5/14/2003 12:06:01 PM

wow, great shot! - love the lighting - how did you do the lighting?

WOw... I'm so happy that I did not miss this one. Wonderful, wonderful work.... absolutely the best swan photo I have ever seen. Congratulations on this beautiful image!

Hi, Birdie, this is very beautiful, I love it.

Tim

Awesome capture Birdie!! Great stop action.

WOW !!! Great, birdie! I believe this will be seen in the winners. Duane:))

Stunning and speachless

This is excellent Birdie!

Winner, winner, winner!!!!!! Beautiful lighting, great job, birdie!!!!

Absolutely incredible photo. Definitely a winnner here!!!
Judy

Applause....Applause...
The lighting is most perfect

Great shot bridie!!!

Wow! Powerful action, great lighting, excellent detail and lots of excitement in this capture! Beautiful shot, birdie!

\(WoW)/ You show a strong image of wildlife!! Thank you for sharing! I really like it.

This is absolutely Marvelous!!! What more can I say that everyone else hasn't said...just great

Outstanding shot!!

Wow, what a reaction!! Thank you all for your kind words.
This beautiful swan was guarding his mate and came running across the surface very aggressively. No time to put up a tripod, just try to shoot handheld at 280mm. I would have gone for a motion blur, if there had been time and room for a tripod to keep track of the charging animal.
As to the lighting: it was low light late afternoon, I underexposed the image on purpose and in addition adjusted levels in PS. I also took away a little red from the warm sun, as the feathers had quite an unnatural reddish shine, part of it can still be seen.
Thanks again, you've all made me very happy!
birdie

Wow Birdie--simply stunning image.

Breathtaking photo! I can't resist revisiting it often, and marvel each time at your vision and expertise! All of your photos are in a class by themselves. Thanks for sharing your art!

Thanks to you also, Jeff and Jean!!
birdie

I was browsing through your gallery and came across this wonderful image.
And I kept staring at it because it seems to me like a maevel - in a minute the swan will be out of the frame.
Beautiful !!!

Thank you too, Ilana - very much appreciated!!
birdie

Such a beautiful shot. I like the low lighting, the sharp detail and great reflection! Really a stunning image and the title is perfect!!

This is magnific!! How could I missed it? Viveca.

This photo is incredibly breathtaking. The subtle emergence of the swan evokes a somewhat primordial setting. I love what you do with color and shadow.

Absolutely stunning!
Rhonda

this is a kind of "unique" photo even if you have beautiful ones in your gallery. I feel like I found a home here with some great and passioned photographers as you.
Su, POrtugal

Yet another! Way to go, birdie! This one WILL be a winner! It's definitely a first place in my book!

This gets my vote for grand prize, birdie! I just love it!

Absolutely smashing photo. It has winner written all over it. Congrats!

Congrats Birdie on this one, knew it was a winner!

Congratulations birdie, this is a stunnig image. Duane:)

Congrats again on a great shot, Birdie!

Congratulations, again, Master Picturetaker.

Congratulations, Birdie! I also vote for this for GRAND PRIZE! It's a beautiful work of art!

CONGRATULATIONS...A Great Piece of Work

Oooooohhh!!! This is my favorite birdie!!! How wonderful and very moving. A winner!!

By the way, was the little otter released and is he doing fine still?

Wow Birdie, this is just fantastic. A huge congrats to you.

congrats, Birdie.

Tim

Connie said it all - this is the best swan shot I've ever seen!!
Hope it wins and goes further out into the world :)

WoW this is really a GREAT shot.
Congrats.

This is so good, I don't know if wishing you good luck would be of any help, but I shall.
Best of luck, birdie.
Can't see how it can not win.

bill

WOW Birdie I missed this wonderful image. This is beautiful, congrats on all of your great images.

Thought I had an email-bomb, when I opened my email account!
THANK YOU ALL for your wishes and the constant support. I am very happy to receive so many kind comments from people who are great photographers themselves!!!
birdie

A masterpiece Birdie!! A one in a million capture that should make you so very proud.

What an amazing an beautiful image, Birdie! I'm very sorry that I missed it during the month, but delighted that I've now had the opportunity to see it and be stunned by it! This is truly great work, Birdie. Congratulations and best of luck in the finals!

Absolutly beautiful Birdie!! I just counted and you have *8 photos in the finalists! Yet a few of my favorites of yours are still not there. You are a incrediablly talented photographer. I think we need to get you teaching a class on BP!

I second Margaret's motion, Professor Birdie!

Congrats birdie! :-)

Birdie congratulations on your win!! Fantastic :)

You has richly deserved it...CONGRATS

BIG CONGRATS, birdie - this is outstanding!

BIG CONGRATS from me too! :)

Without a doubt Birdie, this is one fantastic image. A Big Congrats from me too. Bravo.

WOlfgang... I knew this would be a winner... I thought it would be the grand. Far and away the most thrilling piece of work I have seen in a long, long time. Thank you for creating this wonderful work of art. Congratulations, I cannot rave enough about this image.

Congrats on a very well deserved win!

I just knew this one was going far.
Great work, birdie
Congratulations.

bill

OH MY, Birdie!! Terrific! A well deserved FIRST place! You're awesome!

This fantastic photo is very much deserving its first place! Congratulations!

