
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • It's hard not to empathize with this Red Cardinal's plight as it puffs up to keep warm amongst the ice-encrusted vegetation.
  • Photographers Comment
  • My name is Debbie Griffin and I live in Tipton,IA. I am so honored for this acknowledgment. I used my Olympus Digital Camera SP5OOUZ and was hiding in a makeshift blind my husband made for me. The day was 20 below zero with the wind chill and this guy was waiting patiently for his turn at the feeder, I was so excited when I got this photo that I was holding my breath! Basic cropping and clarifying were the only processing necessary for this majestic male cardinal.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Powerful eye contact as this dishevelled Reddish Egret stares menacingly at the viewer.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A real wilderness scene that features a perfectly-posed Canada Goose in a setting that, although defocused, provides an evocative sense of place and time.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you very much for the Mark of Excellence! My name is Cody Colbert, I live in Missoula Montana. The picture was taken on a photo trip with my friends at Freezeout Lake in Montana. It was taken with a Canon ESO 7D with a 100-400mm lens. Again thank you.
  • www.facebook.com/CodyColbertPhotography