NEXT GALLERY: Animal portraits

Next up, see the shortlisted photographs from the Animal Portrait Category in our 2016 AG Nature Photographer of the Year competition here.

Yellow Zen

Within photoshop, I used several techniques to soften the texture and to create a glowy orton-esque atmosphere. First, I applied a Gaussian blur and decreased the opacity, in order to soften the edge contrast. Then, I applied a vertical motion blur to soften the foliage. Finally, I adjusted the tone.

Arrowtown, South Island, New Zealand

Canon 5D Mk III, Canon EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM, 1/10, f/16, ISO 400, Singh-Ray LB warming circular polarizer, handheld

Cockatoos

I find holes in a forest canopy and with multiple exposures rotate the camera around. This first rectangular image was then flipped, copied and added to the original to make a square image that best shows the circular motion. The cockatoos were added later to add to the drama.

Tree and Sky image: Freycinet National Park, Tasmania

Nikon D300, Nikon18-200 mm, 1/125, f/8.0, ISO 400, seven multiple exposures within camera, moving in a circle while pointing the camera skyward

Cockatoos image:  Bayswater, Perth

Canon Powershot G11, 6–35 mm, 1/80, f/4.0, ISO 80

Swaying

Dandelion, Hypochaeris sp.

The beauty of the dandelion viewed through a macro lens can almost transport one into another world, but I needed to trust a steady hand and flexible back when capturing these dandelion seed heads as they swayed in the breeze.

Everard Park, South Australia

Canon 5D Mk II, Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens, 1/100, f/3.5, ISO 100, handheld

Nature’s Cathedral

At Lake Tinaroo I walked through a huge natural archway formed by the trees. I created an interpretive version of my own to give symmetry and harmony to this cathedral-like majestic place. I included in a darter to represent the local birdlife.

Lake Tinaroo, Queensland

Tree image: 

Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM, 1/80 sec, f/11, ISO 400, handheld, Nik Collection Color Efex Pro 4 colour filter applied in post-processing

Darter image:

Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM, 1/400, f/5.6, ISO 200, handheld

Wings of desire – Common Bronzewing Pigeon

Common bronzewing pigeon, Phaps (Phaps)chalcoptera

The spectrum on the common bronzewing pigeon’s wing reminds me of the pigmented scales on a butterfly. I was grateful for a chance to capture this display when a particular bird approached my prone position to within touching distance.

Callala Bay, New South Wales

Canon EOS 7D Mk II, Canon EF100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x III, 1/250, f/8.0, ISO640, built-in flash E-TTL flash metering, first curtain synchronisation, handheld, partial metering, manual exposure, autofocus, single shot

Float

I love to capture the ocean in its different forms. The ethereal and delicate moment was caught while the sun was setting over the ocean, adding beautiful hues to the surface. The shallow DOF emphasises a brief moment of water passing by.

Glenelg North, South Australia

Nikon D800, Sigma ART series 50 mm, f1.4, 1/500, f/1.4, ISO 100, aquatic underwater housing, handheld.

Web Worlds

The base photo was taken at sunrise on a damp and misty morning. I have altered colours and manipulated the picture to leave the viewer an interesting challenge. Can they perceive the multiple natural scenes, deduce the process and identify the source?

Bindi Bindi, Western Australia

Canon 7D, Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, 1/60, f/9, ISO 400, tripod

Kite Flight

Australian black shouldered kite, Elanus axillaris

This Australian black shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris) was hunting rodents around Curl Curl Beach when I captured it returning to its perch. As it landed, it obligingly looked straight to camera with its bright red eyes. I then stacked the images to create a spiralling composition of this graceful raptor.

Curl Curl Beach, New South Wales

Cannon EOS 5D Mk ll, EF 100-40 0mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM, 1/1250, f/8, ISO 400, handheld

Take Off

Buller’s albatross, Thalassarche bulleri

A Buller’s albatross taking off in choppy seas due east of Wollongong. The effect was obtained using a slow upward vertical pan. The white vertical patterns are sea spray.

Wollongong, New South Wales

Canon EOS Mk IV, Canon EF 70-300 mm f/4-5.6, 1/20, f/16, ISO 100, handheld