Posted on 10/17/2020 5:53:05 AM PDT by Twotone
To photograph one of rarest creatures on Earth you have to be incredibly skilled and remarkably lucky.
But Sergey Gorshkov is clearly both - as demonstrated by his stunning picture of a Siberian, or Amur, tiger deep in the forests of Russia's Far East.
The image has just won him the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
The female tiger is seen embracing a tree, rubbing herself against the bark to leave her scent and mark territory in Land of the Leopard National Park.
"The lighting, the colours, the texture - it's like an oil painting," says WPY chair of judges Roz Kidman-Cox.
"It's almost as if the tiger is part of the forest. Her tail blends with the roots of the tree. The two are one," she told BBC News.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
REALLY cool!
Worth a look, floks!
Nice post, thanks!
Very awesome images.
Beautiful pictures!
REALLY cool!
Worth a look, floks!
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What the flok did you just call me???
lol
Absolutely phenomenal!
Thanks so much.
Definitely worth the look — the two-wasps picture is amazing too!
ouotstanding.
Does that show that even in the animal kingdom there are tree huggers?
Cry Tablet and let slip the dogs of my fingers ;)
Scratchers, not huggers!
Strange how I read your post and immediately remembered Marlin Perkins (d:1986), Jim Fowler (d:2019) and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (1963-85) (I'm so old!)
These photos are really excellent, and it makes me wonder how expensive the equipment these different people have. Also, it talked about good fortune early in the piece, and as a beginner (very amateur) backyard photographer, I can say that is pretty true. A couple of years ago I saw and captured 2 barred owls grooming and what looked like caressing each other. I havent seen the two of them together in the time since then. I do hear the calls and the answers, but seeing them together hasnt happened. Nevertheless, these photos are spectacular.
Loved MoOs Wild Kingdom. It was one of the only shows worth watching on tv on Sundays when I was a kid. Remember when stores werent open on Sundays?
These photos are digitally edited. The talent is in composing them.
(Snicker, snicker)
I think its some of both. Im not very talented, not like these photographers are, but I have taken a couple of pretty decent shots. I take mostly bird shots, and I can tell you, its hit or miss, at least for me. I toss out a hundred or more for every good shot I get, and probably a thousand for every really good shot. I dont get to pick the lighting or the angle because having a bird there lasts a second, maybe two if Im lucky. Bigger animals are a lot easier. Even if they move fast, I can usually get several seconds of footage from them.
As for the equipment, I can only afford a bridge camera with a great zoom lens. One day when I get more proficient, I might try to get a better camera with one of those huge zoom lenses. This is just a hobby for me, among many. I cant justify the expense in my head. So I learn a little more with each passing year. I am self taught, so maybe investing in a class would be a good idea before I spend any more money on equipment.
As for phone cameras, my husband has a better one than mine is. Yes, you should see his photos compared to mine, of the same thing. Mine are always better. Sorry sweet husband! There must be something to having an eye.
My family and friends all love my work, and they often tell me I should sell my photos, but I think, who wants a bird photo? Or a bunch of bird photos? Even a calendar? I dont think anyone would buy them, so I dont do anything with them. There are plenty of way more talented folks than me.
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