Bird Photo Competition 5 2014 : Results

Judges Comment
A variety of products are now available for underwater photography and some don't even require you to get your feet wet. They do, however, provide a means of creating images that stand out from the crowd. These paddling ducks are a great example of what can be achieved with a little lateral thinking.
Photographers Comment
Hi there! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my Emails. Thank you very much for this judgement. My name is Udo Siebertz and I’m from Germany. This photo was taken through a Window in front of a big aquarium. For me it looked great as I saw only the bodies and feet from the ducks. I shot this photo with a Canon 7D and 40mm/f2.8 Pancake lense. Post processing with Lightroom 5. My special thanks to Roman Tripler (www.romantripler.com), who gave to me an indication for the I-Shot-It photo competitions.
www.visuellemomente.de

Judges Comment
The perfect placement of a bird of prey in this mountainous setting adds a focal point and creates a compelling 'birdscape'
Photographers Comment
Thanks for the Mark of Excellence!! I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I captured this image right from the side of a highway about 20 mile north of the Mexico Border in New Mexico. The area doesn't get storms like this very often and I had to stop and take some images. I didn't even notice the bird in the image til after I got home and began to edit.
www.jhemphillphotography.com

Judges Comment
A mass of cranes backlit in the morning mist makes for a highly evocative image
Photographers Comment
This photo was taken at dawn. The natural mist provided a magical setting against the rising sun. I used a Nikon D7100 with 300mm focal length, aperture f7,1 at 1/2000 sec, ISO 1000. The birds are indeed migratory cranes, stopping over in Israel on their route to Africa. Laura Chiesa

Judges Comment
A very different hummingbird image as a wasp 'photobombs' the action
Photographers Comment
My name is Debra Rote , I live in Oregon,IL.....I love taking pictures especially unique, uncommon pictures. I was only a few feet away from this scene, which caught my attention to grab my camera . I really enjoy this site and will continue to try and win that first place position. I love those humming birds as well as my camera. Through all my years of taking pictures, the action shots are full of excitement and do take much practice to precise a photo......Thank you to all.....

Judges Comment
A fast shutter speed freezes the action in this unusual shot of two fighting anhingas

Judges Comment
A real "Nature in the raw" image as the sinister-looking heron dispatches a doomed fish
Photographers Comment
This picture wins some contests. I follow the fish to see something special, here I was lucky
https://500px.com/lemarcost

Judges Comment
The waterside vegetation and additional birds in the background give this shot of a feeding ibis an authentic, natural feel
Photographers Comment
Thank you for the mark of excellence. This was shot in early November at Fort Desoto park in FL. This is a fantastic location for birding year round and I would recommend it to anyone in the area. This was a particularly good morning where the low tide had left small pools where a variety of birds had a buffet of trapped aquatic life. Camera used was a 5D mk III with 300mm f4
www.facebook.com/abwildlife

Judges Comment
This close-up, wide-angle shot gives a real "prey's eye view" of this osprey
Photographers Comment
I am fortunate enough to live in an area (Tampa Bay Area of Florida) that has a very large osprey population and I encounter numerous ones of them daily. I particularly love the shots of them in which they are making direct eye contact with me. This particular shot was made in a very large county park, Ft. Desoto Park, St. Petersburg, FL, which is a very popular venue for birders and photographers. I used a Canon 70D equipped with a Canon 100-400mm L lens to capture this shot.
society6.com/sandyscott

Judges Comment
Shooting this grebe from water level with a long focal length lens and wide aperture has created a beautiful canvas of golden reflections
Photographers Comment
Last summer I have been searching grebes at several lakes around Bonn, Germany. I found some, but they would not let me come close. So I put on my diving suit, set up my tripod slightly below water level and set up my cam on top of it 5cm above water level. This way I could take this shot deep down at water-level and get this perspective. The yellow colors origin from the warm and soft sunlight right before dusk shining on yellow trees on the other side of the lake. The grebe itself was in the shadow. To take this picture I needed to wait in the lake for more than two weeks. The diving suit really was a big help. Equipment used: Most important: Berlebach UNI tripod + Berlebach Pegasus head Cam: Canon 5D Mark 2 Lens: EF 400 2.8 L II (non is) + 1.4x TC (Canon Version 1) + 1.4x TC (Kenko) [I lost my Canon EF 2x III in this lake, so I needed to stack my other two converters] Colors are ooc.
www.facebook.com/animalshotsdotcom

Judges Comment
The pose of this egret outlined against the dark background brings out the graceful curves of its neck and plumes