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Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Iguaçu National Park, Paraná State, Brazil
Camera: Sony Alpha 9 with a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens; 1/5000 second at f/2.8; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: One morning throughout our go to to Iguaçu National Park, residence to an awe-inspiring stretch of waterfalls spanning 1.7 miles alongside the border of Brazil and Argentina, my dad and I set out at daybreak. Instead of the standard throngs of vacationers, the viewing platform was occupied by a band of coatis, which scattered as we approached. We soaked within the views because the mist shifted from rosy– pink to gold to white—and have been soaked in return by the spray. As the sky brightened, flocks of inexperienced parakeets started to stir, however their swift and erratic motion made adjusting the shutter pace and locking focus a problem. I waited, wiping droplets from my lens, till I may seize this fleeting second. It’s humbling to assume that these birds dwell in such an impressive place, the place they fly via rainbows to get their breakfast. I hope this picture reminds us of the significance of preserving such locations—not only for us, however for all of the creatures that decision them residence.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Tenjo, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/500 second at f/6.3; ISO 6400
Behind the Shot: We arrived within the Subachoque highlands hoping to {photograph} eagles, however the thick fog, intense chilly, and biting wind have been harsh. We waited for hours for situations to enhance however ultimately determined to look elsewhere to attach with nature. On our method towards town of Tenjo, a small cave beside the street caught our consideration, and we stopped. A trickle of water spilled from the cave, and as if by magic we heard the unmistakable music of hummingbirds. We stood in silence ready. One by one, they appeared and ducked below the water to wash, oblivious to our presence. It was a second of amazement and gratitude: The {photograph} we thought was misplaced that day appeared unexpectedly.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Puyallup, Washington, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 lens; 1/80 second at f/22; ISO 3200
Behind the Shot: I had lengthy had a imaginative and prescient of capturing a second the place wildlife, blooming wildflowers, and a glowing Mount Rainier all got here collectively in a single body. But final spring, once I lastly discovered myself in the best place on the proper time, I confronted a number of technical challenges. I had scanned the colourful area of lupines in entrance of me, hoping to identify a chook, when first one White-crowned Sparrow, after which a second, appeared and commenced feeding on the flowers. I knew I needed to act shortly. I used to be capturing handheld within the delicate glow of the sundown. Stabilizing and timing the shot was tough, and the low mild required a cautious stability of settings to retain sufficient depth of area to maintain the mountain recognizable whereas freezing the birds in movement. I used to be fortunate to seize each birds within the body. The picture displays the concord of life within the Pacific Northwest and the serendipitous moments that really feel like nature’s most beneficiant items.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Hokkaido, Japan
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lens; 1/4000 second at f/1.8; ISO 80
Behind the Shot: Whooper Swans collect within the open waters of Lake Kussharo, the place scorching springs rise to the floor and preserve elements of the lake from freezing. Typically, these sleek birds play and float individually, every immersed in their very own serene world. However, there was a magical second when many concurrently raised their heads, all gazing in the identical route as if drawn by an unseen cue. Despite the acute chilly, I positioned my digicam on the bottom to seize this low-angle perspective, permitting me to incorporate each the swans and the mountain within the body. I used to be lucky to seize this lovely collective motion set towards the beautiful winter backdrop.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Jones Beach State Park, Nassau County, New York, United States
Camera: Canon EOS 90D with a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II lens; 1/800 second at f/4; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: On an overcast day, I crawled over moist sand in my chest waders. I finished roughly 100 toes from a blended flock of a number of hundred shorebirds. Several dozen birds moved nearer, seemingly oblivious to the photographer mendacity immobile on the sand. My shallow depth of area allowed me to let me isolate this Red Knot amongst gently blurred Sanderlings and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Red Knots could seem fragile, however they’re among the many world’s nice long-distance migrants, flying from South America wintering grounds to Alaska and Canadian Arctic breeding grounds. But challenges abound. In latest years, Jones Beach clammers have descended upon crucial habitat utilized by migrating shorebirds, destroying the horseshoe crab roe upon which the knots feed. Hopefully entry to this web site will probably be restricted earlier than it’s too late.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Mill Pond Park, Isabella County, Michigan, United States
Camera: Nikon D500 with a AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm F/5.6E ED VR lens; 1/1600 second at f/8; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: I used to be nightfall for a uncommon Prothonotary Warbler reported in my native park once I heard an fascinating noise within the marsh. It was a Common Nighthawk! It flew throughout, typically coming proper overhead after which previous the distant bushes. I seen the waxing crescent moon instantly overhead and thought if I may seize the nighthawk flying proper in entrance of the moon, it might make for a contest-winning shot. Despite my intense doubt, I waited. The chook was very quick and unpredictable, making sudden turns and banks within the air. It was tough to maintain within the body, not to mention in focus. Finally, I watched via my viewfinder because the nighthawk flew instantly in entrance of the moon, and I desperately fired away.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Hammonasset Beach State Park, Connecticut, United States
Camera: Nikon D610 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED lens and B+W 10-stop impartial density filter; 30 second publicity at f/8; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: While strolling alongside a rocky shoreline at nightfall, I stumbled upon a solitary Dunlin unfazed by my intrusion. To my amazement, it stayed completely nonetheless whereas I arrange my tripod. I made a decision to make use of my wide-angle lens with a 10-stop impartial density filter connected. My objective was to seize lengthy exposures of the shorebird in its environment. The water swirled softly across the rocks. For this second, the cares of the world vanished because the final sliver of daylight disappeared beneath the clouds. When it was time for me to depart, the chook was nonetheless there, precisely the place I had discovered it. If I can study something from this shorebird, it may be that it’s essential to seek out time to only be nonetheless and permit our worldly considerations to recede with the tide.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Syracuse, Utah, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R8 with a Canon RF 100-500mm F/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/2000 second at f/8; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: Bird pictures is usually a ready sport. I sat for hours in my automotive on a scorching day watching some Burrowing Owls from a distance. I stored watching, hoping they’d do one thing thrilling, however the birds did nothing. I nervous that I had wasted a day with nothing to point out for it. My digicam was overheating and so was I. But I made a decision to maintain ready, figuring out that the owls may get extra lively close to sundown. Then, out of the nook of my eye, I noticed a Burrowing Owl fly straight at me. The solar was simply going behind a hill, however fortunately, there was simply sufficient mild to create a gorgeous glow.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Palm Springs, California, United States
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens and UV Filter; 1/3200 second at f/13; ISO 125
Behind the Shot: I’m particularly enamored with the resident Costa’s Hummingbirds of Palm Springs. Inspired by the pioneering work of Australian photographer Christian Spencer, I shot this picture shortly after dawn. I really like how the daylight diffracts via his wings, making a prismatic rainbow impact. I took benefit of Nikon’s pre-release seize know-how, permitting me to {photograph} the chook’s actions within the moments earlier than and after I absolutely depressed the shutter because the chook took flight. This hummingbird perched on a zipper tie used to safe a misting system. At first, I didn’t just like the aesthetics of the zip tie, nevertheless it supplied a novel photographic perch for these lovely, winged jewels and enabled me to seize a magical phenomenon invisible to the bare eye.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Goose Island, Rockport, Texas, United States
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR 600mm f/4 lens TC VR S lens; 1/640 second at f/4; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: I flew to Texas seeking Whooping Cranes. We chartered a ship to take us up the intercoastal waterway. The climate was very foggy, and the cranes have been very distant. While it was superb to watch the cranes from a distance, I wasn’t capable of get many good images. Once off of the boat, we drove across the space and located a area with a number of cranes and an enormous flock of Red-winged Blackbirds. Something startled the blackbirds, and the flock flew up behind the crane. I used to be thrilled.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: San Antonio, Valparaíso, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 6700 with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/500 second at f/6.3; ISO 125
Behind the Shot: My highschool class went to the excessive seas to check pelagic birds, in collaboration with the Chilean Navy. We have been out crusing when, for the primary time in my life, I noticed the Northern Giant-Petrel. I by no means imagined {that a} chook may have such a powerful scent: It smelled of burnt oil. Its presence was unmistakable among the many different birds. Imposing, distinct, nearly intimidating. But what struck me most was its gaze. It had clear eyes, with a severe and deep expression. Taking the image was not simple. We have been in fixed movement, the wind and waves shook the boat, and I needed to make a number of makes an attempt to get the main focus proper. I hope it conveys a few of what we felt that day: the joy of discovery, respect for marine life, and the need to guard it.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Elliston, Newfoundland, Canada
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony 50mm f/1.4 GM lens; 1/2500 second at f/1.4; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: Seeing an Atlantic Puffin has been a life objective of mine, so a good friend and I organized a visit to {photograph} the birds in Canada. I’m a panorama photographer and a storm chaser, so I wished to get photographs of the puffins that have been completely different from customary close-ups. With that in thoughts, I attempted the 50mm and 12-24mm lenses for wider angle pictures. Getting flight pictures with the 50mm proved particularly exhausting. Most puffins flew farther from the cliffs, however sometimes one would fly proper towards the sting. I waited for one to fly shut and tracked it because it glided by. It was the journey of a lifetime. It additionally made me wish to do extra to guard these lovely creatures.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Long Island, New York, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens and a Canon Extender RF 1.4x; 1/2000 second at f/5.6; ISO 2500
