The Winners of the 2022 Bird Photographer of the Year Competition

[dolina]

The Winners of the 2022 Bird Photographer of the Year Competition

More than 20,000 photos were entered.

petapixel.com

Competition Categories — Bird Photographer of the Year

Find details of all the Bird Photographer of the Year competition categories.

www.birdpoty.com

People into bird photography may want to take a look see on this year's winner.

Their categories are as follows

- Best Portrait

- Birds in the Environment

- Bird Behaviour

- Birds in Flight

- Black and White

- Urban Birds

- Comedy Bird Photo

- Conservation (Single Image)

- Portfolio Award

- Video Award

- Conservation Award

- Young BPOTY: The Young Bird Photographer of the Year will be awarded to one of the winners of the 3 age groups (11 and Under, 12-14 years, 15-17 years).

 

[Click]

Great shots! Thanks for sharing, Paolo.

 

[dolina]

Great shots! Thanks for sharing, Paolo.

Indeed they are. It gives photogs some concepts to emulate when the situation allows it.

 

[AlanF]

Indeed they are. It gives photogs some concepts to emulate when the situation allows it.

They are not to my taste on the whole. On the other hand, I did like Audubon winners of 2022. I'd be interested to know what type of photographers judge these competitions.

 

[AlanF]

I'll elaborate. I like birds. I like to see and record what they are and what they do. I like unusual and rare birds. I like to see them in action - feeding, hunting, courting and fighting. I like photos of everyday birds that are well composed but the photo is about the bird. Above all, for me, the bird is what counts. In this competition in some of the winning shots, the birds seem to be incidental and in a few cases you can't even make them out. And there are elsewhere the usual cliches of silhouettes. But, what is my single opinion against that of a panel of presumably renowned photographers?

 

[Maximilian]

...
People into bird photography may want to take a look see on this year's winner.
...

Thanks for sharing, @dolina

 

[Maximilian]

I'll elaborate. I like birds. I like to see and record what they are and what they do. I like unusual and rare birds. I like to see them in action - feeding, hunting, courting and fighting. I like photos of everyday birds that are well composed but the photo is about the bird. Above all, for me, the bird is what counts. In this competition in some of the winning shots, the birds seem to be incidental and in a few cases you can't even make them out. And there are elsewhere the usual cliches of silhouettes. But, what is my single opinion against that of a panel of presumably renowned photographers?

Good summary and I mostly agree with your thoughts, @AlanF

 

[josephandrews222]

I'll elaborate. I like birds. I like to see and record what they are and what they do. I like unusual and rare birds. I like to see them in action - feeding, hunting, courting and fighting. I like photos of everyday birds that are well composed but the photo is about the bird. Above all, for me, the bird is what counts. In this competition in some of the winning shots, the birds seem to be incidental and in a few cases you can't even make them out. And there are elsewhere the usual cliches of silhouettes. But, what is my single opinion against that of a panel of presumably renowned photographers?

This image, the gold medal-winning image...

https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/09/GOLD-Birds-in-the-Environment-800x535.jpg

...that I think (at least in my mind), illustrates some part of your main point here--a point I am in full agreement with.

This is a wonderful and properly-exposed picture that happens to have an in-focus bird in it, a bird that matches its environment quite nicely.

It was an image that was undoubtedly difficult to obtain.

But in the main, it is a pretty picture that happens to have a bird within its borders.

 

[AlanF]

This image, the gold medal-winning image...

https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/09/GOLD-Birds-in-the-Environment-800x535.jpg

...that I think (at least in my mind), illustrates some part of your main point here--a point I am in full agreement with.

This is a wonderful and properly-exposed picture that happens to have an in-focus bird in it, a bird that matches its environment quite nicely.

It was an image that was undoubtedly difficult to obtain.

But in the main, it is a pretty picture that happens to have a bird within its borders.

It may just me as a prisoner of my views, but I simply cannot appreciate
FREE AS A BIRD | Mario Suarez Porras, Spain | BRONZE AWARD WINNER.
which is waterfall scene with a bird the size of a dirt spot silhouetted against the white spray. I could download one of @neuroanatomist wonderful waterfalls and photoshop a dot on it.

 

[MrFotoFool]

Most of these are outstanding. However I agree with what a couple others have stated or implied: the environmental shots and a couple black and white shots the birds are way too small. I would not consider those bird photos and in fact if I had taken them I would probably clone out the tiny bird because it's too distracting and looks like a dust spot.