Thank you for allowing me to judge the competition, there was some really good images.
Regards — Ian Smith UK
Beginners:
Nectar Rosie
A very difficult bird to photograph, I feel you have cropped in too much, as the image is pixelated. I do like the bright colour of the bird.
Lesser Known Flamingo and the Humanus Hidus Rosie
Well the title is longer than the length of time it took to press the shutter button. Different idea, bright and sunny but the image is not in focus.
On a Mission Judith Court
I like the pose you have caught it shows movement and elegance. The tree and the background is distracting, the bird is lost into the background.
Tocan play at this Rosie
This is a very busy image, I do understand you are limited with the position of the bird, again I feel you have cropped in too far as it has pixelated.
I’m Lost Paul Dodd
Nice lead in line with the bench, I feel if you had moved to your right a bit the Robin could of been in the brown space, again it is a bit soft in the focusing.
Get me out of Here Steve Court
This is the better of the two caged bird photos, I think you probably could use a wider aperture to lose the wire bars. The bird is nice and sharp.
Look I’m standing on one leg Steve Court
You have got the exposure correct as there is detail in the white feathers and it is sharp, background is a bit busy but it does show its environment.
Stone Me Paul Dodd
Another different idea, you have taken a photo of someone else’s work but it is sharp and well exposed.
The End Sophie
Yes the end has come to the poor thing, I do like the way the body is in focus and the head has gone out of focus. Exposed well but you could of removed the distracting bit of grass.
Walk in the park Judith Court
A grab shot, I feel the photo is the four white geese the other geese on the left draw your eye away from the foreground. The white has burnt out a bit which you possibly could recover in the processing of the image.
We got to get out of of this place Judith Court
Very similar as the other caged bird, I feel you could of stood back a bit and had someone’s hand on the latch as if helping them to escape.
Yes Can I Help You Paul Dodd
Taken through a car window nice soft background making the bird stand out, the Chaffinch isn’t quiet sharp but a good effort.
3rd Buenas Tardes Steve Court
I like the idea of the two fence posts creating a frame, the ostrich is kind of smiling at you. It isn’t completely sharp but I feel you can get away with that look. Congratulations
2nd Robin Redbreast Sophie
Nicely caught young Robin where it’s meant to be on the freshly turned soil looking for worms. The exposure is spot on, the correct aperture has been selected and no distraction in the background, a really nice image. Congratulations
1st Silhouette Sophie
Simple, minimalist clean image. This shot stands out by miles the background is soft and pastille colour, with branches of a tree (I think) in the corner. The silhouette is nice and sharp it draws your eye straight to it. Loved it Congratulations
Intermediate:
Spotted the Chips Lu Dunne
Trying to catch birds in flight with movement and a sharp image isn’t easy, I feel you have had a good go at it, but the main bird isn’t sharp where it needs to be. I do like the wing top right but the bit on the base is not recognisable, if it was like the wing on the top I think it would work better.
Swan Lake Lu Dunne
I do like the sparkle of sun light and the waves at centre bottom, then from a third up all the sun light has burnt out, If you had just waited a couple of seconds the swan probably would of covered most of the strong light. The back lighting on the swan is nice it is a cardinal sin to allow the horizon especially on a water image to be slanted it’s so easy to correct it.
Heron in Flight Keith Dawson
Nice angle of the bird the sharpest part of the bird is its back everything else is soft, I do feel you could of removed the branches to stop your eyes being drawn away from the main subject. The water droplets dropping from the feet are a nice touch.
Three Amigos Lu Dunne
I like the feathers on these cygnets all bedraggled nice low sun giving them some warmth, the patterns in the water help the image and it’s nice and sharp also the exposure has been handled well, just a shame you didn’t stand back a bit to get all of the cropped cygnet in shot.
Seagull Keith Dawson
A good portrait of the gull in its surroundings exposed well and sharp making it stand out from the background.
Seagull 2 Daz
This is another good portrait of a gull love the sky background you could count every feather on the bird due to the right exposure, I do think you should of included the birds feet and a little bit of the rock it was stood on it would of giving it a base to the image.
Birds Everywhere Ed-Tjujeman Commended
Wow lots going on here with these Gannets most are preening and some have youngsters to look after, every time you look at this image you see something else great shot. Well done.
Seagull 1 Daz Highly Commended
This monochrome image works really well, if it was colour your eye would be wandering all over the image. Although the post and gull are just off centre I feel you could of gone a step or two to the right so they would be on the thirds more, also I think the narrowest part of the river outlet is important so cropping it would not work. Nice and sharp. Well done.
3rd Flamingo Keith Dawson
What a lovely shot symmetry at is best great depth of field, this time I am not bothered you have cropped its leg off, just a bit darkening needed in the reflection lovely soft pink colours and patterns on the feathers and just a glimpse of the eye looking out for predators. Congratulations.
2nd Pelican Portrait Ed-Tjujeman
What striking feather patterns, your eye is drawn up the beak to the head then down over the neck to the body with all the shapes and patterns of the feathers, nicely exposed and sharp although the eye does look a bit soft which I don’t think matters in this case Great image. Congratulations
1st Run for your Life Ed-Tjujeman
Spoonbills are strange but amazing birds, there’s always one that thinks its brave as it is on one leg still, the positioning of the birds is pleasing, I like the depth of field which has created three layers also the bushes at the rear look like the sun has caused heat haze. The panoramic crop works really well. Congratulations.