Behind the Shot: I used to be mendacity within the sand at a protected distance from a nesting colony of Common Terns, watching some mother and father with their new child chicks. Out of the nook of my eye, I noticed two grownup terns engaged in a conduct I had not witnessed earlier than. With their payments locked collectively, one tern was suspended within the air above the opposite. I pivoted my digicam and began clicking, thrilled to have the ability to seize this encounter. Perhaps the tern on the sand had anticipated a fish from its mate and expressed displeasure when its mate returned with out one. The two tussled for a minute with their payments locked earlier than one flew off—perhaps to rectify its mistake.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, Henderson, Nevada, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/3200 second at f/7.1; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: For the final three years whereas at a piece convention in Las Vegas, I’ve gotten up early to chook. Last yr, I got here throughout a Greater Roadrunner that will dart into the comb after which come working out. I used to be interested by what it was doing, so I stored following it. Eventually, I noticed the roadrunner was stalking a household of Gambel’s Quail hoping to snag a younger one for a meal. The quail acquired fed up attempting to discourage the roadrunner and eventually chased it away. In the picture, you may see a cloud of mud the place the roadrunner abruptly turned to flee the indignant quail mother and father. Bird interactions are considered one of my favourite sorts of images to seize as a result of they’re typically extra fascinating than images of solo birds, so once I noticed this picture on my digicam, and all the birds have been in focus, I used to be past ecstatic.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens; 1/3200 second at f/6.3; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: Blue-footed Boobies reside symbols of the Galapagos, and I had been attempting for a number of days to {photograph} their fishing prowess. I noticed some birds diving into the ocean close to a cliff, so I made a decision to climb up, carrying my telephoto lens below the blazing solar. When I acquired there, I seen a booby about 30 toes away, me with curiosity. I finished. I did not choose up the digicam. I simply watched him, and he watched me. Slowly, he started to preen himself, unfazed, as if inviting me to witness his day by day routine. His actions have been expressive, even sleek. It wasn’t the motion shot I used to be on the lookout for, nevertheless it was an intimate and surprising portrait. Sometimes essentially the most highly effective factor just isn’t within the spectacular, however within the subtlety that solely belief can create.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Mabamba Swamp, Entebbe, Uganda
Camera: Canon R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens and Canon Extender RF 1.4x; 1/3200 second at f/4; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: Paddling via the swamp in a worn picket canoe, my want was to get a glimpse of a Shoebill. Fewer than 15 Shoebills are left within the 64-square mile swamp, however the Ugandan information on the helm of our vessel knew his method round. As we steered via the thick vegetation, I noticed a big object within the distance. As we acquired nearer, I noticed it was a Shoebill. The chook turned, confronted us, and took my breath away. I used to be overcome with emotion; I felt like I used to be watching a dwelling dinosaur. The chook was decisive however elegant in its actions because it hunted. It is my hope that via this picture, individuals will probably be moved by the class, grace, and energy exhibited by the Shoebill and notice actions should be taken to guard this and different species from habitat loss, local weather change, looking, and finally extinction.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Polk County, Florida, United States
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S lens; 1/1000 second at f/6.3; ISO 1800
Behind the Shot: On a foggy morning, I went to {photograph} shorebirds on a 1,000-foot lengthy fishing pier tucked behind the small neighborhood of Indian Lakes Estate. The deck lights remained on due to the low mild, and I seen a big flock of cattle-egrets. Every few seconds one of many birds would take flight and land a brief distance away. My objective was to seize a chook in flight framed exactly between the lights. Lying on my abdomen, I shot upwards to raise the stature of my topic. Finally, a chook in lovely breeding plumage flew into the proper spot with a pleasant wing place. In most situations, I attempt to exclude human-made components from my pictures. I’m so completely satisfied that I broke this rule to seize this distinctive city wildlife picture of our adaptable avian neighbors.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Dosquebradas, Risaralda, Colombia
Camera: Canon EOS R50 with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; 1/250 second at f/6.3; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: This {photograph} has a spontaneous and nearly magical backstory. It all began one random afternoon, once I seemed out the window of my home and seen intense chook exercise within the bushes close by. Driven by curiosity, I grabbed my digicam. But what occurred subsequent exceeded all my expectations. A male Blackburnian Warbler all of the sudden appeared in a tree near me, standing out with its vibrant orange throat. The chook was foraging, totally oblivious to my presence. The golden mild of sundown made the scene much more particular. I waited patiently after which pressed the shutter. It was a second of deep connection—the sort that reminds you that even on essentially the most strange of days, it’s value getting out together with your digicam.
Contest: United States and Canada
Location: Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 IS USM lens; 1/4000 second at f/7.1; ISO 10000
Behind the Shot: While dreaming up some loopy wildlife picture ideas, I had an thought: What would it not take to {photograph} birds throughout a complete photo voltaic eclipse? Obviously, this was going to be tough to drag off. Total photo voltaic eclipses solely happen someplace on the planet each 1 to three years and eclipse totality usually lasts only a few minutes. It can also be very exhausting to know what birds are going to do when darkness envelops the Earth in the course of the day. After greater than a yr of analysis and planning, and near per week of intensive scouting, all of it got here collectively the morning of April 8, 2024. I used a small boat to place myself close to islets the place I discovered a lot of seabirds. As the moon started to uncover the sting of the solar on the finish of totality, I captured this picture of a Magnificent Frigatebird in entrance of the spectacular eclipse part generally known as the “diamond ring,” a second that lasts only a few seconds.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 7R V with a Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens; 1/1250 second at f/2.8; ISO 250
Behind the Shot: Bears and gulls have a symbiotic relationship on the coastal mudflats of Alaska. Gulls name to alert the bears when the tide is low sufficient to clam, and the bears come to dig up the clams, leaving the leftovers behind for gulls to eat. I wished to seize this relationship from the angle of the gull, so I acquired low and waited for a bear to stroll into the foreground to create a body for the chook.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Lexington, Massachusetts, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM lens; 1/1600 second at f/4; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: During a snowstorm in February 2025, I arrange a chook blind in my yard. I sat in it for a lot of the day in freezing temperatures to {photograph} the little birds that go to the feeder. I made a decision to make it additional difficult through the use of in-camera a number of exposures. I wished to seize the very same chook, a White-throated Sparrow, in several poses to momentarily idiot the viewer into considering they’re three completely different birds. It took quite a lot of trials to get a clear composition during which my topic didn’t overlap because it flitted about on the bottom.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Valdivia, Los Ríos, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS R6 II with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/1600 second at f/7.1; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: Setting out on a pelagic outing off the coast of Chile, I hoped to seize a novel second. After crusing a few miles, we got here throughout a gaggle of Black-browed Albatrosses feeding on jellyfish. As we approached, clouds started to obscure the sky, creating an eerie environment. Taking benefit of the sunshine, and impressed by the quilt of Audioslave’s album, Out of Exile, I attempted to seize a scene that evoked a way of thriller or terror. I’ve quite a lot of expertise taking footage from a ship, so the trickiest half was ready for the best wave and discovering an albatross going through us head-on, so I may seize its piercing gaze. After a few makes an attempt, I acquired what I used to be on the lookout for.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Dalcahue, Lagos, Chile
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens; 1/3200 second at f/5.6; ISO 2000
Behind the Shot: It was a chilly Wednesday morning within the metropolis. The waterfront was unusually quiet in comparison with weekends when there are crowds of vacationers. While ready for my bus, I got here throughout a male kingfisher calmly looking for fish. I’ve at all times been fascinated by their persistence whereas on the lookout for prey. I approached the chook slowly, and over roughly fifteen minutes, I managed to get very shut. Despite having seen my presence from the primary second, he continued to seek for prey within the water. Through the lens, I may see the small print of its sclera, the feel of its feathers, and the layers of keratin rising on high of one another. After taking some images and movies, I moved a little bit additional away and continued watching in silence. Missing my bus was nothing in comparison with the marvel of with the ability to observe him for therefore lengthy.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Maule River, Maule, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS 5D with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
lens; 1 second at f/22; ISO 100
Behind the Shot: During an outing with mates, we made a number of stops to observe the river descending steeply between rocks. We have been on the lookout for the Torrent Duck, a really particular chook tailored to dwell on this excessive setting. At one cease, we noticed motion on a big rock in the course of the present: It was a pair of the geese. The feminine sat alone on the rock, wanting over the water. When I noticed her small physique compared to the power of the setting, I needed to {photograph} her. Since I did not have my tools, I borrowed a digicam, together with a tripod and a lens. The silky impact of the water, achieved with a sluggish shutter pace, enhances the distinction between movement and stillness. It is a scene of excellent stability: nature, endurance, and sweetness contained instantly.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Cuverville Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
Camera: Canon R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/1600 second at f/9; ISO 3200
Behind the Shot: On a February cruise to Antarctica, we simply beloved photographing penguins. They’re quick and chic within the water, sluggish and foolish on land, and at all times a terrific topic. The calm waters round Cuverville Island had many rafts of Gentoo Penguins swimming, so we positioned ourselves in a frequented spot and waited. I tightened my aperture to extend the depth of area and activated pre-capture, which saves half a second of photographs previous to urgent the shutter. This penguin jumped into my body shortly afterwards. You can respect the penguin’s hydrodynamic physique and slick feathers that permit it to “fly” via water. The picture additionally gives a terrific have a look at the hook-like papillae contained in the penguin’s mouth, excellent for catching slippery meals.
