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Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

  • Red-kneed Dotterel (Image ID 32158)

    Red-kneed Dotterel.   Photographer: Adam Higgins

  • Masked Booby (Image ID 50850)

    Masked Booby.   Photographer: Geoffrey Stapley

  • White-breasted Woodswallow (Image ID 40305)

    White-breasted Woodswallow.   Photographer: Diana Womersley

  • Eastern Yellow Robin (Image ID 42910)

    Eastern Yellow Robin.   Photographer: Rob Solic

  • Little Tern (Image ID 19077)

    Little Tern.   Photographer: Mal Carnegie

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It was most enjoyable to see so many entries in the Advanced Level category.  Whilst most photographs centred on the usual “easy to find” subjects, Teals, Blacks and Wood Ducks, it was gratifying to see the unique treatment delivered to these subjects.  Thanks also to those who went further afield to locate the Blue-Billed and Musk Ducks.  The judging of an advanced skill set becomes a matter of finesse, as there is a great deal to enjoy in this level of competency across all the images presented to be judged.  Subtleties of light, colour, texture, movement and point of view, are often the deciding factor in an images selection.

In the Advanced category, we are now looking for that stronger level of competency, employing a wider skill set, and an expectation of more “wow” images.  I feel it is incumbent on us to deliver images that can elicit an appreciative nod from our viewer, giving them a stand apart from the crowd image to enjoy, so that they too can strive for something better in their own photographic endeavours.  We should be looking to develop artistic techniques now, being inventive with lighting or “point of view”.  Or challenging ourselves to lower our shutter speeds, yet still achieve crisp, sharp images, ones that give more dynamic tension or motion blur to our “bird in flight” images.  In most cases depth of field blur is not enough in bird-in-flight images to give that sense of movement

Let’s try to develop inventive techniques with lighting, both of our subject or our background.  Questions you might like to start asking yourself:  “Where to position myself for the best result?” or “How much light is required to sufficiently light the subject without damaging the final result?”, or “What textures are there around my subject that I can bring into play, to make my image punchier, more vibrant or make my image ‘pop’?”.

In our efforts to bring an artistic quality, either through colour, shape or texture, to our photography, it’s no longer good enough to walk up and snap off a frame and call it yours.   You’re an advanced shooter, it’s time to be daring, challenge yourself to expand and explore how you will stamp your style onto the future of your personal portfolio of images.
In this group of images, there are some standouts, images that, for sure, were hard worked for and time was given to the execution of them.  Thought was put into how they were lit, what background was going to be most beneficial to the end result, and I’m absolutely positive that a plan was put into place for a hoped for desired result, no guarantees, but I’ll bet elation was felt when the shot came off.  Well done to all for having a go, and I urge you all the next time you are at your favourite hide or wetlands pond, look beyond the birds, look to the background textures and imagine your subject floating, swimming or flying through the scenario, and plan for it to happen.  The majority of spectacular nature images are, for the most part, created and are not spontaneous.  Dare to dream the shot you want.

Winner: Grey Teal - Con Boekel  (Image ID 24297)

It was evident from the first viewing of this image that this was not a fluke shot.  This photographer knew he had a gorgeous background of olive, rusty-maroon and blue swirls and planned how he was going to best make use of them when creating his image.  This image artistically reverses the generally accepted visual norm that the subject must be dominant, whereas in this photograph the background is the feature and the subject is softer, more delicate.  The allowance of the bird to be subjugated by the background gives our eye the freedom to rove around the whole frame, enjoying the movement of the colours and texture.  The clarity in the reflection carries the “swirl” theme forward and the sole red eye connects to the background colours nicely.   A set of wavy concentric circles immediately in front and rear of the bird creates the tell tale ripples to let us know that the bird is in motion.   To shoot an image like this requires an artistic vision in order to see how the elements presented can juxtapose to their best advantage in the final shot.  I’m sure that quite a few frames were taken and sorted through at home to find the best layout of these elements.  All round an excellently constructed and thoroughly enjoyable image.

