2021 Bird Photographer of the Year finalists Recently, finalists were announced for the 6th annual Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition. Over 22,000 images were submitted from 73 countries.
Finalists are competing for a
'This year we saw an incredible 22,000 entries into the competition, with images coming in from all over the world,' said Will Nicholls, wildlife cameraman and Director at Bird Photographer of the Year. 'The standard of photography was incredibly high, and the diversity in different species was great to see. Now the judges are going to have a tough time deciding the winner of the competition!'
The winner will be announced on September 1st. All finalist images can be viewed on the BPOTY website.
Finalist: 'Mallard Duck' by Zden
Artist Statement: I took the photograph on a pond in a beautiful park in a quiet part of the city of Prague. As a family of Mallard ducklings swam past me, one of them began to chase a flying fly. It highlighted the fact that the instinct to feed is a powerful force even in the young, but of course the behavior itself was comical from a human perspective. Regardless of how you view what’s going on, it certainly makes for an interesting photograph and a moment in time in a duckling’s life captured for posterity.
Specs: Nikon Z6 with Sigma 500mm f/4 Sport lens. 500mm focal length; 1/1,600th second; f/5. 6; ISO 500.
Finalist: 'Hooded Crane' by Taku Ono
Artist Statement: When I arrived at a well-known wintering haunt of Hooded Cranes in Japan it was disappointingly overcast. And what’s more I was about to go home. However, I realized that an area of the clouds was gradually dissipating as the sun rose, and I decided to stay a while - just in case.
Almost miraculously, a streak of sunlight shone through and highlighted a small group of flying cranes. I thanked the cranes, beloved by Japanese people as "the bird of happiness", for bringing me this good luck!
Specs: Canon 7D with Canon 100-400mm f/4. 5-5. 6 II lens. 400mm focal length; 1/250th second; f/5. 6; ISO 100.
Finalist: 'Gentoo Penguin' by Tom Schandy
Artist Statement: Gentoo Penguins began surfing long before the first humans latched on to this craze. This image was taken at Carcass Island on the Falkland Islands, where the birds have no option but to surf if they want to get ashore. If the waves are a decent size, you can see the birds ride or surf on the top of them. It is a thrilling behaviour to watch, and a rewarding one to capture photographically.
Specs: Canon 1DX Mark II, Canon 100-400mm f/4. 5-5. 6 II lens. 400mm focal length; 1/4,000th second; f/5. 6; ISO 400.
Finalist: 'Swallow' by David White
Artist Statement: Swallows have to be one of my favourite birds, and my entire family await their return in spring with nervous excitement. Will they arrive this year. . . . ? Then there’s the joy of that flash of steely blue as they return to the same stable on the farm. The one where they nested last year, and many years before that.
This photo was taken from inside the building, using a remote trigger to fire the camera, which was situated at a safe distance just outside the window. The aim was to time the image-capture to coincide with the Swallow flying through the window and I am proud to have achieved my goal.
Specs: Olympus EM1 Mark III with Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens. 20mm focal length; 1/200th second; f/ 11; ISO 200.
Finalist: 'Red-billed Oxpecker' by Daniela Anger
Artist Statement: In the South Luangwa National Park you can watch a Hippo colony from a water-level hide. In addition to their human admirers, the water-loving mammals also receive a lot of attention from the local Red-billed Oxpeckers who seek a close encounter for more practical reasons.
The birds and the Hippos have evolved a symbiotic relationship: the oxpeckers feed on external parasites and the Hippos benefit from the hygienic makeover. This image shows two oxpeckers sitting on a very relaxed Hippo: all parties seem entirely comfortable with the relationship.
Specs: Canon 5D Mark IV with Canon 500mm f/4 II lens and 1. 4x teleconverter. 700mm focal length; 1/800th second; f/5. 6; ISO 160.
Finalist: 'Atlantic Puffin' by
Artist Statement: This photo was taken on the bird cliffs of Horn
I was really lucky and my patience and persistence paid off. These two Puffins battled for several minutes, with feathers and snow flying everywhere. It was a fantastic experience - for me, if not for the Puffins.
Specs: Nikon D500 with Nikon 500mm f/4 lens. 500mm focal length; 1/2,000th second; f/5. 6; ISO 800.
Finalist: . dpreview.com
2021-4-7 22:12