Species: Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Drakes Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, California, United States
Camera: Nikon Z9 and Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens; 1/2000 second at f/3.5; ISO 1400
Behind the Shot: At dawn, I got down to {photograph} threatened Western Snowy Plovers, nevertheless it was this raven—bathed in golden mild, framed by crashing waves—that captured my consideration. The raven methodically searched the tide line, hopping on driftwood and inspecting washed-up particles. The ravens’ presence right here, fueled by human waste and ranching operations within the National Seashore, poses a risk to the snowy plovers—particularly ever because the corvids discovered to acknowledge protecting exclosures and prey on the breeding plover adults inside. But the gorgeous raven isn’t the villain. It’s a logo of how people reshape pure dynamics and alter the stability between species. As I watched the raven transfer throughout the sand, I couldn’t assist however respect its cleverness whereas lamenting the human-caused adjustments to this setting. It’s a reminder that conservation isn’t nearly saving one species, however understanding the net that connects all of them.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Galapagos National Park, Ecuador
Camera: Canon EOS R3 with a Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens and Canon EF 1.4X Extender; 1/500 second at f/8; ISO 2000
Behind the Shot: While on a cruise, we had the chance to stroll throughout an island with breeding frigatebird colonies. Several males confirmed off their brightly coloured gular pouches. I selected this considerably unconventional angle to focus on the distinction with the iridescent black feathers on the chook’s head with out the distraction of the eyes and different facial options.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: San Luis de Palenque, Casanare, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/3200 second at f/7.1; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: When these two male jacanas unfolded their wings like shields in the course of a territorial battle, I felt fortunate. These birds normally roam the floating vegetation of Casanare’s flooded savannas, and their confrontations are transient and unpredictable. I needed to preserve my eyes peeled and digicam prepared. As I snapped the shot, I glimpsed the secrets and techniques of those birds’ plumage, that are solely seen in flight: the creamy greenish-yellow inside wing feathers and their bone spurs, small yellow buildings on the sting of the wing that they use for self-defense and to guard their offspring. I need this picture to remind us how wealthy and dynamic life is in each nook of Colombia.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Trinity, Florida, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R6 with a Canon RF 100-500mm F/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/200 second at f/7.1; ISO 100
Behind the Shot: Florida’s Sandhill Cranes are year-round residents, and whereas protected, their inhabitants is in danger attributable to elevated improvement. Trinity, situated in Pasco County, was as soon as farmland, cattle ranches, and numerous tree strains, however the panorama is altering. A bunch of locals, together with myself, preserve observe of the brand new crane households because the variety of homes and communities develop. This pair shares a lake with a brand new neighborhood that borders Trinity College of Florida. The mother and father have been educating the younger colts the best way to use their payments to forage for small bugs alongside the water’s edge, below new bushes that may present future habitat. As volunteers establish new Sandhill Crane households, we put up indicators encouraging drivers to decelerate, serving to to guard the slowest and most sleek Trinity residents.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Big Cypress Bayou, Caddo Lake, Jefferson, Texas, United States
Camera: Nikon Z-9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens; 1/320 second at f/5.6; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: I used to be at a panorama pictures workshop to seize the autumn colours of the bald cypress bushes on the border of Texas and Louisiana. The wetlands round Jefferson, Texas, make up a part of the biggest cypress forest on the earth. These unearthly bushes, dripping with Spanish moss, rise from the ponds and sloughs to create a tremendous ecosystem that’s sadly threatened by air pollution and the proliferation of unique aquatic species. Our tour allowed us to kayak via these magnificent swamps. Of course, many fish-loving birds make this their residence, and I couldn’t resist photographing them. While standing on a dock, I heard after which noticed a Belted Kingfisher fishing the bayou. I caught this shot because the kingfisher intently watched the waters for motion.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Meadowlands, Minnesota, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II with a Canon EF 500mm f/4 IS II USM lens; 1/2500 second at f/4; ISO 640
Behind the Shot: In January, I traveled to considered one of America’s premier winter birding locations, Sax Zim Bog, to {photograph} the elusive Great Gray Owl. I averted crowds who usually, of their pleasure, unintentionally disrupt and flush this delicate species. I additionally sought one thing extra therapeutic and private that solely the quiet sanctity and solitude of the winter forest can supply. I finally discovered this majestic raptor perched on a weathered birch snag. Its piercing yellow eyes scanned the snowy forest flooring beneath, on the lookout for prey beneath the frozen crust. Backlit by the low winter solar, the owl’s profile shimmered towards snow swirling via the air like suspended gold flecks. The owl’s intricate plumage blended seamlessly with the muted tones of its environment. It is intimate moments like these that feed the soul and each once in a while reward a photographer with a good picture.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Angelópolis, Antioquia, Colombia.
Camera: Canon EOS 6D with a Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary lens; 1/16000 second at f/6.3; ISO 6400
Behind the Shot: During the previous eight years, I’ve been photographing hummingbirds on my household farm in Angelopolis, a mountainous municipality within the Colombian Andes. I’ve managed to comply with, observe, and {photograph} the nesting means of a number of Green Hermits. This picture captures a really uncommon episode. Instead of utilizing pure fibers to construct her nest, this feminine used the insides of a toy {that a} canine had not too long ago torn up. With this materials and a few spider internet, the hummingbird constructed her nest in a plantain leaf. She rigorously warmed her eggs for a couple of week, till a extreme storm knocked her nest to the bottom, bringing the nesting course of to a tragic finish.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Caleu, Tiltil, Santiago, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS 80D with a Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye Lens; 1/800 second at f/8; ISO 2000
Behind the Shot: As I’ve many instances, I headed out early within the morning to a forest comparatively near my residence, close to Cerro El Roble, the place desert slopes and scrubby forests mingle close to the mountains. I normally deliver a long-distance lens to seize birds’ tremendous particulars, however this time I made a decision to take it simple and stroll with a wide-angle lens. I made a decision to {photograph} with out wanting via the viewfinder. In a small clearing, I glimpsed the silhouette of a chook above me and shortly pointed up and shot a burst of images. Only once I reviewed the photographs at residence did I notice it was a Harris’s Hawk. The wide-angle lens captured the complexity of the forest, as a number of tree species resembling quillay and poplars may be seen, and within the distance, quisco cactus and chaguals.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Trinidad, Casanare, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/2000 second at f/10; ISO 500
Behind the Shot: As the solar units within the Lagunazo, an enormous estuary throughout the Buenaventura Nature Reserve, the sky turns wealthy crimson and passing birds seem as silhouettes beside the long-lasting moriche palms, a local species threatened by agricultural growth. A couple of days earlier, a cloud had prevented me from taking the picture I envisioned, however on one of many final days of our journey, we returned. I raced to the spot, hoping to {photograph} the world’s Orinoco Geese—however this egret stood out so powerfully that I could not resist. I captured many images that night time, however I feel this picture is the perfect illustration of the gorgeous, endangered ecosystem.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Villarrica National Park, Araucanía, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 6600 with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/2000 second at f/6.3; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: Several years in the past, I visited the Villarrica Volcano and managed to identify Magellanic Woodpeckers; to repeat that feat was my objective on the day I took this image. I discovered a little bit about their conduct from my earlier expertise, so I made a decision to attend within the forest till I detected the attribute sound that the chook emits when on the lookout for meals within the higher a part of the bushes. My sighting was spectacular: I had glorious lighting, and the chook was very calm in my presence. Fortunately, I used to be outfitted with a 600mm lens, which allowed me to watch the male with out disturbing him. I used to be prepared with my digicam the second he glanced my method.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Anaime, Cajamarca, Tolima, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens and a UV protecting filter; 1/3200 sec at f/6.3; ISO 6400
