Bird Photo Competition 4 2015 : Results

  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This low-key composition of seabirds in a rocky setting has an eerie, other-worldly character
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • The perfectly-captured face of this owl is complimented by the motion-blurred wings and natural background
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A beautiful autumnal scene provides the perfect setting for this environmental portrait of a heron
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you so much for the honor. This was taken with my trusty Olympus OMD-EM5 and some enhancing was done in Lightroom. My name is Rhiana Roque and I am from Los Angeles, California. This was taken in Kyoto last fall, in the pond surrounding the famous Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion Temple. There were many cranes, ducks and other birds whose beauty did not pale next to the majestic gold-leaf gilded temple.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • The sideways look of this puffin from behind a raised wing is an unusual pose reminiscent of a theatrical villain
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Showing this shorebird chick small in the middle of the frame emphasizes its vulnerability
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • White birds against a white sky can be a challenge, but the elegant shapes and red accents of these terns create an aesthetic high key image
  • Photographers Comment
  • This picture was taken on the Farne Islands (Northumberland, UK). The scene with the two terns interacting in the air lastet for just a few seconds and I was lucky enough to have my camera ready at that very moment. My name is Kai Rösler and I am a nature photographer from Berne / Switzerland. I used the Canon 1Dx and a Tamron 150-600mm at 600mm for this shot. Thank you for selecting my photo for a mark of excellence!
  • www.roesler-digital.ch
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Photos of the backs of birds' heads don't normally appeal, but the outline of this swan leading its cygnet into the blackness is very effective
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This interesting silhouette illustrates the stages of a pelican's dive
  • Photographers Comment
  • Fast Food Dive-Thru motion study. Edisto Island, SC, USA As a bird enthusiast, I am fascinated by the comical dive of the brown pelican. I did some research. What appears to be a clumsy belly flop drop, is actually a skillful guided dive bomb. The big bird stuns the fish on impact. A quick body turn and neck tuck make for safety. Pow! The dazed fish are quickly gobbled up. Practice makes perfect, as the older birds are more accurate, often dropping 50 feet or more, at 90 degrees to nab a meal. (How do they know this stuff?) As important as the bird, the camera caught the splash, so the sequence tells a story with an ending, a disappearing act. An animated still. Hats off to Eadweard Muybridge, the father of motion studies. Thank you Mike Atkinson, there were so many amazing shots submitted. 250 1/400 f/7.1 Allen McDavid Stoddard
  • www.ufobird.com