Birds photo contest results..

[Andrew1]

For those of you recently trying to improve your bird photography, some inspiration.

http://www.hbw.com/hbw-world-bird-ph...hbwcontest2013

[NorthernFocus]

Some awesome stuff in there. All technically well done but several of them also have an element of timing/luck. The first one can be learned in many ways. But there's no substitute for time in the field for the latter.

[deetheturk]

+1 to Dan's comments,stunning images!

[Shadowman]

Nice link.

[John 2]

I second the comment on needing a degree of luck. One day......... Thanks for the link.

[Suzan J]

Ah yes, those are quite amazing and inspiring photos. Now, if only I could be in the right place at the right time, had the right equipment, had the requisite amount of skill level, a good deal of spare time, and copious amounts of patience, then I could grab shots like that too!

[NorthernFocus]

Ah yes, those are quite amazing and inspiring photos. Now, if only I could be in the right place at the right time, had the right equipment, had the requisite amount of skill level, a good deal of spare time, and copious amounts of patience, then I could grab shots like that too!

Exactly. There's no getting around the time factor. The things that are within our control are improving skill level and trying to have gear available as much time as possible when chance occurances arise. I'm not good with the latter.

[chauncey]

if only I could be in the right place at the right time, had the right equipment, had the requisite amount of skill level, a good deal of spare time, and copious amounts of patience, then I could grab shots like that too!

Well...Dah!

[Steve S]

Excellent shots. I don't think it's luck though. Good photographers, make their own luck.

[Nancy Moran G]

Now I see my problem, I don't live in the right place! I live in the U.S which had no entries?!
JK,
Nancy

[NorthernFocus]

Excellent shots. I don't think it's luck though. Good photographers, make their own luck.

You must not shoot wildlife.

[Steve S]

You must not shoot wildlife.

I shoot almost exclusively, wildlife. I guess all my shots are luck too.



You can study the behavior of the animal

you can choose the day you want to shoot

you can set up the light direction

you can choose the areas with the best backgrounds

you can set up the background for the best composition, when the animal decides to show up

you can pattern the animal and be there when it usually shows itself

you can learn about wind direction and your scent

you can learn about camo and how to conceal youself, so as to not be seen

you can learn how to get close enough for a good shot

you can have your camera set up and ready for the shot

And then you can be patient untill you get the shots your after.



Some wildlife photographers have lots of skill.(skill you apparently don't give them credit for).............................................. ...some just stumble around and rely on luck for an occasional shot here and there

[NorthernFocus]

...I guess all my shots are luck too...

That's a bit of an extrapolation isn't it?

Let's not get wrapped around the axle over semantics. What is luck? Can we agree on a definition? I'd offer that luck is simply the manifestation of probability. If one seeks relatively high frequency events, then the probability of occurrence is high and one will likely be "lucky". But most of us don't use the term luck when referring to high probability events.

For example, one of the photos in the subject contest was of two wading birds fighting over a fish. Now it is a very reasonable expectation to put in a few hours at a wildlife reserve with resident waders and come away with the much sought after image of a bird flipping a fish in the air to position it head first to swallow. Not an extremely high probability event, but predictable and frequent enough to offer a reasonable expectation of success if one has the requisite equipment, skills, and puts in the hours. But two different species of waders fighting over a fish at a moment in time when one is there, set up and ready to shoot. Well now that is an extremely low probability event which one may never witness in a lifetime, aka lucky.

Since I clearly struck a funny bone by calling it luck, I'll retract my previous statement. Let me rephrase:

Several of the winning photos were of extremely low probability events.

Better?