Behind the Shot: At nightfall, Yellow-eared Parrots return to their houses in lifeless wax palms, Colombia’s nationwide tree. I had positioned myself in a stand of palms, however I had no method of figuring out which nest the parrots would return to. I targeted on one cavity, crossed my fingers, and waited. I used to be fortunate: One parrot flew into the nest. The birds are monogamous, and I knew that its mate wouldn’t be lengthy. I selected my digicam settings—a quick shutter pace to freeze the motion and a excessive ISO as a result of the sunshine was quickly fading—and in only a few seconds, there it was: click on. Can you think about having such a deep relationship with a spot the place you grew up and the place you raised your personal household…just for that place to vanish? That is the story of the Yellow-eared Parrots, which nest nearly solely in lifeless wax palms in landscapes in danger from deforestation, monoculture plantations, and cattle ranching. That’s why the work of farmers who shield these palms is crucial. Thanks to their care, species like this one proceed to seek out refuge.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Fremont, California, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 7C with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens and UV filter; 1/8000 second at f/6.3; ISO 3200
Behind the Shot: Many birds benefit from the water fountain at Ardenwood Historic Farm within the East Bay. On at the present time, I noticed warblers, tanagers, and finches fly backwards and forwards between the fountain and adjoining bushes. But the hummingbirds have been most entertaining. While most different birds bathed within the fountain or perched on the edge to sip, hummingbirds made a sport out of ingesting airborne water droplets. They appeared to have the flexibility to control time and the pace of the water as they hovered over the fountain and danced gracefully with the drops.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Sebastopol, California, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens; 1/125 second at f/4; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: There’s a household of long-tailed weasels that lives in Ragle Ranch Park. They’re normally lively throughout summer season, however once I went in June, I couldn’t discover any. As I headed again to the parking zone, feeling a bit disenchanted and considering it was simply one other quiet day, I seen one thing small on a fence. I took a better look via my binoculars and noticed 5 fluffy younger Tree Swallows: 4 perched shut collectively and one sitting barely aside. While I photographed them, the lone swallow all of the sudden flew into the group, touchdown proper within the center. That’s once I captured this picture. Those 5 little cuties made my day. In wildlife pictures, you by no means actually know what shock may be ready on the finish of the path.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens; 1/1250 second at f/6.3; ISO 640
Behind the Shot: I go to this sage-grouse lek yearly, rising earlier than daybreak to catch the birds at their most lively. Last yr, a gorgeous crust of exhausting ice lined the lek nicely into March. The grouse seemed particularly elegant strutting atop the white twinkling snow, prefer it was a marble dance flooring. I lay inclined with my lengthy lens because the birds made their method nearer to the street, and the daylight started to light up the mountains. This male appeared at shut vary from behind an increase and commenced to puff up his magnificent chest. Something about this particular person struck me, evoking imagery of a excessive fantasy soldier decked out for the battlefield.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Lerida, Tolima, Colombia
Camera: Nikon D5300 with a Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens; 1/200 second at f/14; ISO 100
Behind the Shot: I’ve been studying about and observing raptor migrations for just a few years now, with the assistance of monitoring stations and lots of different photographers. When any of us sees one thing, we report it, and that has allowed us to foretell—at the very least to a point—the passage of those birds via sure elements of Colombia. This encounter passed off on a farm referred to as La Medialuna, and I built-in the roof of a farmer’s home into the composition. Propelled by wind currents, the birds appear to drift effortlessly, synchronized in an aerial dance. They remind us that we’re a part of the identical organic cycles, that there are not any borders, and that, like birds, we are able to go additional if we work collectively throughout generations.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art for Canon EF lens and
Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, and Aquatech underwater housing with 8-inch dome port; 1/3200 second at f/16; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: When I consider frigatebirds, I consider two environments: the sky and the ocean. Frigatebirds eat seafood, however they do not normally catch it themselves. They lack waterproof oils of their feathers, to allow them to’t get moist. Instead, frigatebirds steal their meals from different seabirds, normally in dramatic mid-air battles. Wanting to {photograph} one from a novel perspective, I went for fairly just a few ocean swims in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, the place my predominant focus was capturing the birds that have been flying above from a special perspective. I acquired a picture of this Magnificent Frigatebird from beneath whereas snorkeling off Santa Cruz Island, utilizing an underwater housing with the dome port partially submerged underwater. I used a small aperture of f/16 to seize element within the water in addition to the chook and sky above and to get a little bit little bit of a starburst impact on the solar rays.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Ritoque, Valparaíso, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS 70D with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; 1/2500 second at f/7.1; ISO 2000
Behind the Shot: I introduced my camp chair to the wetland to attend for the Many-colored Rush Tyrant, an exquisite chook whose plumage reveals shades of yellow, black, white, crimson, orange, inexperienced, and blue. It’s tiny and elusive, and due to how briskly it strikes, I set my digicam to burst mode with a excessive shutter pace and pointed my lens in direction of the reeds the place it lives. Although I noticed this chook many instances, I didn’t get the shot instantly. I needed to wait a few hours for it to get shut sufficient. I hope this picture creates a way of empathy, because it reveals the fragility of a chook so lovely however so small and, subsequently, so defenseless earlier than people.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Coronado, California, United States
Camera: Nikon Z50 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens and a Nikon FTZ II Mount Adapter; 1/1000 second at f/5.6; ISO 3200
Behind the Shot: This picture was taken at a small pocket park that serves as a preferred stopover for migrating birds. I used to be sitting within the park when this Wilson’s Warbler popped down onto the concrete pad and posed briefly on a upkeep gap cowl. I bear in mind being actually excited simply to get a good shot because it occurred so shortly. It bounced round for a bit on the concrete pad earlier than flying off. There are so many issues I really like concerning the picture: the chook’s toes straddling the quilt hole, its tilted head, and its vivid yellow coloring in distinction to the rusty steel. To me, the picture highlights the significance of refuges inside city areas.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II lens; 1/500 second at f/8; ISO 649
Behind the Shot: After wrapping up a photograph tour within the Amazon area, we have been on our method again to the airport to catch our respective flights. Just as we arrived, a torrential rainstorm hit, and a big flock of swallows took refuge within the rafters simply above the airport entrance, making a sample of squares and X-shapes. My pictures tools was packed, so I requested considered one of my shoppers to lend me his 24-70mm lens. Thanks to his generosity, I used to be capable of get this {photograph}, which captures the precise second a juvenile chook adjustments beams.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Parque Nacional Chingaza, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Camera: Canon 1DX Mark III with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; 1/2500 second at f/6.3; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: Between May and August, the flowering crops of the highlands of Chingaza National Park are in bloom, making it the proper place to search for the Green-bearded Helmetcrest, a hummingbird endemic to Colombia. Even throughout the season’s intense rains, as quickly because the valley fills with the flowers of the native Espeletia grandiflora plant, these hummingbirds seize the chance to feed—and I seized the chance to {photograph} them. With an area information, and staying near the street with the intention to respect the park’s boundaries, we seemed for flowers that had bees on them—a superb trick for determining which flowers are filled with nectar and prone to entice hummingbirds.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Gwynns Falls, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R3 with a Canon EF 500mm f/4 IS II USM lens; 1/800 second at f/4; ISO 640
Behind the Shot: I arrived earlier than daybreak at an area pond the place I knew Wood Ducks had returned to breed, donned my waders, and slipped into the cool waters. I set as much as shoot towards the rising solar and secured my digicam to a do-it-yourself float-blind that hid my tools, supplied stability, and allowed me to shoot at water stage. I sat waist deep and remained nonetheless because the solar rose and the geese grew to become lively. Then, a big group of Canada Geese landed, fought, and splashed one another with their wings, utterly photo-bombing my scene. This annoying conduct, nonetheless, created shimmering cascades of bokeh droplets, evoking the phantasm of a golden downpour. The duck’s iridescent plumage and crimson eye shone via the chaos.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Little Wild Horse Canyon, Green River, Utah, United States
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens and B+W UV-Haze #010 MRC MASTER Filter; 1/80 second at f/2.8; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: My first time exploring a slot canyon, I attempted to hike mild. I carried solely my wide-angle lens, anticipating to {photograph} the distinctive geology, not a lot wildlife. I navigated the slender, winding passages in reverent solitude till an alert little Canyon Wren all of the sudden popped out from one of many deep crevices. I instantly began snapping images, delighted to watch my canyon companion deftly scale the towering partitions of orange-brown rock, probing for bugs with its slender, curved invoice. Without a single inexperienced plant in sight, this {photograph} is a strong testomony to birds’ resilience and adaptableness. For a New Englander new to birding, it’s also a reminder of the colourful life within the desert—and why my lengthy lens is now a everlasting fixture in my mountaineering pack!
