You Be the Judge: Youth
The judging for the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition is complete. All of the judges including me were stunned by the quality of the images. We will be posting all of the images that were sent to the judges. Each of you will have a chance to judge the images. Please read the directions below carefully. Your votes will not determine the winning images but it will be fun to see how everyone’s votes compare to the votes of the judges.
Below are the ten images in the Youth category that were sent to the five judges: Darrell Gulin, Chris Van Rooyen, Julie Zickefoose, Tim Laman (who filled in for a honey-mooning Andy Rouse), and yours truly. Here is another big time thank you to Darrell, Chris, Julie, and Tim. And a big time thanks also to Peter Kes and Denise Ippolito for helping me choose the images that were sent to the judges. We worked very hard for nearly three full days to get from more than 5500 images down to the final 163.
The Youth category is for images created by young photographers born on or after March 31, 1994. Fewer images were entered in this category than in any other category. Before you vote, please click on each image to view it at full size. Then pick your five favorites and vote them 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 with 5 being your very favorite. Like this:
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 5
Hawk Owl vertical: 4
Snowy Owl pano: 3
Merlin on fence post: 2
Emu laughing: 1
The “Sample Vote” values above are for illustrative purposes only. Please do not let the sample vote or the vote’s of others influence your vote. Please put each of your five favorites on its own line by hitting “enter” after each one. You can make your life easier by cut and pasting the name of each image that you wish to vote for. No ties; please assign a single digit, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 to each of your five favorites.
If you wish to comment on any or all of the images that you voted for, please do so below your five voting lines; this will make tallying the votes easier. Votes cast by those who fail to follow the formatting directions will be relegated to the Trash Bin.
A tally of the public vote along with the actual winning images for each category will be announced approximately 48 hours after each posting.
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Jabiru Stork silhouette |
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Kestrel hovering |
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| Black-headed Gull braking in flight |
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Hyacinth Macaws on fence |
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Hawk Owl vertical |
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Snowy Owl pano |
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Merlin on fence post |
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Emu laughing |
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Short-eared Owl on post vertical |
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Great Grey Owl on post |
Hyacinth Macaws on Fence 5
Kestrel Hovering 4
Black Headed Gull 3
Emu Laughing 2
Merlin on Fence 1
Kestrel Hovering – 5
Merlin on Fence Post – 4
Black Headed Gull Braking – 3
Short Eared Owl – 2
Snowy Owl Pano – 1
Nice images from all!
Snowy Owl pano: 5
Merlin on fence post: 4
Kestrel hovering: 3
Jabiru Stork silhouette: 2
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 1
Agreed, choosing only five was a tough one.
I think both Macaws and Kestrel shots could use a bit of processing.
It would be very interesting what — if anything — would have Mr Morris suggested.
Hyacinth Macaws on fence 5
Black-headed Gull braking in flight 4
Kestrel hovering 3
Great Grey Owl on post 2
Jabiru Stork silhouette 1
Artie, thanks for allowing US to play;
Photographers, you are all ahead of your time!!
Kestrel hovering 5
Short-eared Owl on post 4
Hyacinth Macaws 3
Snowy Owl 2
Merlin 1
I think the Kestrel is the one that stands out. Love that composition – simple and pure with two main lines, one wingtip-to-wingtip and the other one head-to-tail brogen up by the head facing in another direction. That focuses my interest on the head. It is (of course!) of a high technical quality.
As to the other ones, I had to force myself to a decision. They are so good and differ in respects which are difficult to qyantify. The Short-eared Owl is peaceful and typical but I would have wished for a somewhat larger format. The Macaws have action and a pleasing composition. As to the Snow Owl and especially the Merlin – keep wondering how they would have looked on prints with a meter long side placed on a wall.
Kestrel Hovering: 5
Hyacinth Macaws: 4
Great Grey Owl: 3
Merlin on Fense: 2
Snowy Owl Pano: 1
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 5
Kestrel hovering: 4
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 3
Short-eared Owl on post vertical: 2
Emu laughing: 1
Kestrel hovering: 5
Great Gray Owl: 4
Merlin on fence post: 3
Snowy Owl pano: 2
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 1
Kestral Hovering: 5
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 4
Snowy Owl pano: 3
Hawk Owl vertical: 2
Great Grey Owl on post: 1
Kestral:
I usually don’t like bright backgrounds but it works well with the Kestral colors. The birds are usually looking at the photographer but this one gives me the feeling of just watching the bird do its thing without disturbing it at all.