Grey Teal

Highly Commended: Pacific Black Duck - Ian Wilson  (Image ID 24352)

I felt that this image was a fine example of animal portraiture.  The key to this style of animal portraiture is isolating the subject from the majority of any distractions in the background but leaving a tiny amount of positional/locational relativity.  This requires an understanding of lighting and careful pre-planning of where and when the subject needs to be to acquire this type of image.  Without the appearance of the shimmering blue water we could not spatially locate our bird in its environment and an emotional connection could have been lost.   The essence of this image is the strength of posture emanating from the subject, as it rears up to full height with outstretched wings it gives the bird a sense of dominance in its environment, and so in this image we get the impression of its confidence and pride.  Military style straight back, wings outstretched showing off its beautiful trademark glossy green secondary flight feathers.  As well the lit silhouetted beak and highlighted white tips of the flight feathers create additional sectional interest.  In most cases of birds in action I would usually like to see wing blur indicating movement, but in this instance I feel there is just the slightest hint of movement in the tips, and that any more would have degraded the pristine nature of this capture.  The image is timed to perfection and is a beautiful image.

Pacific Black Duck

Highly Commended: Pacific Black Duck - Dick Jenkin  (Image ID 23832)

I really like the powerful mini story that this image tells.  How many times have you been at a wetlands and seen the powerplay between the dominant local hierarchy and those who make the mistake of floating where they weren’t invited.  This image clearly shows the aggressor’s demeanour and the result of his displeasure.  It is rare to be in a moment of readiness locked and loaded, set and ready with a camera pointed in the right direction at the right moment to catch this.  Our photographer knew his subject well enough to know that this behavior was a possibility, and was prepared.  Not only is the focus bang on the ducks head, but the shutter speed perfectly adds to the narrative by showing the fleeing duck flapping those wings for dear life.  The motion blur is critical to this image, because if the shutter speed had been faster then the wings wouldn’t have had the same speed blur, thereby potentially diminishing the viewer’s perception of the fear and tension of the fleeing bird.  It would not have been anywhere near as intense.  The pattern of the striped under-feathers are strobed by the blur, giving another point of interest to the eye, as well as the thrashing water turbulence behind the bird, and all those wonderful water droplets that are scattered throughout the image.  We are left in no doubt of the chaos and intensity of the moment.  An excellent image rarely captured.

Pacific Black Duck

Commended: Pink-eared Duck - Tim Van Leeuwen  (Image ID 24027 - image no longer available)

A delightful image of a “bird in flight” group.  What struck me with this image is that almost the whole flock is in focus, including the one “ring-in”.  The grouping of birds appear to be so tightly arranged that the depth of field used by the photographer has clustered them all to fall within the clarity limits of the selected aperture.  The triangular shaped flock flying into the middle of the image is symmetrically leading and the take-off splashes add just a little bit more interest to the shot.

Whilst the shutter speed used captured all the birds cleanly in mid motion, I would have enjoyed some wing blur to give me an extra sense of the movement in the image.  Also, a slower shutter speed would have given a less defined background which would have lessened the distraction of the swan and coot as well as softening the bank and reeds in the background.  A further positive consequence of this slower speed softening is that the background would become more like an artists wash and help to give the prime subjects a boost in prominence.  Alternatively in post, a little judicious use of an ND filter would have allowed for the background to be darkened to dissuade the eye from roaming too much into the distractions.   Overall a very nice capture of a flock of birds.

 

Commended: Australian Wood Duck - Con Boekel  (Image ID 24296)

I am in no doubt that this image took time to achieve.  It was planned, seen in the minds eye of the photographer as he waited patiently for his plan to evolve.  Firstly, a level of trust had to be established with the subjects.  I’m sure that you have all tried to shoot ducklings (why would you not, they’re so cute).  They always however seem to swim away from you, so most often it’s a butt-shot.  So for them to swim towards, they were obviously not afraid, indicating our photographer had established that he was not a threat.  This doesn’t happen in 5 minutes.  To be in a position down low, our photographer potentially spent considerable time in an uncomfortable position, waiting for his desired image to come about.  Getting his ducks all in a row (sorry!) did in fact require him to be well prepared and well organized.  This shot not only gets marks for cuteness, but the linear reflection of the reeds in the background offers a compatible texture of green and light brown, with the light brown connecting our eye to the colour of the ducklings.  The imperfect reflections in the water make them look like chubby furry floating footballs and the pink nose tips of the fluffy ducklings offer a colourful punctuation to their pronounced facial head stripes.  I imagine that getting all five to face the same direction at the same time, with heads up, required a great deal of patience.  A lovely image, and a wonderful study in patience and dedication to your vision.

Australian Wood Duck

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