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1 with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/2.8 PRO shot lens and an Olympus Zuiko PRF-ZD72 72mm safety filter; 1/1250 second at f/2.8; ISO 200
Behind the Shot: Every September for the previous 5 years, I’ve photographed Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as they feast on flowers in Longfellow Gardens. For two weeks, I begin and finish every day by capturing them feeding, flying, perching, and preening on their layover as they migrate southward. The lovely blooms present an ever-changing kaleidoscope of backdrops, and like mixing pigments on a palette, I exploit my digicam and lens to mix the colours of the foliage on my canvases. To seize this picture, I moved to border the portrait because the hummingbird swiveled its head backward and forward, watching a honeybee buzz round. As the bee landed and confronted the hummingbird, I fired off only one shot. An on the spot later, the bee was gone. I really like how at this angle the tiny hummingbird towers over the even tinier honeybee.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/1000 second at f/6.3; ISO 5000
Behind the Shot: While guiding a superb good friend and pictures shopper, we spent a number of days on the lookout for the endangered Military Macaws with out a lot luck. So we have been delighted to come back upon a gaggle of 30 or 40 Military Macaws socializing. It was a terrific pleasure to observe the gorgeous and noisy birds interacting, in what we consider may need been a dispute over a nest web site within the cavity of a wine palm trunk. More usually I’ve seen this species flying overhead or perched within the distance, and it was unimaginable to watch them so close to to us, seemingly unconcerned about our presence.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Bahía Dorita, Aysén, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 7C with a Tamron 100-400 f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens; 1/640 second at f/7.1; ISO 2500
Behind the Shot: After a rain, whereas strolling the paths of the Puyuhuapi Lodge in southern Chile, I got here throughout a lot of the flowering native shrubs referred to as nalca. Their flowers yield a crimson fruit on which the rayaditos, that are small and really lively birds, feed. There have been about 5 feasting, giving me the proper alternative to take the image. But since they’re stressed birds, I needed to wait patiently for the best second.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Maun, Ngamiland, Botswana
Camera: Nikon D850 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens and UV filter; 1/800 second at f/4; ISO 250
Behind the Shot: Water means life in northern Botswana, and the waterholes present a wealthy and dynamic photographic setting. The late afternoon is a busy time as birds and mammals jockey for prime ingesting spots. As the solar dropped, I used to be capturing from a lined statement construction close to the waterhole, concentrating on the giraffes current in massive numbers. During post-shoot evaluate, I used to be delighted to seek out this picture of a momentarily startled Red-billed Oxpecker hanging onto its perch: a seemingly “winking” giraffe. Oxpeckers usually transfer freely round and atop the giraffes in a mutually useful association: The birds feed on ticks and different pests, whereas the giraffes present a protected perch. What made this picture particular was the second of shared shock.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Pichilemu, Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark II with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; at 1/16000 second at f/6.3; ISO 100
Behind the Shot: I spent months planning this shot, however once I acquired to the coast, the climate turned towards me: sudden clouds, fog, and altering situations thwarted a number of makes an attempt. On at the present time, the sky was practically utterly lined with clouds. I had already determined to not exit, however my associate inspired me, declaring that the horizon was clear, so I ought to give it a strive. With some hesitation, I headed out to the location. I knew the second was approaching when the birds within the space would start on the lookout for shelter to relaxation after hours of fishing. The mild, the birds’ motion, and the panorama lastly aligned. Seeing this excellent association of the solar and the vigorous chook exercise at nightfall was deeply transferring. I hope this picture conjures up different photographers to persevere, as a result of persistence and planning finally repay. Sometimes all we’d like is a little bit religion—and to gaze on the horizon.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: El Edén Islet, James Egas Port, Galápagos, Ecuador
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens; 1/2500 second at f/4; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: I used to be on a dinghy gently bobbing within the water as I watched a Blue-footed Booby preening its feathers on the aspect of a cliff. The booby slowly ran its beak over its plumage, then all of the sudden it tilted its head to the aspect and crossed its eyes whereas specializing in a single feather. The expression was each distinctive and fairly humorous.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Snow Hill Island, Antarctica
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4 L IS USM lens; 1/3200 second at f/6.3; ISO 125
Behind the Shot: I visited Snow Hill Island on a bucket listing journey in November 2023 to {photograph} Emperor Penguins. After touchdown, I walked over a mile on sea ice to get to the colonies. Some areas have been treacherously slippery, however I someway managed to stroll to the place a large iceberg had gotten caught within the sea ice. The iceberg seemed like an elephant sculpture, and I imagined the penguins utilizing it as a spatial landmark. I waited to take footage till a gaggle of chicks walked by the iceberg, supervised by a few adults.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Woburn, Massachusetts, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark I with a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens and Canon EF 1.4X III Extender; 1/1250 second at f/7.1; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: It was January in New England and there was snow within the forecast. I packed my gear and headed to Horn Pond to see if I may seize some wildlife. As I drove, the snow grew to become heavier. Concerned about my gear, I discovered a plastic sleeve to surround my digicam tools. I walked a little bit method from the parking zone to the pond’s edge, the place I spied a flock of American Coots huddled collectively on the ice. One all of the sudden took off and the others adopted. I acquired down on the bottom to get a greater perspective, simply managing to seize just a few pictures earlier than they realized that their chief didn’t have a lot of a plan and all flew again to their beginning place.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Mushrif Park, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens; 1/400 second at f/6.3; ISO 2800
Behind the Shot: I’m actually pleased with this picture. The solar was starting to dip beneath the horizon as I noticed this hoopoe mud bathing. Its placing crest was lifted excessive, and it remained engrossed in its personal little world. Every motion stirred up extra of the encircling sand, which the solar radiated via, giving it a fiery glow. The heat mild pierced via the layers of mud, casting an intense rim mild that wrapped across the chook and highlighted its lovely and complicated plumage. These are the sorts of experiences that preserve bringing me again to nature.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
Camera: Nikon D3500 with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; 1/1000 second at f/6.3; ISO 160
Behind the Shot: When I discovered a Hooded Oriole nest in a palm tree, I hoped to seize one of many adults on the leaves surrounding the nest. After some ready, this male flew in with meals. He instantly disappeared beneath the leaves to feed the infants. Soon after, he popped out, perching on the leaves and me. I really like how the sample of the leaves enhances his vivid yellow feathers.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Camera: Canon EOS 1D X Mark III with a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens and Canon Extender EF 1.4x III; 1/2000 second at f/6.3; ISO 500
Behind the Shot: I spend many hours at this pond photographing waterfowl in winter. The pond is fed by the ocean, so it stays ice free. In March, the occasional seal will swim into the pond to feed on the considerable flatfish. I assumed the seal seemed candy holding the fish in its flippers and began to {photograph} it. Suddenly, a Common Merganser appeared within the body. I didn’t even see it strategy. The interplay lasted lower than a second, however I used to be capable of get three frames, and this was the perfect. The seal didn’t flinch and didn’t quit the fish. This was the primary time I had seen this conduct from the mergansers, and I used to be so completely satisfied to get the shot.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Petrohué, Los Lagos, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 7C II with a
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens; 1/3200 second at f/6.3; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: I took this image on a visit with my associate via the southern Chile area of Los Lagos. After a day of heavy rain, the climate lastly granted us a break to get our cameras out. After a number of stops, we discovered the doorway to the Petrohué River viewpoint in Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. As we walked alongside the path surrounded by native bushes, we came across an enormous group of swallows flying over the water in a coordinated and tireless vogue. They stayed lengthy sufficient for me to take many images, together with the one which I hoped for: this picture of a swallow in mid-flight, its outstretched wings forming a sublime silhouette because it glided over the rippling water. It captures the relentless movement we witnessed that day.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Lejanías, Meta, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7S III with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/1250 second at f/6.3; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: Near a espresso farm in rural Meta, Colombia, I seen a papaya tree with ripe fruit that confirmed indicators of getting been eaten. The subsequent morning, listening to the calls of toucans, I made a decision to arrange my digicam on the tree, hoping the birds would come. After a couple of minutes, the toucans landed to feed on the fruit. I used to be amazed by their massive beaks, their capacity to cling to the trunk with out falling, and their agility in reaching the fruit. I used to be additionally dazzled by their magnificence and intelligence: They appeared to speak to one another and take turns consuming.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Pingüino Rey Natural Reserve, Tierra del Fuego, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS R8 with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; 1/1250 second at f/6.3; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: In 2024, my best want was to see King Penguins, a species that lives solely in very restricted areas. So I satisfied some mates to journey with me to Patagonia, and within the ultimate days of our journey to Punta Arenas we visited the King Penguin Natural Reserve. We have been targeted on a gaggle of penguins in entrance of the viewing platform, when all of the sudden I heard a noise behind me and noticed out of the nook of my eye the individuals subsequent to me transferring shortly. Then I seen a pair of penguins proper behind us, simply off the path. I lay down on the viewing platform, and thru a crack I managed to border and take some footage within the restricted house I had. Quite an achievement!
