Wildlife Photo Competition 3 2012 : Results

Judges Comment
Beautiful and so peaceful. This is an outstanding capture of a young red fox in the wild. His dreamy and blissful expression makes this a very telling (and so sweet!) portrait. The lush, wild forest and its naturally diffused light give this photograph a dimension of reality and a wonderfully serene atmosphere. I feel as though I am on the ground with mud on my knees in the silence of this photographer’s hide. A rare and worthy winner of this competition. Congratulations!
Photographers Comment
Wow...thank you so much for choosing my photo. It means a lot to me, because this is one of my favourite photo & it shows a very special moment of my life. My name is Anne Geier & I took the photograph with a Nikon D90 & a 70-300mm lens this summer in a forrest, where I am often walk through with my dog. One day I noticed a fox family. Since this day I often visited this place to meet this really impressing animals again. One of the foxes became a little bit calm and i called him "Stritzi".
annegeier.com

Judges Comment
Lovely light, contrast and focus with powerful framing and an absolutely beautiful and proud animal. I love this bobcat’s attitude and its intelligent, predator’s piercing gaze. Just fabulous, well done!
Photographers Comment
Thanks :D My name is Jutta Bauernschmitt and i make this pic in Hundshaupten. Is a small village in franconia. I make this shot with a Canon 7d and the 300 mm 2.8. This photo is out of the Cam ;o)
www.jutta-bauernschmitt.de

Judges Comment
A very original and artistic approach. The long exposure gives a lovely depth and brings these starfish and mussels to life. Great tones and colours. A definite favourite.

Judges Comment
This fantastic photograph nearly made the top spot. The low angle shot of this wild and darkening forest is absorbing and drops us right into this scene, the advancing racoon is curious, a little nervous and beautifully damp. The focus is a little far back, (or is it the shutter speed which is a little slow?) for the animal’s eyes to be sharp, making it harder for the viewer’s eye to settle. I wonder if this is a remote shot? In any case it is near perfect, well done.

Judges Comment
This is a strong, graphical composition with great contrast. It is a skilfully taken capture. Studio-like bounced flash lighting brings us lovely soft light and shadow to the subject while keeping the background in the dark. I love the reflections in the mouse’s eyes which add to the symmetrical appeal, though the reflections on the cactus flowers are a little harsh and unnatural. Great photo.

Judges Comment
A beautiful capture with sharp focus and a lovely dark atmosphere. The deer’s intense look makes this so special and the unusual vegetation adds to the interest in this wonderful image. I love how he is standing to attention, probably he has heard the click from a previous photo… A wonderful encounter.
Photographers Comment
Thank You! My name is Angel Cher and This is a white-tailed buck I called Buckwheat. The english boxwoods shown in the photo were really not the vegetation, but they loved the grass clippings and once in awhile I would throw apples and cracked corn. I would wait three hours in blinds to get photos of his family. This photo was taken on my farm in Howell, NJ I took it with a Nikon D3 and a 500mm lens. I post processed this photo in Capture NX. Full resolution print on website:
angelcherswildlife.photoshelter.com/

Judges Comment
Well this is a firm favourite. The composition is superb, all those singing mouths hoping for food. It is a well spotted photo but perhaps not very wild…
Photographers Comment
These fish hang out with the flamingos and are actually begging for food, they hear the gum ball machine (filled with pellets) giggle and they come up to the surface to beg for food. The picture was taken with a Nikon d3200 and a standard 200mm lens. Post processed only for a haze border and minor color boost. Thanks to everyone for picking this winner it was a nice surprise. Elizabeth Yureklier DiRosa

Judges Comment
There is so much power in the look of this bear. He is maybe leaving but his authority and disappointment are very clear. It is a lovely wild shot, pretty close for comfort I would add! Shame about the reflection at the top of the picture which probably comes from a vehicle’s very wisely closed window…
Photographers Comment
This photo was taken at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage, AK, where this beautiful Grizzly is currently a resident. I was behind a (somewhat flimsy) fence, close enough to feel the power and intensity of his gaze. I used my Nikon D700 with 70-200mm lens. Cropping and minor color adjustment in Lightroom 4. Thank you for this Mark of Excellence! Kim Herold, Navarre, FL

Judges Comment
No fear here ! What a striking snake’s portrait ! Nice composition and shallow depth of field give this a menacing twist and a wild , even dangerous feel . I feel pretty uncomfortable around snakes and this photo really shows why. Fabulous and brave shot, well done.
Photographers Comment
Thanks for your interest in my photo! My name is Rick Gomez and the little guy in this image is a baby Everglades racer that I came across. The beautiful red markings will fade within the snakes first few sheds and eventually, these snakes turn into a uniform grey to black color with a white belly. So I couldnt pass up the photo op. Shot with a Canon 40D, Sigma 100-300mm f/4 lens and a Kenko 36mm macro extension tube. Dodging and burning along with some mid-tone contrasts done in photoshop CS5.
wideriverphoto.com

Judges Comment
Well something very special happened here between the photographer and this cheeky squirrel monkey who seems to be playing “peep-o”. It is a beautiful, fun and interactive portrait of a magical moment of human/animal relationship, and one of a beautiful series of submissions. Great work.
Photographers Comment
Thanks to the judges for your interest in my photo! My name is Rick Gomez. This is actually one of the many semi-captive squirrel monkeys that free roam over a 5 acre semi-natural rainforest at Monkey Jungle in Miami, Florida, where I once as a primate keeper. Shot with a Canon 40D and a Sigma 100-300mm f/4 lens. Color balance and mid-tone contrasts were added in Photoshop CS5.
wideriverphoto.com