B-h Gull:
I like the sky color and the positioning of the bird. The position of the bird and its wings remind me of a Piet Mondrian painting. That positioning and shape of the bird and its wings make this image a standout.
Snowy Pano:
I like the tonality of the image and the sense of remoteness and space while really showing a rather small area.
Hawk Owl:
I really like this image but I thought the vertical format didn’t work. Too much of the bottom of the tree – I love the tree and moss. I would have tried this as a landscape with just the top part of what we see now and cleaned up the small nondescript branches.
Great Grey:
I like the owl detail and the “look”. I would try to even out the background. Tone down the bright areas and smooth out the transitions from light to dark.
Merlin on fence post: 5
Hawk Owl vertical: 4
Kestrel in Flight: 3
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 2
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 1
5 – Black-headed Gull braking in flight
4 – Hyacinth Macaws on fence
3 – Snowy Owl pano
2 – Great Grey Owl on post
1 – Merlin on fence post
wow, birds of prey are popular amongst the youth 🙂
Hyacinth Macaws on fence 5
Hawk Owl vertical 4
Short-eared Owl on post vertical 3
Great Gray Owl on post 2
Emu laughing 1
Kestrel Hovering – 5
Black headed gull braking – 4
Snow owl pano – 3
Great Grey Owl on post – 2
Merlin on fence post – 1
Kestrel Hovering – 5
Black headed gull braking – 4
Snow owl pano – 3
Great Grey Owl on post – 2
Merlin on fence post – 1
Nice work and a tough choice.
Bernie
Kestral hovering: 5
Emu Laughing: 4
Hyacinth Macaws: 3
Snowy Owl pano: 2
Black headed gull: 1
Emu laughing: 5
Hyacinth Macaws: 4
Snowy Owl pano: 3
Jabiru stork: 2
Kestrel hovering: 1
Great job! I should only hope to make images of equal character.
Oooooh…a hard one Artie!! I’d have to go with the following:
Kestrel hovering-5
Macaws on Fence-4
Black-headed Gull-3
Emu Laughing-2
Great Grey Owl-1
Clicking on the image to look at the high def gives you valuable information. Maybe some crops could have been improved on some of the shots. It was a hard call between my first and second choice. I just thought the skill for shooting the Kestrel won out, and I also loved the transparency of the feathers against the sky. The 2 Macaws made me laugh and they were tack sharp. What a difficult choice!!
Kestral hovering: 5
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 4
Hawk Owl vertical: 3
Great Grey Owl on post: 2
Emu laughing: 1
5 snowy owl pano
4 kestrel hovering
3 hyacinth macaws on fence
2 black headed gull in flight
1 emu laughing
5- Jabiru Stork Silhouette
4- Hyacinth Macaws on fence
3- Hawk Owl Vertical
2- Merlin on fence post
1- Snowy Owl Pano
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 5
Hawk Owl vertical: 4
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 3
Kestrel hovering: 2
Emu laughing: 1
Black-headed Gull braking in flight – 5
Kestrel hovering – 4
Great Grey Owl on post – 3
Jabiro Stork silhouette – 2
Emu Laughing – 1
Lovely images!
Kestrel in flight: 5
Short Eared Owl on Post: 4
Gull Braking: 3
Great Grey Owl on Post: 2
Snowy Pano: 1
Hyacinth Macaws on fence : 5
Emu laughing : 4
Black-headed Gull braking in flight : 3
Great Grey Owl on post : 2
Kestrel hovering : 1
5 – Kestrel hovering
4 – Hawk Owl
3 – Snowy Owl pano
2 – Great GraybOwl on post
1 – Short-eared Owl on post vertical
Very nice work photographers, bald skies and all…
Kestrel Hovering: 5
Hyacinth Macaws of fence: 4
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 3
Great Grey Owl on post: 2
Jabiru Stork silhouette: 1
5 – Black Headed Gull braking in flight
4 – Hyacinth Macaws on fence
3 – Kestrel hovering
2 – Great Grey Owl on post
1 – Short Eared Own on post
Congratulations to all the youth finalists – Great job!
Black Headed Gull breaking in flight 5
Hyacinth Macaws on Fence 4
Snowy Owl Pano 3
Great Grey Owl on Post 2
Hawk Owl Vertical 1
Super Job!!!!!!
Maccaws on fence 5
Great Gray Owl 4
Black-Headed Gull 3
Hawk Owl 2
Short-Eared Owl 1
Kestrel hovering: 5
Great Grey Owl on post: 4
Showy Owl Pano: 3
Hawk Owl Vertical: 2
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 1
Congratulations to all of you for making the finals. Very nice pictures.