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Algarrobo, Valparaíso, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS 77D with a Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD lens; 1/3200 second at f/6.3; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: At the Tunquén wetland, a small expanse of contemporary water meets the colourful sea. The space is a vital sanctuary for migrating birds, and it’s the place I first marveled on the Many-colored Rush Tyrant. I used to be with my associate, Angélica Díaz, and the second is etched in my reminiscence as a burst of life and colours. Photographing this chook was a serious problem. Its vitality and curiosity made it an elusive flash among the many reeds. This picture is a testomony to persistence, the fun of shared discovery, and ephemeral magnificence. I hope it conveys the enjoyment of that encounter, the vitality of this species, and the significance of defending the distinctive ecosystems in our nation.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Pantego, North Carolina, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R7 with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/800 second at f/7.1; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: For greater than a decade, I’ve traveled six hours from my western North Carolina residence to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. I discover peace spending days watching and photographing Tundra Swans. The swans flood the skies at dawn and once more at sundown. Unusually chilly temperatures and a fair rarer snowstorm framed this yr’s journey. One afternoon, the winds picked up and the temperature dropped. My fingers, toes, nostril…heck, all of me was frozen. I wished to name it a day, however I seen the sunshine and the birds. When the swans took flight, their wing ideas exploded into the dry, powdery snow and swept it right into a cloud. A heat golden mild illuminated the powdered snow, making a glowing fog. Some images are photographs you’re taking. This is a picture that I felt.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens; 1/250 second at f/11; ISO 640
Behind the Shot: This was one of many first photographs I took after arriving on the Grand Canyon. The ravens flew previous and out into the canyon using the thermals. This picture was the third of 4 in a burst collection of a raven flying as much as land on the canyon wall. The heat mild alongside the rocky ledge shone via the raven’s wings because the chook reached the jagged outcrop, which was darkish as a result of the daylight hadn’t but reached it.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Paul J. Olson State Wildlife Area, Rudolph, Wisconsin, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R5 with a Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lens; 1/640 second at f/6.3; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: Each spring, I stay up for mountaineering to Greater Prairie-Chicken booming grounds earlier than daybreak with 65 kilos of drugs. In the pitch darkish, guided solely by headlamp, I rigorously arrange a blind close to one of many leks—open areas the place males carry out spectacular mating shows. When males arrive at first mild, they decrease their heads, inflate their orange-red air sacs, elevate their feather tufts, and stomp their toes in a wild, rhythmic dance. They fill the air with whooping, clucking, and cackling sounds, hoping to impress a watching feminine. It’s an unforgettable expertise—nature’s theater at its most interesting. This unimaginable show is made doable because of devoted efforts of the Portage County Conservation Department, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and ongoing land administration practices. Through prescribed burns and strategic mowing to manage invasive brush, these companions are serving to restore and protect crucial habitat, making certain a future for these exceptional birds.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Llico, Maule, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 7R IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/2000 second at f/6.3; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: While on trip with mates, I acquired up every morning earlier than everybody else to have a look at the shore of Lake Vichuquén. I used to be on the lookout for a Coipo, a semi-aquatic rodent typical of this space of Chile, when all of the sudden I heard loud splashing behind me. Frightened and pumping with adrenaline, I rotated to seek out just a few Red-gartered Coots, which, true to their popularity, have been making an enormous fuss. I assumed they have been courting or mating. But later, once I checked out my images extra intently and noticed blood, toes, and feathers, I noticed that I had been a ringside witness to a struggle. This was a reminder to me that even frequent species can current particulars or conditions that command all of our consideration.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: San Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta, Chile
Camera: SONY Alpha 7III with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/1000 second at f/9; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: At nearly 15,000 toes above sea stage, some photographer mates and I reached the Quepiaco lagoon within the Chilean highlands. A bunch of Silvery Grebes instantly captured our consideration. Ignoring our presence, mesmerized by a feminine, the males exhibited their greatest courtship swims, circling whereas she perched indecisively on the nest. As she organized the empty nest, as if telling them she was prepared for eggs, each male confirmed off, attempting to persuade her that he was their most suitable option. Suddenly, with a sign imperceptible to us, all however one grebe turned away. She had made her choice. After a refined gesture of invitation, the chosen one climbed into the nest to affix her, and we got this second.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Point Fermin Park, San Pedro, California, United States
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens; 1/320 second at f/6.3; ISO 900
Behind the Shot: A Peregrine Falcon fledgling perched on a chunk of driftwood, its younger eyes scanning the world with a mix of curiosity and warning. Its feathers have been delicate and its talons nonetheless untested, however the poised chook was already studying the artwork of stillness. Beside it, a snail crept methodically and quietly alongside the weathered wooden, marking a glistening path. The distinction between the 2 was placing: a younger predator studying its place on the earth, and a humble creature persevering with its regular course, each sharing a fleeting second of coexistence.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens; 1/1600 second at f/9; ISO 3600
Behind the Shot: The predominant goal of my bucket listing journey to discover the Falkland Islands was to see penguins, however I made a protracted listing of all of the doable birds I’d encounter. One day whereas exploring Sea Lion Island, we watched orcas come near the shore to take a look at elephant seal pups. We have been on a cliff very removed from the shore when my journey chief pointed to this man: a Blackish Oystercatcher on the rocks that appeared as a tiny speck within the distance. It was camouflaged apart from its vivid red-orange invoice because it walked onto the kelp, which moved as waves crashed in. I beloved the best way this attractive chook blended into the environment and hoped to get a picture that captured the chook in its setting.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Puerto Natales, Magallanes, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 7R V with a Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS lens; 1/800 second at f/5.6; ISO 160
Behind the Shot: Just earlier than boarding the aircraft residence, I took one final stroll in Patagonia. In the space, I noticed a few Crested Caracaras circling. As I approached, I noticed a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle consuming a rodent, which it gripped fiercely in its talons. The Crested Caracaras have been difficult the eagle. It was at that exact second that I captured this picture, which reveals an alternate of glances between the eagle and the caracara flying over it.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Sossusvlei, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Camera: Leica SL2 with a Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 lens and a round polarizing filter; 1/320 second at f/6.3; ISO 200
Behind the Shot: My journey associate and I have been on a delicate, sandy street once I noticed these three male ostriches following one another. The trio appeared like three bachelors on the lookout for bother. The tallest sand dunes on earth, juxtaposed with the three topics have been placing to me, maybe as a result of we are inclined to visually choose odd numbers. I used a medium telephoto lens to compress the scene and a polarizing lens to handle the haze. This space is so wealthy in scenic wonders, but I usually hoped for an animal to finish the composition. It lastly got here collectively.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Paine, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR; 1/1600 second at f/7.1; ISO 10000
Behind the Shot: Hunters are frequent within the space the place I took this picture, so each time I moved, the birds flew away. So, I made a decision to cease and stand nonetheless, and after about 20 minutes, the birds started to fly close to me and behave usually. It was then that I noticed a pair of Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail working exhausting to construct their lovely nest. I had by no means seen these elusive birds make their residence earlier than. Capturing the second was very tough: the birds are swift, and the branches blocked my view, however persistence and camouflage made it doable.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Two Harbors, Minnesota, United States
Camera: Canon EOS Mark II with a Canon EF 500mm f/4 IS II USM lens; 1/3200 second at f/4; ISO 500
Behind the Shot: On a winter pictures journey, I headed to the Lake Superior shoreline. There, amidst the morning’s delicate golden winter glow, the reclusive Great Gray Owl perched atop a tree in an open area in entrance of a historic lighthouse. Rarely seen this far south and in such open coastal habitats, this owl’s look on this quiet harbor city throughout the 2025 irruption attracted birders and photographers alike. The lighthouse, a logo of security and steering since 1892, supplied a dramatic backdrop. I positioned myself to get as a lot of the scene in my viewfinder as doable till the owl launched from its department. The distinction between the detailed owl in movement and the delicate, nostalgic background created a strong visible story of wilderness assembly historical past.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: University of California, Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden, California, United States
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S; 1/125 second at f/4; ISO 160
