Winner Chosen - June 2013 - Admin's choice - Image of the month

**Marko** · 07-09-2013, 10:42 AM

Hi members,

In case you are new around here this is where the Admin (me) chooses one excellent photo each month from all the photos nominated by other members during that month in the Member's monthly choice forum.

Just so it's clear, the photo I choose is not necessarily the best one of the month. I've come to realize it's not really logical to pit images from totally different genres against each other. That's why there are categories in photo contests.

My goal is to simply choose an excellent photo and talk about why I think it rocks. This month was another crazy hard month though as the nominations from different genres were of very high quality.

Although it's 2 months in a row that I'm choosing a bird image, congrats to Mike Bons for capturing and creating Fostering.

I chose this image for a few reasons:

1 - Focal point sharpness and decisive moment - Look at the sharpness on the eye of the baby bird, it's just gorgeous. The timing is equally gorgeous; the hummingbird's beak is inside the chick's mouth and we can see a hint of a bug. The hummingbird's legs are wonderfully frozen. Mike explains in his post that he used a 'triggertrap' to trigger the shutter from yards away and I just love the use of this new technology to help us make better images. I also applaud the dedication to setting this all up and waiting patiently.

2- Composition - Framing here is bang on as is the guiding of our eyes which go right to the chick. I really like the shape of the hummingbird's blurred wings. I also like the leaves that are included at the opposite side of the frame and the free space around the hummingbird.

3 - Shutter speed - Wonderful choice of high shutter speed to get sharpness like that on the chick and the frozen hummingbird legs. The motion-blurred hummingbird wings add to this image bigtime and are a testament to how fast that little bugger flaps its wings per second.

For all these reasons, this is my choice for image of the month. Since we all have opinions, some members may disagree with my choice. That's cool but THIS thread is not the place for debate over my pick, NOR is it the place to further critique the image. The purpose here is to suggest strong elements in the photo that we may learn from.

Congrats Mike Bons!

**JAS_Photo** · 07-09-2013, 10:04 PM

Great choice! Wonderful shot Mike, congrats!

**Runmonty** · 07-10-2013, 04:20 AM

Congrats Mike- it is a brilliant shot

**Jim Scrimger** · 07-10-2013, 10:27 AM

Congratulations - a great shot

**Mad Aussie** · 07-10-2013, 09:57 PM

I honestly could see this shot not winning when I first saw it. National Geographic would be proud of it! Well done Mike.

**Mike Bons** · 07-17-2013, 02:27 PM

Thanks so much Marko for choosing my image and thanks to Iggy for nominating it in the Members Choice. I know Marko isn't much of a "birder" so I will cut him a little slack, buts its not a hummingbird, its an Eastern Phoebe

As an update that cowbird chick turned out to be a female who I still see quite often around the feeder and the Eastern Phoebe went on to have another clutch of 4 (but with no cowbirds this time)