Every photographer has a story to tell about capturing their favorite photographs. A great shot is often the product of exceptional light, artistic composition and patience. An outstanding shot is frequently the product of all that, and sometimes a little bit of luck.
For Bozeman bird photographer Paul Gore, it’s that last element that can really set an image apart.
“The first thing for me is getting a shot, especially if it is a bird I have not seen,” Gore said Tuesday. “Second is if it is sharp and crisp, and third is if it is doing something unusual. More often than not, you don’t get number three.”
The National Audubon Society, in cooperation with Nature’s Best Photography, is holding its annual photography contest this month. The Audubon Society is asking photographers to submit their favorite shots of birds for consideration. Winning images will be selected from five categories and published in Audubon Magazine and Nature’s Best Photography, and displayed for one year at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
The contest was first held in 2008 after Audubon Magazine Managing Editor Jerry Goodbody brought the idea to life. Goodbody envisioned the contest as a way to engage readers. His idea was an instant – and overwhelming – success. More than 16,000 images were submitted.
“The first year we got some great photos, but we also got a lot that weren’t so great,” Goodbody said. “You could enter up to ten photographs for $15, so there was no risk involved in entering. Since then we have made it more expensive and we are getting fewer, but better quality photos.”
Entries for this year’s contest are $15 per image through Feb. 12, and $20 per image from Feb. 12 until the contest closes on Feb. 19. Last year’s contest drew more than 9,000 submissions. Melissa Groo’s captivating photograph of a great egret at a rookery in Port Richey, Florida – its wispy feathers silhouetted against the background like an Audubon portrait – took top honors.
“I am quite amazed at the number of great photos we get,” Goodbody said. “People work very hard at it and take thousands and thousands of shot. When you hear the story behind the photo, of them going back to the same spot over and over, it is incredible. It takes patience and perseverance.”
Photographs submitted for this year’s contest will be judged by Groo, National Audubon Society Creative Director Kevin Fisher, Co-publisher of Nature’s Best Photography Steve Freligh, Kaufman Field Guides Editor Ken Kaufman and National Audubon Society Photography Director Sabine Meyer. The judges will base their selections on technical quality, originality and artistic merit.
“Bird photography is very challenging,” said Marshall Lewis of Bozeman Camera & Repair, “especially birds in flight. Small birds are almost always in a constant state of motion. You really need to take control of your camera.”
Lewis said 500mm and 600mm telephoto lenses with fast apertures are preferred by many bird photographers, but the big lenses come with some big challenges. Getting a sharp shot often means selecting a fast shutter speed and using a monopod or tripod for stabilization.
For budding bird photographers not interested in spending the cash on a big telephoto lens, or lugging it around, there are options on the market.
“Image stabilization technology has improved over the last 10 year and that has opened powerful zooms up to smaller cameras,” Lewis said. “There are cameras that can be shot handheld that are super powerful.”
Goodbody said the proliferation of cameras in smart phones and advances in technology has led to a renaissance in bird photography. The sensitivity of digital camera has allowed photographers to capture images in conditions unimaginable just a few years ago.
Yet for all the advancements in equipment the judges may be looking for a photo that is not only technically perfect, but unique.
“We like a lot of different kinds of photos, but you tend to see a lot of repetition,” Goodbody said. “The judges look at thousands and thousands of photographs. I think they are delighted when they see some unique behavior or something that they just haven’t seen before.”
Gore, who’s interest in bird photography began years ago while visiting Everglades National Park in Florida, said those shots don’t come along too often.
And that’s fine by him.
“In between shutter snaps, which can be seconds or hours, it is pure enjoyment in the outdoors,” Gore said. “I don’t sell my photos, I don’t show them. For me it is a very personal thing.”
Resource: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
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