Behind the Shot: I had been looking for one thing distinctive to {photograph} when it started raining, and I seen this hummingbird flitting round. Undeterred by the downpour, he surveyed his environment, wanting like a tiny jewel towards a vibrant yellow banner backdrop. I positioned my tripod in order that the banner could be instantly behind the chook when it returned to its perch on a fragile stem. Then I waited till the hummingbird landed—his iridescent gorget flashing sensible hues of pink and crimson, with an ideal splash of sensible colour behind him.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Vista Hermosa, Meta, Colombia
Camera: Sony RX10 Mark III; 1/400 second at f/4.5; ISO 250
Behind the Shot: When photographing massive eagles, just like the Harpy, you higher have your digicam’s burst mode prepared: Flights from the nest to close by branches are frequent however quick. We arrived at Vereda Alto Guapaya, in Vista Hermosa, because of Magia Harpía, an alliance that promotes Harpy Eagle conservation and analysis. The nest you see within the picture was reported by a member of the Alto Guapaya neighborhood and is the biggest nest ever recorded by the Colombian Large Raptors Project, a conservation program I direct. It is on the mountainside, very near a coca area from which farmers commonly see the eagles flying in with branches and prey. We waited at a lookout level till the birds arrived. Capturing the complete wingspan of the biggest eagle within the continent is nicely value utterly filling a reminiscence card.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Pendleton, Oregon, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens; 1/500 second at f/4; ISO 2000
Behind the Shot: I arrived within the meadow at daybreak in hopes of seeing younger owlets. Before I caught a glimpse of them, although, I noticed the male Great Gray Owl, alert for any indicators of prey in a meadow dotted with pines. Initially I noticed him on a small nub and acquired some pictures from the aspect. I quickly repositioned myself in order that his kind was absolutely framed by the textured bark of the tree. I marveled at his camouflage. The speckled sample of his feathers blended seamlessly with the tough and rutted bark. There have been bits of vivid inexperienced lichen that completely echoed the placing colour of his eyes.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Milford, Michigan, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and a Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter; 1/2500 second at f/4; ISO 2500
Behind the Shot: Early winter was a superb time to see Pileated Woodpeckers near the character trails in Kensington Metropark. On this outing, I noticed this younger feminine foraging in an space of the park that Red-headed Woodpeckers think about their territory. This picture captures a standoff between the 2 birds, the Red-headed Woodpecker dominating the scene regardless of its smaller measurement by holding its foot on high of the Pileated Woodpecker’s foot. I felt awe for the bravery of the a lot smaller Red-headed Woodpecker, however I additionally felt unhealthy for the Pileated Woodpecker solely looking for breakfast.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Santo Domingo, Valparaiso, Chile
Camera: Canon 5D Mark IV with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens and Canon EF 1.4X Extender; 1/3200 second at f/8; ISO 1250
Behind the Shot: This is likely one of the few photographs that exist of the Rufous-collared Sparrow in full flight, with its wings utterly unfold. I took this {photograph} throughout a go to to the Maipo River Wetland for a convention on pictures and birds, the place I had a photograph within the Top 20 exhibition. Being removed from my hometown, I wished to grab the chance and spent a lot of the day strolling round. Among all the photographs I took, I managed to seize this small and elusive sparrow, referred to as “chincol,” simply in the intervening time it took flight amongst some lovely blue flowers.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Torres del Paine National Park, Magallanes, Chile
Camera: Nikon D780 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens; 1/640 second at f/6.3; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: On a hike in Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia, I noticed a fire-damaged forest. Bare branches have been the one reminder of a panorama as soon as energetic. Amid that silence marked by destruction, I seen a small Southern House Wren perched on a scorched department. I framed the picture with the mountains within the background as immobile witnesses to the battle for survival. That on the spot evoked a strong distinction: the fragility of a tiny chook in a devastated setting, but in addition life’s capacity to persist amid adversity. The {photograph} captures not solely a chook, but in addition a silent message concerning the resilience of nature.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Española Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S; 1/4000 second at f/4; ISO 4000
Behind the Shot: While within the Galápagos, I used to be mendacity on a white sandy seashore, observing Española Mockingbirds feed on moths, once I witnessed a small group of the birds pinning down and attacking one other particular person. This endemic species is very territorial, and the aggressors plucked feathers from the unlucky intruder. A couple of moments later, the sufferer managed to flee with solely minor wounds and moved on to forage in one other a part of the seashore. I used to be lucky to be in the best place on the proper time to witness this dramatic interplay.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Cochrane, Aysén, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 7 III with a Sony GM 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens; 1/400 second at f/13; ISO160
Behind the Shot: This was my second journey to Patagonia. For 21 days, I walked greater than 60 miles hoping to {photograph} huemuls, an endangered deer. After 5 irritating days, I headed to the Tamango area of Patagonia National Park. By my second day there I nonetheless hadn’t photographed any mammals—however then it grew to become a day for chook pictures. Images of eagles, Chucao Tapaculos, Magellanic Tapaculos, Chilean Flickers, Thorn-tailed Rayaditos, Grey-hooded Sierra Finches, and Fire-eyed Diucons gathered on my SD card. But, unquestionably, my favourite picture of the day is that this Short-billed Miner posing calmly on a rock, wanting in direction of the gorgeous mountain vary.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Fort Fisher, North Carolina, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R3 with a Canon RF 100-500 F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/12800 second at f/7.1; ISO 320
Behind the Shot: At historic Fort Fisher, there’s an aged jetty generally known as “the rocks” that separates the Cape Fear River from the Atlantic Ocean. Countless species make use of it, however the actual performers are the mischievous Boat-tailed Grackles. Though it appears a disgrace to not spotlight the beautiful iridescence of their plumage, the chance on at the present time was to silhouette their namesake tail feathers. I lay belly-down far out on the jetty, the excessive tide pouring over the rocks (and me) whereas these whimsical birds foraged, bathed, and squabbled. I set a excessive shutter pace to tame the brilliant solar and spotlight the birds’ form whereas successfully freezing the water droplets so the bokeh created would furnish this story with the magic it deserved. As a nature photographer, it’s at all times a thrill to find new locations the place mild, water, and earth create an ever-changing palette of potentialities.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Tabio, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Camera: Nikon D850 with a Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lens; 1/80 second at f/9; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: Hidden within the heights of Tabio municipality, there’s a small waterfall. During the dry season, when the high-mountain solar blazes, the highly effective jet turns into skinny threads of water and about eight hummingbird species collect to chill off. Each has its personal method of having a shower, however amongst all of them, the Golden-bellied Starfrontlet stands out. After greater than 4 years observing this chook, and outfitted with the best gear, I made a decision to make use of a flash with a diffuser behind the chook, at minimal energy, to focus on the droplets. In entrance, a reflector bounced mild to softly illuminate the hummingbird. It was a scene that required an ideal stability: not an excessive amount of water falling and never too little.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Cravo Sur, Casanare, Colombia
Camera: Sony Alpha 7R IV with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/100 second at f/8; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: While mountaineering close to the Cravo Sur River in Colombia’s flat lands, somebody instructed us about a big chook close by, and we knew we needed to test it out. We discovered this potoo perched in a tree, and as I started to {photograph} it from a distance, I seen a small beak peeking out from the chook’s feathers. It wasn’t alone! Very rigorously, and maintaining my distance, I moved round to get a greater look. After attempting completely different spots, I noticed this lovely scene via the leaves and branches: the mom, immobile and along with her head raised excessive, blends in with the colours and textures of the tree, along with her small chick nestled into her. This picture conveys the extraordinary camouflage of those birds.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens; 1/2500 second at f/10; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: Mergansers are fishing geese. When one surfaces from a dive with a fish in its invoice, there are sometimes different birds ready to steal the bounty. In the turbulent rapids of the Snake River, this merganser caught a Utah sucker fish so massive it appeared not possible for the duck to swallow. The merganser tried its greatest whereas furiously flapping its wings and working alongside the floor of the water to elude thieves. Scenes like this play out each autumn on the Snake River. In my favourite wildlife images, I search to evoke an emotion within the viewer, and I hope that they’ll acknowledge one thing of themselves within the animals’ conduct. In this case, nonetheless, I’m vividly reminded of the ruthlessness of pure choice.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Frutillar, Los Lagos, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T6 with a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lens; 1/3200 second at f/8; ISO 500
Behind the Shot: I took this {photograph} on a spring afternoon, throughout a trip with my associate. We have been exploring Frutillar and sat all the way down to relaxation on the shores of the lake overlooking the Osorno Volcano. Many birds have been flying backwards and forwards. This particular seagull was consistently flitting in entrance of us, dipping down to the touch the water, rising once more, after which dashing off to the opposite finish of the seashore. It was a hilarious show, as if he wished to point out us his acrobatic abilities. My digicam is sluggish and a bit previous, so focusing and framing quick animals is an amazing problem, however ultimately, I managed to do it. He was in his breeding plumage—so perhaps he did wish to impress different gulls!
