Huge congratulations to Michele McCormick and Jacqueline Burke. Michele McCormick joined Paul McKenzie and me in Japan for our annual “Japan in Winter Photo Tour;” to say I am thrilled that Michele walked away with 2 top 100 winners is an understatement. I am elated! So well deserved too.
Jacqui Burke joined A Creative Adventure tour leader Donna Bourdon in the Falkland Islands for one of our annual “Falkland Photo Tours.” Jacqui walked away with 2 top 100 images as well! I am beyond words, but I am truly thrilled for both women. The winning images are featured below, please join me in congratulating both amazing photographers! I’d also like to congratulate everyone that had a recognized image, it is a very big accomplishment.
From Audubon’s site:
Each year of the Audubon Photography Awards is exciting, but this one is especially celebratory: 2024 marks the 125th anniversary of Audubon magazine—and the 15th installment of our annual photo competition. Around 2,300 entrants from across the United States and Canada submitted more than 8,500 photographs and videos of birds feeding, fighting, mating, and making their way in the world. After anonymous review, our expert judges selected just 14 fabulous winners and honorable mentions.
Red-crowned Cranes by Michele McCormick
Location: Hokkaido, Japan
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/2000 second at f/7.1; ISO 200
Behind the Shot: I was at the Tsurui-Ito Crane Sanctuary with high hopes of photographing cranes in the snow. Making wonderful images of these Red-crowned Cranes in the dead of winter meant standing outside for hours to catch an interesting moment. Alas, my California winter gear didn’t cut the mustard in temperatures below zero. On the first day, I had to retreat. Fortunately, I was able to rent gear and maintain my vigil in relative comfort the next day. These amazing birds gather in clusters, and while it was fascinating to watch them, making an image in which any individual bird or pair was isolated required constant attention and lightning reflexes.
Long-tailed Tit by Michele McCormick
Location: Hokkaido, Japan
Camera: Sony Alpha 1 with a Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens; 1/400 second at f/8; ISO 3200
Behind the Shot: I was with a group at Lake Kushiro, and one of our members noticed this Long-tailed Tit frequently returning to lick an icicle hanging from a maple tree. I set up my tripod and maintained focus on the icicle for more than an hour. Catching the right timing, positioning of the bird, and lighting was a challenge. Every visit was just a split second, and the bird came in at a different angle each time. Intervals between visits were inconsistent and unpredictable—plus I was standing on ice and my tripod kept shifting off the key point. At last, I felt I had a good image. I wanted to keep trying to be sure, but the sun warmed the icicle and it fell to the ground. The opportunity was over.
ABOUT MICHELE:
For Michele McCormick, now based in Sacramento, California, photography is a lifelong journey that began more than four decades ago. It started with college studies emphasizing photography, and led Michele into early adventures in freelance writing and editorial photography for publications around the world. Then life took a different path, and she pursued a professional career in which photography took a back seat.
In 2010, Michele returned to her early passion for photography, and entered the world of digital photography with energy and enthusiasm.
PS- she is a movie star!
To see more of Michele’s images check out her website HERE.
Southern Rockhopper Penguin by Jacqueline Burke
Location: Saunders Island, Falkland Islands
Camera: Olympus OM-1 with an OM SYSTEM M. Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25 IS PRO lens; 1/2500 second at f/7.1; ISO 1600
Behind the Shot: At the site called “The Rookery,” fresh water flows down from a spring high in the cliffs and cascades over a ledge. In the afternoon, Rockhopper Penguins returning from a day of fishing like to rinse the salt water from their bodies at the “rockhopper shower” before making the arduous uphill climb to their nests. The rockhopper colony at this site is very large, and the shower was often crowded with penguins who would fight for a chance to stand under it. I was beginning to think that I would not obtain any useable photos when at last, a single penguin approached the shower at an angle where I could take a nice photo.
Gentoo Penguin by Jacqueline Burke
Location: Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands
Camera: OM SYSTEM OM-1 with an OM SYSTEM M. Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25 IS PRO lens; 1/13 second at f/5; ISO 320
Behind the Shot: We got up very early to see Gentoo Penguins leave their nests and enter the sea to fish. It was very cold and extremely windy, and I had a hard time changing the settings on my camera with my numb fingers. Before the trip, I envisioned using a slow shutter speed to obtain a photo of a stationary penguin surrounded by soft surf. I tried many times to get the image I wanted, but the penguins dove too quickly into the sea. Finally, this individual stopped before entering the surf, allowing me to capture it standing still while the sea went soft. I used my camera’s live neutral density feature, which allowed me to reduce the exposure by as much as six stops, to get the photo I wanted.
ABOUT JACQUELINE:
Jacqueline grew up in the Pocono Mountains and graduated from Stroudsburg High School. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree summa cum laude from Muhlenberg College in 1983. Jacqui graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. For the first three years of her career, she practiced small animal medicine and surgery as a full time veterinary associate. In 1990 Jacqui began to offer her services as a relief and permanent part time veterinarian, and has continued to do so up to the present time.
Jacqueline is an avid traveler, I can hardly keep up with her latest adventures. Her love for photography has led to many award winning images.
To see more of Jacqui’s work check out her Facebook page HERE.