Experienced:
Synchronised Flamingos Alan Sheridan
The sun was very harsh in this image as the backs of the birds are burnt out, I quiet like the reflections but the image is too pixelated.
Curlew Sandpiper Alan Sheridan
Again some members are having problems with focusing or cropping too much of the image like this one it does not look sharp which is a shame as I like it.
Spotless Starling Alan Sheridan
Nice pose I like the angle of the bird’s foot well framed with the leaves exposure looks fine but again the image is pixelated.
McDonald Duck Richard Holmes
Well someone is thinking out of the box it certainly did what it was meant to do make me laugh, nice clean still life it is sharp as it should be as its not going anywhere well done for thinking of something different.
Majestic Swan Ken Johnson
A young swan still with its cygnet feathers great patterns in the reflections nice angle of the bird it looks like it’s a dull day which prevents you getting a catch light in the eye nice and sharp.
Swallow Richard Holmes
A lovely portrait stands out well from background such a beautiful bird AGH you have cropped off its tail that is the only thing wrong it would have been a contender.
Gossiping Carol Sheridan
Possibly taken around midday looking at the harsh light although it has bought out the purple colours of these birds feathers I like the position of the birds it also shows the environment they live in.
Take Off Keith Vincent
Nice bit of action with the splash and movement in the wings and I think the reflection helps the image stand out fits into the frame perfectly.
Calling for Food Steve Goldsmith
A well seen shot amongst the leaves the young blue tit is really sharp I think if it was possible to zoom in to get rid of the outer leaves as they are a bit bright or darken them down in the processing the feather on its claw is a little bonus.
Looking at my Reflection Steve Goldsmith
What a shame the out of focus reeds are drawing your eyes away from the bird otherwise I like the colours, reflection and the angle of the bird.
Cattle Egret Wendy Kerr
What a stare no wonder the fish try and hide, a good portrait a couple of areas slight burning out white I do like the background framing the bird nice and sharp.
Landing Alan Hillman
Great scenic shot showing the birds habitat well caught with the wings out fully the only problem I find is the blue cast in the shadows.
Protecting my Young Steve Goldsmith
I like where the cygnet is positioned under the wing well exposed and sharp beautiful patterns on the breast feathers and the colours in the reflections add so much to the image.
Ugly Duck Wendy Kerr
Great reflection of the Muscovy duck I like the greenery under the water if you added a polariser filter it could of bought the underwater grasses out.
Spectacled Warbler Richard Holmes
This little bird looks so beautiful amongst the plant leaves with its pastille colours lovely and sharp probably a shade under exposed but that can be sorted out in the processing.
My Town Alan Hillman
Great image showing what the bird does best fly higher than the colourful buildings the bird is in the best spot flying into the image. One little niggle the mast, once you see it your eye keeps going to it otherwise great image.
Take Off Carol Sheridan
Similar shot as the last “Take Off” image except with this one every part of the bird is in focus I like the splashes as its running over the water and the reflection patterns work well.
The Swans Coming Duncan Gray
A simple looking shot you are drawn straight into the swan and then lead out towards the out of focus background which complements the image a chocolate box image I think.
Young Seagull Alan Hillman Commended
Well caught this is a great action shot I love the line of weed and the ring pattern on the left which could be bubbles from small fish inclusion of the boat makes this image work well spot on with the exposure and sharpness. Well done
Another Egret Wendy Kerr Commended
This one was playing with my eyes the bird and background look’s soft including the eye but somehow it seems to work the pastille brown colours on the bird against the harsher dark greens behind, my eyes do get drawn down to the light part on the right. Well done
Eye of the Gannet Duncan Gray Commended
Another great staring bird beautiful blue surrounding the eye great pose I like the small bits of feather on its beak I guess it was preening, the bum of the other bird in the background is a bit distracting but there was nothing you could do about that. Well done.
Cattle Egret with Lizard Dave G Commended
Wow well captured no chance of the lizard escaping great soft background helping to make the bird stand out nice and sharp and well exposed, I think you have a little too much space on the right you can crop up to the bit of grass which stops you looking into a blank space. Well done.
Australasian Gannet Keith Vincent Highly Commended
Quiet similar to the Red Kite image, this would have been a bit more difficult with exposure as it’s a white bird against a light background you have mastered it well nothing has burnt out and focusing is spot on, great angle. Well done.
Above Carol Sheridan Highly Commended
This is a nice shot the bird caught just at the right time with a couple of feathers dragging in the wind then your eyes are drawn to the people and the cars which give a bit of scale to the image nice and sharp.
Red Kite Keith Vincent Highly Commended
I love these birds they are slowly becoming less rare we had one fly over our house in Cornwall couple of weeks ago. With the plain background it makes the bird stand out so well very majestic nice and sharp and well exposed. Well done.
3rd Bee Eater Dave G
These birds are so colourful you can see every little feather on its body I like the barb wire it is sat on just a shame it didn’t have a bee in its beak which make it a bit different exposed well and sharp. Congratulations.
2nd Puffin Dave G
Another great bird portrait, fantastic out of focus background colour your base is perfect just giving that detail of where it lives exposure and sharpness spot on. Congratulations.
1st Pigeon in a Doorway Duncan Gray
This image is so different from the others well seen and well positioned; the pigeon stands out from the wooden door showing off its feathers and the colour of the stone work softens the edges. Well done love it. Congratulations.