5 Kestrel Hovering
4 Emu Laughing
3 Short-eared Owl on post vertical
2 Hyacinth Macaws on fence
1 Black-headed Gull braking in flight
Wow!
Black-headed gull 5
Snowy Owl Pano 4
Hyacnith Macaws 3
Kestrel Hovering 2
Short-eared owl on post 1
Great job! I wish I was doing this when I was their age. Kudos for BAA for including them in the contest.
Tim
Kestrel hovering: 5
Snowy owl pano: 4
Hyacinth Macaws: 3
Emu laughing: 2
Great grey owl: 1
I suppose in the Youth category, captive and non-captive is mixed?
Great job, everyone!
That is correct. Youth is youth!
Snowy Owl pano: 5
Jabiru Stork silhouette: 4
Emu laughing: 3
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 2
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 1
Hawk Owl Vertical: 5
Great Grey Owl on Post: 4
Merlin on Fence Post: 3
Hyacinth Macaws on Fence: 2
Short Eared Owl on Post Vertical: 1
What incredible photos from the young photographers!
Hawk Owl Verticle: 5
Merlin on fence post: 4
Kestrel Hovering; 3
Great Grey owl on Post: 2
Short Eared owl on post Verticle: 1
Very nice work!
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 5
Jabiru Stork silhouette: 4
Emu laughing: 3
Great Grey Owl on post: 2
Kestrel hovering: 1
Kestrel – 5
Great Grey Owl – 4
Black Headed Gull – 3
Hyacinth Macaws – 2
Merlin – 1
Kestrel Hoovering: 5
Emu Laughing: 4
Snowy Owl Pano: 3
Hyacinth Macaws on fence:2
Jabiru Stork silhouette:1
I thought all the shots are superb and all the finalists should be very proud of themselves!
Emu laughing – 5
Hyacinth Macaws on fence – 4
Black-headed Gull braking in flight – 3
Jabiru Stork silhouette – 2
Hawk Owl vertical – 1
Love the Emu not only because of the expression, but the idea
to tilt and the inclusion of the other animal near the upper
left.
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 5
Kestrel hovering: 4
Snowy Owl pano: 3
Short-eared Owl on post vertical: 2
Emu laughing: 1
My congratulations to all the finalists.
Kestrel hovering: 5
Snowy owl pano: 4
Hawk owl vertical: 3
Emu laughing: 2
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 1
Much more difficult than the last category!
Hyacinth Macaws on fence – 5
Emu laughing – 4
Short-eared Owl on post vertical – 3
Kestrel hovering – 2
Black-headed Gull braking in flight – 1
I enjoyed the Emu shot, even if the horizon is not aligned, looks different and speaks to me.
-Pablo
Great photos!!!! I love the humour in some photos too.
My votes from Sweden:
Hyacinth Macaws: 5
Emu laughing: 4
Merlin on fence: 3
Snowy Owl: 2
Short Eared Owl: 1
I could have given points to more…
5- Kestrel in Flight
4-Hyacinth Macaws on fence
3-Black Headed Gull braking in flight
2-Snowy Owl pano
1-Great Grey Owl on post
Fantastic work. Wish I could shoot like this now.
Kestrel in Flight: 5
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 4
Jabiru Stork silhouette: 3
Great Grey Owl on post: 2
Short-eared Owl on post vertical: 1
Kestrel Hoovering: 5
Merlin on fence post: 4
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 3
Great Grey Owl on post: 2
Short-Eared Owl on Post vertical: 1
What a great time to be a young photographer. I hope the cost of the equipment doesn’t get out of the reach of most people.
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 5
Kestrel hovering: 4
Hyacinth Macaws on fence: 3
Great Grey Owl on post: 2
Short-eared Owl on post vertical: 1
Good Job!!
Hawk owl vertical: 5
Kestrel hovering: 4
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 3
Jabiru Stork silhouette: 2
Merlin on fence post: 1
Black-headed Gull braking in flight: 5
Kestrel hovering: 4
Short-eared Owl on post vertical: 3
Snowy Owl pano: 2
Hawk Owl vertical:1
This was difficult. Great job by the youth.
5 – Snowy Owl Pano
4 – Merlin on a Fence
3 – Great Grey Owl
2 – Kestrel in Flight
1 – Hyacinth McCaws
Excellent work! Would that I had shot like this when I was young!