BPOTY2019: These Bird Photographers' Perfect Clicks Will Win Your Heart

Are you a photographer? If yes, you would agree that it takes time and the right angle to capture a photo. Be it of an animal, bird, or kids: the picture has the power to speak thousands of words. While some photographers participate in several contests to showcase their talent to the world, others click the pictures and post on social media.

Recently, National Geographic revealed the winners of its annual Travel Photo Contest 2019 and must say, the photos that won the awards were outstanding. The contest received thousands of entries in several categories and was judged by a panel of expert photographers.

This time the pictures are not of travel, but of birds. The Bird Photography competition, held annually since 2016, announced the winner of 2019 competition. In this competition cycle, it received thousands of pictures from over 60 countries from around the world. The shortlisted photos are beautiful and also show the hidden talent of the photographers. The competition is judged by hosts of professional photographers, TV presenter, and conservationist Chris Packham. It aims to celebrate the art of bird photography and to raise awareness and money for worthwhile bird conservation causes.

Also, several contests were held for the photography lovers, and these 15 pics were most loved by people and won the award in 2018.

The competition was sponsored and got support from several brands, including Olympus, Wildlife Worldwide, Future Publishing, Harper Collins, and more. The winner of this year’s title and the prize of £5,000 is won by the British photographer Caron Steele.

Check out his photograph and other category winners pics below.

1. Caron Steele - Best Photographer of the Year 2019

Source = Boredpanda

Amazing! Caron titled the picture ‘Dancing on Ice’ and also won in the Best Portrait Category. She said:

“Photography and being at one with nature brings a sense of calm, joy and appreciation that can strip away the stresses of life. I recommend this therapy to everyone."

She further added-

“I cannot tell you how delighted I am to be announced as the winner of this fabulous competition. It is wonderful to receive such recognition for something I absolutely love doing.”

2. Martin Grace won the Inspirational Encounters

Source = Ephotozine

Martin from the UK won for his photograph of Emperor Penguins. It is the rarest bird to see in the world. Martin shot a few pictures and put his camera away. And for the next fifteen minutes, it was just him, the Emperors and heaven.

3. Tamas Konc - Bisztricz Received the Young Bird Photographer of the Year

Source = Birdwatchingdaily

This soda lake is a sanctuary for several water birds including Eurasian, Great Egret, Mediterranean Gull, and other birds. It also has a hidden lake between the village of Palmonostora and Tomorkeny. The lake is surrounded by sedges and reeds, so it cannot be seen easily. The photographer used a special technique to approach the birds from high altitude.

4. William Steel - A Picture That Shows a Commensal Relationship

Source = Fotografblog

Did you notice the Rhino in this picture? Zoom into the pic, and you will observe Rhino continue gazing at someone and Egret searching for insects from the grass. The picture contrasts between dark and light and is unique of all. The photo won the Best Portrait - Bronze.

5. Yashodhan Bhatia - Best Portrait Honorable Mention

Source = Boredpanda

The picture was captured by Yashodhan Bhatia. It took him four sessions and several pictures to get the desired result. The birds glide, change the shape of its wings and optimize their aerodynamic performance to drag and to control the lift.

I feel this picture deserves much more than an honorable mention. What do you think?

6. Csaba Tokolyi - A Unique Picture of Egret

Source = Birdwatchingdaily

The picture was captured when a little Egret in breeding plumage stopped by and stood at close range in the golden light, reflected on the water’s surface. Csaba took the telephoto lens to record a different kind of photo.

7. Cat Edwardes - Creative Imagery

Source = Immediate

This picture of a hummingbird is different from what you might have seen on the internet. The pic by Cat Edwardes captures the light through its little wings and is beautiful. He took hundreds of pictures to capture this perfect click.

8. Nikunj Patel - Birds in Flight

Source = Ephotozine

What a cool shot! Black Skimmers are usually observed in summer. They have an elegant flight with steady wing beats. This beautiful photo was clicked in the summer of 2018 at Ocean City, New Jersey, USA. It is an endangered species in the state of New Jersey.

If you like this photo, you will love the spectacular pics that captured flight traces of the birds.

9. Joseph Gergely - Bird Behavior

Source = Dailymail

This particular picture attracted me. See how this bird was balancing on the fishing nets. This high key effect is achieved by shooting into the light.

10. Pal Hermansen - Attention to Detail - Gold

Source = Boredpanda

Have you ever seen bird feathers deeply? Pal Hermansen didn’t take a picture of the whole bird but decided to pick out the details in the feathers. He took a very long lens to click the feathers.

Bonus Photograph for the Bird Lovers

Liron Gertsman - Birds in Flight - Bronze

Source = Labuda

The photographer used a slow shutter speed to see the movement of the birds as it flies.

BPOTY Aims to Promote Bird Photography

Rob Read, the competition coordinator and managing director of BPOTY, said,

“Yet again we have been amazed and humbled in equal measure by the incredible standard and diversity of the entries this year. Like any form of art, photography is subjective and not everyone can win, but our aims are to promote bird photography, the talent of the photographers themselves and to support conservation causes."

Final Words

All the pics shown were outstanding. Out of the above pictures shared, which picture did you find the best? Have you ever participated in such events or want to be part of these famous contests?

The entry for 2020 competition for BPOTY will close on 30th November 2019. The prizes include gimbal tripod heads from Gitzo, a camera system from Olympus, the first prize of £5000 and more.

You can check more photos and the winners at their official website and social handles - Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.