Official Photography Thread

[PaloAltoCougar]

Officially heading to Yellowstone for 13-15 of September. Will be out a total of nine days. The naturalist guide for my Oregon tours is coming along. We will just be heading wherever he wants the other days. This will likely be his last long trip after travelling the globe leading nature tours for 40 years, his ALS is unfortunately continuing its onslaught. Yellowstone was always going to be one of his retirement destinations, arriving sooner than he wished. He will be limited to views from the car and me pushing a wheelchair. It's not in the budget, but seeing him confined to an apartment for the past few months (because of both the disease and Covid) has been nagging at me. Mrs. Swampfrog and I agreed that sometimes you just do what feels right even if the numbers don't add up.

Any recommendations or experiences for navigating the park pushing a wheelchair welcomed.

During our last visit, we used the GyPSy audio guide. As you drive near a point of interest, the narrator comes on and gives some history, along with recommendations about whether it's worth getting out, etc. He also provides anecdotes and historical tidbits along the way. And you can turn it off whenever you want and it picks up at the proper point when you turn it back on. We've used the app for other NPs as well. Not for everyone, but good for us Boomers, at least.

[swampfrog]

During our last visit, we used the GyPSy audio guide. As you drive near a point of interest, the narrator comes on and gives some history, along with recommendations about whether it's worth getting out, etc. He also provides anecdotes and historical tidbits along the way. And you can turn it off whenever you want and it picks up at the proper point when you turn it back on. We've used the app for other NPs as well. Not for everyone, but good for us Boomers, at least.

Thanks. Some commentary will probably be good. It will be my 4th trip as an adult, so I've seen most of the highlights, just wondering mostly about which areas are the most accessible for handicapped people. I didn't pay attention to whether many of the boardwalks have stairs or just ramps etc. Places to avoid, or easy ones to navigate.

[swampfrog]

Some of these I've probably posted before, but here are my 6 entries in the Ridgefield NWR photo contest for this year. I decided to submit all 6 in the birds category.

[falafel]

If one of those last two doesn't win it, then the contest must be rigged.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Those are all fantastic! Bravo.

[swampfrog]

If one of those last two doesn't win it, then the contest must be rigged.

The contest is judged by the Friends of Ridgefield NWR. Birder volunteers that are dedicated to preservation and nature. What may catch their eye can be difficult to guess. It is just as likely to be a lesser image of a rare species. Mine are all common residents at the refuge. We will see.

Those are all fantastic! Bravo.

Thanks.

[Pelado]

The contest is judged by the Friends of Ridgefield NWR. Birder volunteers that are dedicated to preservation and nature. What may catch their eye can be difficult to guess. It is just as likely to be a lesser image of a rare species. Mine are all common residents at the refuge. We will see.



Thanks.

If they pick something else, they're weong.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[smokymountainrain]

that last pic of the bald eagle and the little black and orange bird is nuts. that should win every photo contest it enters.

[swampfrog]

If they pick something else, they're wrong.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

The support is appreciated.

Here's last year's winners for all categories:

https://ridgefieldfriends.org/photoc...ntest-winners/

Linking the bird 1st and 2nd directly:

https://ridgefieldfriends.org/wp-con...olyn-33159.jpg

https://ridgefieldfriends.org/wp-con...glas-33273.jpg

From my perspective, the owl has the feet obscured, the background is distracting, and it's simply not a clean shot.

The kinglet has similar problems.

But those are photographer/artist viewpoints, not necessarily what birders or naturalists may be focused on.

[Lost Student]

that last pic of the bald eagle and the little black and orange bird is nuts. that should win every photo contest it enters.

You're as wrong as you were at predicting the BYU-Navy game. The swans picture is just RUTS on all the others.

[beefytee]

You're as wrong as you were at predicting the BYU-Navy game. The swans picture is just RUTS on all the others.

Winner, winner!

The symmetry/lines of the 2 birds and the lighting/shadowing of the wings puts it in a league of its own.

[Jarid in Cedar]

You have some real skill. Great job

[smokymountainrain]

You're as wrong as you were at predicting the BYU-Navy game. The swans picture is just RUTS on all the others.

super mean post. but you're wrong about the bird pictures so that helps me feel better.

[swampfrog]

The swans picture is just RUTS on all the others.

Winner, winner!

The symmetry/lines of the 2 birds and the lighting/shadowing of the wings puts it in a league of its own.

Not just symmetrical, but just not touching...it's one of my favorites

I agree with this. However, I submitted this picture last year... The rules do request birds in habitat, so it could be the lack of imagery from the refuge itself. Who knows.

Contest rules allow the re-submission on non-winners as many times as you want.

You can only win one prize per year, which for me was a 2nd in landscape last year, so it could be that they felt that was the stronger image--which is fine. But then it was a 2nd place, and the 1st in landscape, while of an iconic tree for the refuge, is a lesser technical photograph than mine. Noisy, has a dust blob just to the right of the tree, and all kinds of color weirdness in the upper left corner. True of some of the other winners also. The rules state that technical quality will be evaluated, but it's clearly not (and I confirmed with the contest sponsor, Pro Photo Supply, that the judging is entirely by the Friends of NWR staff).

All which leads me to believe that having a bunch of naturalists judge a photography contest will likely result in judging from multiple viewpoints which I don't have access to. There's only one prize per category this year, so I went with all in the same category with some having varying looks of habitat inclusion. I would love to have an inside look at the evaluation process and see all of the entrants.

[swampfrog]

You have some real skill. Great job

Thank you. (And I'll add my appreciation for your insights into our current medical crisis!)