BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year

[karohemd]

This year's results are out
The overall winner isn't that great a picture but getting anywhere near a snow leopard with a camera is obviously a feat so deserves praise.
There are some fine pics there and only two of them were taken with serious pro gear, the rest with entry level or pro-sumer cameras (but some rather good lenses). I like that they published the stats.
My favourite is the Clash of Eagles which looks more like a painting than a photo. Getting such a moment has to be a wonderful thrill for the tog.

(my icon is me photographing Magellan penguins in Chile)

Comments

[anisiriusmagus.livejournal.com]

I think they must have awarded the top prize for the photographer's patience! 13 months is a heck of a long time to get any sort of shot of a snow leopard.

I like the movement in the one of the lion chasing the giraffe, but I think my favourite is the Clash of Eagles too.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

The lion/giraffe one is really atmospheric because of the effect of the light and dust.

[professoryaffle.livejournal.com]

I like troublesome

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

I'm really interested to see how this one was done. Looking at the stats reveals that he can't have been much further away than 1m (assuming some cropping) and he's used two flashes as well so more of a studio setup than something you could do in the jungle.

[hrafen.livejournal.com]

The lion / giraffe one is really atmospheric. To my mind the snow leopard is impressive, mostly in just getting a photo of such an elusive species. The falling snow adds to it and probably made the difference. It is amazing for what it is and does not need to be the greatest in clarity or atmosphere. But I agree, the Clash of Eagles is great, and my favourite.

[bibliogirl.livejournal.com]

They always publish the stats -- or at least they have done for the last five or six years when I've gone to the exhibition.

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

I remember reading the stats in BBC Wildlife Magazine, back in the 1980s. They've always given make & model of camera, lens, film, and exposure details.

You can be that while only two of those images there used pro kit, the majority of the ones in the exhibition will have done, and I reckon the guy used the entry-level camera because it was cheap, and he needed several of them to get the shots at the various locations.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

They weren't on last year's website. That's why I mentioned it.

*nods* I would assume that most wildlife photographers use pretty serious kit, not necessarily for the picture quality but built quality (metal bodies, good sealing against moisture and dust etc.).

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

I don't look at the website, I can go to the exhibition any time I like ;)

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Bah. How long will it run (I assume at the NAtural History Museum)? I'll be down in London on the 22nd for Spamalot so could take a detour.

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

It usually runs until Mid-February.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Cheers!

[bibliogirl.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. One interesting change has been to see the film/digital ratio's change. Three, four years back the exhibited images were roughly evenly split between film and digital; last year the exhibited images had possibly four or five shots quoting film out of maybe fifty or so?

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

Even in the "Black and White" competition- which you'd think was almost designed for film there were digital entries.