Birdie, Congratulations on Grand Prize! This photograph is breathtaking! Wonderful job!

YES!!!! This is such an amazing image and I am so happy it has placed!! Many congrats birdie!!!! Well deserved!!

WAY TO GO, BIG GUY. ITS SURE ABOUT TIME. CONGRATULATIONS, ALL AROUND, FOR A WELL DESERVED AWARD, GOOD BUDDY.

Bravísimo for you Wolfgang!! Viveca.

You hit a home run with this one. Congrats on your win with this awesome image. Pat

What an amazing shot....congrats, Birdie!

Birdie, congratulations on your First Place win. This is a totally awesome photo!!!!!!

Congratulations on your win!!! This is JUST beautiful....the best of the month, in my book!!! The light, as always, is gorgeous, the action is amazing...AWESOME!!!!!

Well deserved CONGRATS! Way to go birdie!!!

Congratulations Birdie--you really earned your win with this superb shot.

Congratulations on your very, very well deserved first place win! That superb shot just had to be a winner!

Fantastic capture!

Great work and congrats!

Congratulations, Birdie. Great image!!

WOW BIRDIE,CONGRATULATIONS

A clear cut choice on this one, birdie! This is DEFINITELY an appropriate winner! Way to go my friend!!

Stunning...the sharpness is amazing with this action shot in what looks like low light...everything is just perfect

Congratulations birdie! Beautifully done!

congrats, Birdie, a well deserved win.

Tim

Well, what can I say ??? First of all a heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who have taken the time and written comments on my photos since I have started posting. If somebody says he/she doesn't need any reaction, what is the photography for then? Of course, a good photo is a pleasure for oneself, but it is so much more to share and create feelings/thoughts in the people who look at them. So one needs the feedback and you have given me a lot of it all the time!! Again thank you all!
Secondly I also want to say thanks to Betterphoto team and the jury, who voted for my photos!!!
birdie

This was such a super photo!! Congratulations on your win!!!

congratulations! - well deserved!

Congratulations on your winning shot!

Wolfgang, this is such an inspiring shot. I love the lighting on this. Well done on your first place.

This is the most beautiful swan photo I have ever seen! Wonderful lighting and composition. Very sharp and captivating. Great capture of this ellegant bird. Congratulations on this well deserved win! ;o)

Thank you too for your more than kind words, Claudia, Gene, Elizabeth, Collin and Charlotte!! You make me very happy!
birdie

Congratulations on this outstanding photo, birdie. Just incredible!
Judy

Fabulous! Did anybody has used this word in their comment? I think I was lucky to found this only left adjective in the Dictionary. Great photography, Birdie!

WOw,This is great. Those female swans are lucky ladies. Great shot Birdie! COngratulations on this one too.

Congrats - so well-deserved!

Terrific photo! Great lighting and I just love the reflection here! Many congratulations on your wonderful winning photo, Birdie!
Monika

OH MY GOSH this is wonderful!!!! It is my first time seeing this. What a great WINNER I just love it. Biggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg CONGRATS!!! Cheryl

I don't imagine there is much to be said that hasn't already BEEN said, many times over. A BIG congratulations on your first place finish with this fabulous, compelling image, Wolfgang (or birdie? - Everyone seems to call you that). It is truly awe-inspiring...

Truly magnificent scene and You've captured it perfectly! Congratulations Wolfgang!

WOW!!!! It is a wonderful image and truly touches my heart and makes me hold my breath in wonder.
Thank you for again capturing the magic of mother nature!
Zita
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

hi Wolfgang,

Just stopped by to say hello and MANY CONGRATS on this superb win.

RP

WOW, I had to page down just to make a comment. Thought I was going straight down to .......well, never mind! ;o) Congratulations Birdie! What an excellant capture!

Thank you all so much for the more than kind words you have found about the photograph - you can imagine that I really feel very happy!! I promise to keep trying to show the beauty of nature on and on and on...

THANK YOU!!
birdie

Congratulations, Birdie!

Cathy :)

HI Birdie! I am so disappointed in myself! I thought I HAD congratulated you on this most magical, masterfully executed image...and I didn't!! My...you most certainly deserve all the accolades ....a worthy winner without a doubt! I'm sure glad I was poking around the June winners today!! Excuse my lateness!

Me too Birdie.....with everything going on in my life (which you know)...I believe I had overlooked congratulating you too! Better late than never :)

This is absolutely---------- fantastic.I am pea green with envy that you got to enjoy the action of this male swan and to boot a perfect capture.

8/8/2003 5:40:16 PM

Thank you too, Cathy, Dolores, Lorraine and Patricia!
I am way behind viewing photographs and commenting myself, most of us have jobs that don't allow to just sit and browse through all these interesting images. So I'll be the last to be disappointed if I get no comments on my own photos! I know what a task it would be to be up-to-date!
Lorraine, I'm with you in my thoughts!
birdie

8/9/2003 12:20:33 AM

This is absolutely breathtaking! How did you capture such an amazing moment! This is the sort of image that should be hanging in a gallery! Fantastic! Definately my favorite of all time!

2/2/2004 10:36:32 PM

OK this is so redundant but I just found your site and this shot is so incredible that I just had to tell you. Your site has really great work and you should be doing well as a photographer I hope. Keep it up.

2/8/2004 9:12:48 PM