Movement in Nature

What a unique image and a standout winner! The perspective is innovative and the pan blur with flash gives the viewer a sense of motion and a freeze of action at the same time. I suspect a good deal of thought and planning went into this capture. The execution is superb and the final outcome is amazing.

This image of Gentoo Penguins coming to shore made me smile as soon as I came across it. I've captured similar behavior and it can be quite difficult as the action happens quickly and the photographer must anticipate when these birds will burst from the water. Solid technical execution and a great story here as well. You can feel the rush of the water and energy.

Photographing animals in the snow easily removes elements of distraction and adds a pleasant simplicity that allows focus on the intended subjects. I like the diagonal line and direction of the hares here, which make their movement a bit more dynamic. This high key capture would look great in print.

An animal doesn't always have to be moving quickly in order to convey motion and this image proves it. I can feel the chill as this fox takes on an arctic blast of wind by leaning into its direction. The snow on the fox's face and wind swept fur speak volumes.

This shot contains fantastic motion that still provides enough detail where it's most needed. Arabian Oryx is a unique subject that lends itself well to a pan blur. The soft and uniform tones work great here and I'm also enjoying the pano crop. This image would look great in print and hanging on any wall.

It's rare to see behavior in certain reptile images, but that's exactly what's going on here. The flashed exposure provides a pleasant low key look that brings the viewer's attention to the motion without any distractions. I personally like that the extended tongue and prey are not tack sharp as it conveys a sense of movement.

Getting owls in flight at night is a difficult task and one that requires study and planning beforehand. This image gives the viewer a sense of anticipation of knowing where the owl is heading. You can almost visualize the next split second where the prey is delivered into the cavity hole. Great usage of light, technical execution, and composition.

What a wonderful and dare I say cute image! While the action is frozen here, this capture still conveys a sense of chaotic commotion to the viewer. Great usage of light and technical execution as well. The composition is solid and I wonder just how much fun they are having.

I've seen plenty of bird images that contain wing blur, but nothing like this before. The wing blurring is very extensive, almost circular, yet the head is rather sharp and defined in contrast. Square crops can be unconventional however, it works quite well for this composition. I get a good sense of how fast these birds move.

When I think of movement in nature, a snail isn't the first thing that comes to my mind. And that's what makes this image stand out to me. The markings in the composition indicate the snail's movement and overall direction which leads from one corner of the frame to another. Well done!

The light is gorgeous here and the water contrail behind the coot provides a visual description of the energy needed for this takeoff. I'm also enjoying the pano crop and composition utilized by the photographer. Further, getting an eye level perspective makes a moment like this even more intimate for the viewer.

A literal, but also an artistic image. I love the high key exposure that gives emphasis to the dark subjects along with their shapes to include the extended wings. The action on the right side of the frame contains strong movement while the right side includes some rather still onlookers.

This image provides an interesting perspective for this Tiger capture. The amount of blur is adequate and the front paw lunging forward suggests this is anything but a static moment. I'm enjoying the great color harmony and placement of the subject in the composition that takes advantage of light and shadow.