Wildlife Photo Competition 2 2012 : Results

Judges Comment
This is great! What a refreshing, bold, artistic approach to this theme. The square format perfectly frames the circle created by this zebraâ€™s tail and enhances the overall very graphic appeal of this photograph. Nice warm African light and the slow shutter speed add life and movement. Well seen, well taken, well done and the deserved winner of this competition.
Photographers Comment
Wow, talk about total beginner's luck! I am so very thrilled! In April, 2012, I had just gotten my first DSLR, a Sony a77 and went practicing at the NC Zoo for my upcoming African safari vacation. Settings: 400mm, at 1/500th, f 5.6 . I cropped the shot down to show this zebra's "Circle Tail". I am amazed at the quality of work here and love to browse daily. I'm retired and love to shoot wildlife on my farm in the suburbs of Raleigh, NC, USA and anywhere else. Melissa Theil
www.simplesite.com/meltheil

Judges Comment
A beautiful, sharp macro shot with fabulous detail and composition. I love the promise of the unrolling fern and the symmetrical strength formed by the two butterflies which become just one large imaginary butterfly. Beautiful use of light and contrast, the exposure is spot on. It took a very brave shot to beat this.
Photographers Comment
I have always loved this photo myself. There was nice natural backlight; I used a fill flash set at minus 1.5 at a slight side angle. John Hendrickson

Judges Comment
Although I am not usually a fan of flash wildlife photography I really love this shot. What better contrast than the dark of night to bring out the details of this handsome looking raccoon? The reflection makes the composition special and the raccoonâ€™s intriguing, curious expression make it so real. This is a firm favourite.
Photographers Comment
I took this shot while on the Images for Conservation Pro Tour in 2006. I set it up with an infra-red trigger and two flashes. The photo was taken at 2:00 am. When the first flash fired, the raccoon curiously looked up; this is the second shot. John Hendrickson

Judges Comment
Well there is so much here! Either there are so many deer around that the photographer in the picture can afford to let this one just wander byâ€¦ or else he is so absorbed in the world inside his long lens that he doesnâ€™t see it. Where I live it is very rare to see a deer close by without hiding, or stalking, they are very timid. Here it seems very tolerant of manâ€™s visible presence, and vice-versa!. This is certainly the most entertaining of the submissions and I love the misty forest, wild atmosphere. It is a well spotted man and nature shot, well done!

Judges Comment
A beautiful macro wild life shot. The ants are so well portrayed in their busy business, one can tell that there are so many more out of shot. The branch has been pleasingly framed and the ants seem perfectly placed upon it to balance the photo nicely. I suspect the photographer has more of these!
Photographers Comment
Thank you so much for choosing my photo for recognition. I am honored to be included. My name is Cindy and this shot was taken in my yard in Missouri. Used my Canon 40D and 100mm lens.
www.flickr.com/photos/cindyz48

Judges Comment
This is a beautiful close up portrait of a rare and magnificent lynx with lovely tones and loads of detail. It is the setting which is perhaps not wild enough for this shot to be a winner here.
Photographers Comment
Thank you for the MOE. NÃ¡shdÃ³ÃÅ‚bÃ¡i's Old Soul Youth Canon 60D, F6.3, 1/2000s, ISO200, 400mm Photographed within the Navajo Nation, in Northern Arizona near Monument Valley. Please visit, enjoy, share, and like my FB Photography page at http://www.facebook.com/JohnMoreyPhotography
johnmoreyphotography.com/bobcats/h3D9E893E

Judges Comment
Terrifying! Great use of black and white to accentuate the shapes and textures of this beast. Clever noise reduction further camouflages this croc, giving an impression that it is part of the water coming to life. Great photo with creative post processing. Well done!
Photographers Comment
My name is Edwin Soriano and I took this shot in Galveston where an alligator is least expected. I used Canon 5D Mark III with Sigma 150-500mm lens at dusk and Lightroom/Silver Effects pro for post processing. This recogntion means a lot especially for an amateur photographer like me. Thanks!
artbykiddo.com

Judges Comment
Well this one came very close. It has so much wild, natural appeal that makes one feel the bush all around, a wonderful atmosphere. The disturbed flock of red wing blackbirds (?) alerting the deer to possible danger make this a true and exciting documentary photograph. It is the lack of sharpness on the deer that prevented this one getting further, a problem which could probably have been resolved with a post production sharpening tool.
Photographers Comment
This was one of those unprepared photography moments. I had seconds to grab my camera and take the shot before the deer took off the other way. I shoot with a Canon 40D for now. I did little post processing since I'm still learning photoshop. This was taken at one of our local Conservation areas, BK Leech, near Foley, MO.

Judges Comment
Another lovely arty photograph, this time of an armadillo. The panoramic crop makes the composition interesting and shows just how long (and scaly) this tail really is! So simple yet so original. Well done a definite favourite.
Photographers Comment
The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) can be found in scrub-lands , open prairies, and tropical rainforests. The nine-banded armadillo is a solitary, mainly nocturnal animal that is an insectivore, feeding chiefly on ants, termites, and other small invertebrates. I shot this little guy while I was wondering around Fort Wilderness nature trails. (without a flash so he wouldnâ€™t jump) I am a Disney Emerging Master Artisan Elizabeth Yureklier DiRosa and Florida wildlife photographer.

Judges Comment
A clever, nicely composed, rather fierce shot of a sea lion in underwater action which shows us the power and grace of this intelligent sea predator. Well done for the photo and also for keeping your cool!
Photographers Comment
My name is Sean Sydnor. I shot this picture in the Sea of Cortez. I was using a Canon 7d in a Ikelite housing with two Ikelite DS-161 strobes. The lens used was a Tokina 11-16. I processed first in LR 4 and then in Photshop 5.1. I try and do minimal post-processing.
seansydnorphotography.zenfolio.com/f258483998

Judges Comment
A lovely, so sweet, and well composed portrait of a young Japanese macaque, or snow monkey. The photographer has caught a great, so human, expression and the lovely, misty, watery atmosphere of the hot spring during a snowfall. An endearing photograph, well done!
Photographers Comment
Wow first of all I am honored and humbled to be selected for a Mark of Excellence . My name is Corey Bennett and have been living in Japan for the past 15 years. The world famous Japanese snow monkeys can be observed up close at Jiokudani Yaen-koen a park in Nagano Japan. The monkeys are not captive and are free to come and go as they please but choose to stay and soak their worries away in a hot spring set aside exclusively for them. Photo was taken with a Canon 40D and 100-400 mm lens.
www.flickr.com/photos/95326744@N00/sets/72157605706044050/