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Vacation Island, San Diego California, United States
Camera: Sony A7 III with a Sigma f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens; 1/1250 second at f/8; ISO 6400
Behind the Shot: My girlfriend and I spent the winter in San Diego to flee the chilly. Thus started my 3-month obsession with discovering and photographing hummingbirds. Most mornings I wakened and seemed for flowers or perches that the hummingbirds frequented. After discovering just a few dependable spots, I sat for hours ready for them to return. Most of the time I seemed for iridescent males. But I couldn’t move up a possibility to {photograph} this feminine flying out and in of the Pride of Madeira flowers. She would are available in for a drink after which typically hover proper in entrance of me as I sat for 2 hours. Because of the hummingbirds, I now discover myself a lover of wildlife pictures.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Valdivia, Los Ríos, Chile
Camera: Nikon D5200 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR DX VR 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G; 1/640 second at f/4; ISO 200
Behind the Shot: The decomposing physique of a sea lion, already surrounded by Black Vultures, reeked with an nearly insufferable stench of putrefaction. I spent about three hours approaching slowly to keep away from disturbing the birds. As I got here nearer, their calmness shocked me. The scene, although grim, reveals the important ecological perform of vultures: to cleanse the panorama and shut the pure cycle of life and demise. Although they’re usually rejected, vultures are considered one of my favourite birds attributable to this important function. With this picture, I invite you to mirror on the uncomfortable fantastic thing about nature and the significance of much less charismatic beings. Each ingredient—rocks, carrion, forest, birds, and light-weight—has a job on this story that speaks of stability, demise as part of nature, and the dignity of scavengers of their silent work.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Lakeland, Florida, United States
Camera: Nikon Z8 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens; 1/4000 second at f/7.1; ISO 160
Behind the Shot: For a very long time, I’d hoped to seize an eye-level anhinga picture with a freshly caught fish. That want lastly got here true. Lying on my stomach, I used a bean bag to handle the burden and steadiness of the lens. I used to be casually observing a gaggle of herons when an Anhinga all of the sudden and unexpectedly breached the floor proper subsequent to me, a glistening sunfish in its invoice. I adjusted my digicam to seize the scene. The chook appeared proud to show its prize. Then, with a swift motion, the Anhinga expertly maneuvered the sunfish and swallowed it entire earlier than seamlessly slipping again beneath the water’s floor, disappearing as shortly and silently because it had arrived. The complete encounter, although transient, left an indelible mark.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Saunders Island, Falkland Islands
Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/2500 second at f/6.3; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: As I photographed a household of geese on the shoreline, watching because the ducklings ventured between seashore and surf, I seen a Gentoo Penguin emerge from the ocean. Knowing that steamer-ducks are fiercely territorial, I anticipated a confrontation and adjusted my place. Sure sufficient, the male duck launched right into a cost the second he noticed the penguin. I captured a collection of photographs, however this one stands out; it freezes the second simply earlier than the duck reached the penguin, beak open, wings up, because the penguin fled. Gentoo Penguins are agile within the water however much less so on land, and whereas they’re comparable in measurement to steamer geese, they’re much less aggressive. I used to be lucky to be in the best place, with the best gear, to catch the dramatic second.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: La Florida, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 7C II with a Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary lens; 1/3200 second at f/6.3; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: I took this {photograph} whereas strolling in Panul Community Park, one of many few remaining inexperienced lungs within the Santiago metropolitan space. The park preserves a novel native forest with many plant species which might be important for native biodiversity. On my method residence, I discovered this Chilean Flicker perched in a tree, watching a flock of thrushes. I took the woodpecker’s image because it tracked the opposite birds, out of body—my first time utilizing a brand new lens. I’m fortunate to dwell very near the park, and I stroll there commonly to attach with nature and disconnect from town’s noise.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Milford, Michigan, United States
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and a Sony FE 2x Teleconverter; 1/1000 second at f/8; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: As I completed my hike on a really chilly however vivid morning in late March, I heard after which noticed this pair of Sandhill Cranes on the different finish of my path. I used to be struck by the fantastic thing about the scene and the distinction between the darkish background and sparkly hoarfrost, with two attractive cranes standing backlit in the course of the path. The pair made unison calls to affirm their bond as their heat breath met the chilly morning air.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Legacy Park, Malibu, California, United States
Camera: Canon EOS R6 with a Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; 1/3200 second at f/7.1; ISO 8000
Behind the Shot: A juvenile grebe was foraging in our little native pond. As I used to be observing the chook, it dove down and got here up with a really massive non-native crimson swamp crayfish. At first, I assumed it had bitten off greater than it may chew. Since I hand-hold my digicam, I set a better shutter pace of 1/3200 sec to compensate for the motion and lowered my publicity to -0.3 EV to make the grebe and the crayfish stand out. After a lot effort, the grebe miraculously swallowed the crayfish entire. It not solely acquired a well-deserved meal—it was additionally cleansing our waterways, one invasive crustacean at a time.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States
Camera: Nikon D500 with a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens; 1/2500 second at f/5.6; ISO 400
Behind the Shot: I took this picture throughout a household trip. It was my first time photographing Bald Eagles, and I’d gotten up earlier than daybreak hoping to catch one within the early mild. When I noticed this eagle perched on the shore, I knew I wished a shot of the solar rising proper behind it. I arrange my gear, framed the shot, and waited. It felt like without end, simply sitting there hoping the eagle would keep put. Luckily, it did. But proper because the solar lastly broke the horizon, a second Bald Eagle flew by and startled an enormous flock of shorebirds, sending them into the air. The scene exploded with motion, and I had only a few seconds to take the picture. Somehow, all the things got here collectively—the eagle, the birds, the sunshine.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Valle Las Trancas, Ñuble, Chile
Camera: Sony Alpha 6400 with a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Sport DG OS HSM Contemporary lens; 1/160 second at f/7.1; ISO 1000
Behind the Shot: During considered one of my many expeditions seeking the Andean huemul, a critically endangered deer, I set out early within the morning via a deciduous southern beech forest. In the space, I heard a Magellanic Woodpecker. I approached stealthily, looking till I lastly discovered it. To my shock, it was an grownup feminine accompanied by her juvenile offspring. I hid behind a log with my digicam poised, then spent a number of minutes watching because the mom foraged for her fledgling. The child chook, nonetheless inexperienced, insistently begged for meals, utterly trusting in its mom’s care. This picture reveals us that even in nature, familial bonds are important for the survival of a species.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada
Camera: Sony Alpha 7R V with a Sigma 60-600mm F/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS lens; 1/200 second at f/6.3; ISO 200
Behind the Shot: On my first go to to Grasslands National Park, a rainstorm swept throughout the huge prairie. As the skies cleared, a rainbow arched gracefully over the open plains. Sensing a possibility, I shortly made my method to one of many park’s most lively wildlife areas: the prairie canine city. While strolling alongside the sting of the colony, a Long-billed Curlew flew into my body. I adjusted my digicam settings and dropped low to align the shot, hoping to profit from the serendipitous second. Just as I pressed the shutter, the curlew stretched its wings gracefully and flew to a mud mound. The curlew’s elegant kind mirrored the light curve of the rainbow behind, making a placing visible concord.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: Punta de choros, Coquimbo, Chile
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II with a Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens; 1/100 second at f/9; ISO 100
Behind the Shot: On trip within the Humboldt Penguin Reserve, I took a ship tour hoping to {photograph} whales, dolphins, and birds, however we had no luck recognizing something. Back on the cabin, feeling a bit down, I watched the sundown. I noticed how the dense clouds let via rays of sunshine sometimes. Then I had the thought of going to the seashore, the place, on a few rocks, I noticed two Neotropic Cormorants drying their feathers and resting after a protracted day. I attempted many instances and eventually, I captured the precise second when the beams of sunshine landed superbly on the waves whereas the cormorants seemed on. Sometimes, when all the things appears to be towards you, you simply need to strive yet one more time. Even the cloudiest days maintain a ray of sunshine.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Kirkland, Washington, United States
Camera: Nikon Z9 with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens; 1/30 second at f/1.2; ISO 2000
Behind the Shot: I had noticed this Barred Owl earlier than and knew it sometimes perched on a mossy root above a quiet creek in a forest. I timed my arrival at the present time for the delicate mild round sundown. I struggled to border the scene in a method that did justice to the habitat’s magnificence. I switched to an 85mm f/1.2 lens—one I felt may seize the sense of place. The mild was fading quick, and the forest understory was already dim. Shooting handheld, I opened the aperture to f/1.2 and raised the ISO to 2000. That allowed me to shoot at 1/30 second—simply sufficient to maintain the owl sharp whereas preserving the dreamy high quality of the scene. When the owl lastly landed on the basis above the nonetheless creek, it paused and seemed down. That fleeting second was precisely what I had hoped for.
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Image Location: La Serena, Coquimbo, Chile
Camera: Nikon Zf with a Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens; 1/640 second at f/7.1; ISO 640
Behind the Shot: I had heard there’s a place on the outskirts of La Serena the place there are such a lot of Burrowing Parakeets you can hear a roar. With solely imprecise instructions and different individuals’s images to information us, I went with my associate seeking the mysterious spot. We have been driving as we began to see parrots on roofs and street indicators. When we opened the window, we heard the din of their songs. Countless birds have been flying and perched on distant cliffs, so it was tough to {photograph} them. We discovered a waterfall and, close by, a spot the place about eight birds perched on cacti. We acquired out of the automobile and waited. Two birds flew nearer and landed on a cactus, the place they started to argue and groom one another. I snapped this picture earlier than they flew away in a flash.
Contest: United States and Canada
Image Location: Fremont County, Wyoming, United States
Camera: Canon 6D with a Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lens and a UV filter; 1/1600 second at f/11; ISO 800
Behind the Shot: In early spring, clusters of male sage-grouse strut and show on grounds referred to as leks to draw prospecting hens. Their dances may be noisy, rough-and-tumble affairs, with males preventing over small patches of floor. Yet evidently not all males can deal with this aggression and depth. One morning, whereas huddled on my camp stool in a blind overlooking a lek, I heard one thing removed from the mayhem. I cracked a window and noticed a lone male displaying on the unbroken snow of a desolate roadway. It seemed prefer it was the one sage-grouse on Earth. This picture wasn’t my closest or greatest lit, however I preserve coming again to this scene once I consider the species’ toughness and tenacity. Spending a single icy morning in a blind generally is a actual problem, but the sage-grouse survive all winter lengthy within the infinite expanse of the sagebrush sea.
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