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ANIMALS
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WHAT THE JUDGES THOUGHT
I have never seen an image like this before! The decisive moment of the capture where the two birds appear to be communicating with each other is priceless and with humour. The image quality is superb allowing a wonderful tonal separation of both birds from the busy sky. Added this is a perfect focus depth and an appropriate shutter speed that allows just the slightest movement in the gull’s tail feathers. There is nothing I would suggest to improve this image!
– Mike Langford
This image has real impact right from the get go. I am pulled right into the conversation and performance of the two birds. Enjoying the contrast of size, shape, context, and action all taking place in a surreal, industrial seascape. The timing, composition, and lighting are perfect. As viewers, the story just keeps giving. I find my eye dancing from bird to bird to the tiny fish in the pelican’s throat pouch. Then, my eye moves to the background with interesting repetitive chimney stacks that contrast with the organic shape of the rock that swirls my eye back to the main subject. The image is a winner that makes me smile.
– Jackie Ranken
WINNER
STEVE NICHOLLS
As a father of two young children, bird photography became a way for Steve Nicholls to capture and share with them fleeting moments in the natural world which would otherwise pass unobserved. His current focus is to produce compelling photographs where any interesting animal behaviour recorded is secondary to capturing an aesthetically pleasing image. Focusing firstly on lighting, composition, and the natural environment is a meditative process which forces him to stop being reactionary and to photograph with intent.
www.instagram.com/stevejack2
Pelican on the Defensive As the afternoon came to a close at Woodman Point in Western Australia, this pelican stood alone on a large rock overlooking a small rocky pool. I positioned myself low to make sure the pelican rose completely above the horizon line, and stopped down my lens to bring focus to the industrial buildings on the other side of the bay. With all the elements in place, I had to wait for something interesting to bring the image to life. A small group of seagulls arrived on the scene, and one began harassing the pelican. As the gull flew in the pelican raised its beak to fend it off, and I clicked the shutter.
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capturemag.com.au
[capture] aug_oct.22