News What’s On? Wildlife Photographer of the Year Mark Burgess (Executive Editor) The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is now in its 50th An example of technical excellence is ‘Night of the year as an international showcase of the very best in deadly lights’ which won the Invertebrates category nature photography. This year, the judges have had to sift for Ary Bassous of Brazil. The larvae of the click beetle through 42 000 entries from over 90 countries. Pyrophorus nyctophanus live in tunnels in the outer Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/36/6/52/3058/bio036060052.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 It has overhauled the categories, so we now have layers of termite mounds. During summer nights, they three junior categories (≤10, 11–14 and 15–17 years). poke out of their tunnels, and use bioluminescent lures Mammals, Birds, Amphibians and Reptiles and (at last) to attract prey, generally flying termites. Invertebrates have their own categories as have Plants Ary’s photograph shows the glow of the larvae from and Fungi, and Underwater Species. the mound, the lights from the distant city, the stars, a Other groups are Environments, Black and distant thunderstorm, the torch he used to pick out the White, Natural Design, World in our Hands, Wildlife termite mound and the trail of a firefly going past. He Photojournalist of the Year, Rising Star Portfolio Award, had the photograph in his mind for years and had to wait Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio Award, for technology to catch up. The exposure was 30 seconds Special Award and another new category, TimeLapse. at f5.6 and ISO 3200. The quality is, as always, excellent. Overall winner However, the technical advances do not obviate Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols noted how the rapid evolution of the need for patience and field craft. In Ary’s case, the cameras has changed what can be photographed: “many of phenomenon he wanted to photograph lasts only a couple the images here couldn’t have been made 5 years ago, still of weeks after the first of the wet season. He had to stay less 10.” Now, “if you can dream it up you can photograph it.” in the park overnight, risking jaguars and other dangers. Night of the deadly lights (Ary Bassous, Brazil) Nikon D800 + 16–35 mm f4 lens at 16 mm; 30 seconds at f5.6; ISO 3200; Manfrotto Carbon One 440 tripod + Acratech ballhead; Maglite flashlight. (Ary Bassous/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014) 52 December 2014 © Biochemical Society News Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/36/6/52/3058/bio036060052.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 The last great picture (Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols, USA) Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 24–70 mm f2.8 lens at 32 mm; 1/250 seconds at f8; ISO 200. (Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014) Finally, he got the shot he had planned for nearly a decade. moon acted as a backlight to the fungus and waited for the A similar case is Tim Laman from America, who won next few hours. The most frequent visitors were deer mice Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio Award for his (Peromyscus maniculatus), and when one investigated a images of all 39 species of birds-of-paradise in New Guinea, persistent mosquito, Alex had his winning shot. part of the birds-of-paradise project at Cornell University. The one piece of advice that all of the photographers His pictures have the birds in the near distance, using a were agreed on is that you should start natural history hide rather than long telephoto lenses (of limited use in the photography in your own backyard and practise until the dense rainforest). Tim’s was again a 10-year project. use of your camera becomes automatic. It’s a bit like the Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols is a photographer with National difference between an amateur and a professional actor; the Geographic magazine who began to document the life of amateur practises until he has got it right, the professional a pride of lions in the Serengeti from 2012. Because his practises until he cannot get it wrong. “Take lots of pics subjects were active at night, he used infrared techniques in the backyard and get your vision,” counselled Nichols. to photograph them. A picture of the Vumbi pride was Fellow photographer Frans Lanting agreed: “master what the winner in the Black and White category and Overall you can find close at home before going to far horizons.” Wildlife Photographer of the Year. It was taken with the Sam Hobson (UK) went to nowhere more exotic than a camera on a radio-controlled robot; wisely, for all the London cemetery for his picture of ring-necked parakeets females were in oestrus and twitchy (they had just driven (“parakeets are the new pigeons in London,” he says.). off one of the pride’s two males). Carlos Perez Naval from Spain won the 10 Years Alex Badyaev (USA) was the winner in the Mammals and under category (he’s 9) and the Young Wildlife category with another picture, ‘The mouse, the moon Photographer of the Year 2014 with a picture of the and the mosquito’, that showed absolute control of light. Common Yellow Scorpion (Buthus occitanus) found Alex noted that a puffball by a trail in Blackfoot Valley, in a rocky area just outside his house. This is a double western Montana, was “becoming a major social centre, exposure in camera, something I didn’t know you particularly once enough individuals had scent-marked could still do with modern cameras; if nothing else, the it.” The moon and the puffball reached its full size at the exhibition encourages you to read your camera’s manual time of the full moon; Alex positioned himself so that the to see what it can do. December 2014 © Biochemical Society 53 News Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/36/6/52/3058/bio036060052.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 The mouse, the moon and the mosquito (Alex Badyaev, Russia/USA) Canon EOS-1D Mark IV + 105 mm lens; 2.5 seconds at f14; ISO 250; Canon 430EX II flash. (Alex Badyaev/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014) Frans Lanting conceded that modern equipment about how many pictures to take (as was certainly case gives us an unfair advantage over the pioneers (“we are when developing and processing cost at least as much standing on the shoulders of giants”) and paid tribute again as the film). There is a danger in all this of course: to those who had managed to get unforgettable images “photography is a frozen moment,” said Nichols, “not a with primitive equipment, such as Hugo van Lawick million frozen moments.” He took about 200 000 images who did groundbreaking work in Africa with his wife, of the lion pride and published ten; “cull your images.” Jane Goodall. The most obvious change from film to Nichols said that his was a “sexy” picture of lions, but digital photography is that one no longer has to worry that Brent Stirton’s portfolio showed “the grim reality.” Cameras used (body only; price from Amazon except *) 16% Canon EOS 5D Mark III (£2038.00) 1% Canon EOS 60D (£599.99) 10% Canon EOS 5D Mark II (discontinued; used from £815.00) 1% Canon EOS 600D (discontinued; used from £436.65) 7% Canon EOS-1D X (discontinued; used from £1999.99) 1% Canon EOS 30D (discontinued; used from £102.50) 7% Nikon D4 (discontinued; used from £3400.00) 1% Canon EOS Rebel T3i (discontinued; used from £438.99) 7% Nikon D800 (discontinued; used from £1100.00) 1% Hasselblad H3DII-50 (*used $21 000.00) 6% Nikon D7000 (£579.00) 1% Nikon D5100 (£319.00) 5% Canon EOS 7D (£699.00) 1% Nikon D2X (discontinued; used from £499.00) 5% Canon EOS-1D Mark IV (discontinued; used from 1% Nikon D7100 (£768.00) £2699.99) 1% Nikon D5000 (discontinued; used from £229.99) 5% Nikon D3s (discontinued; used from £1999.00) 1% Nikon D3 (discontinued; used from £2,399.99) 5% Nikon D300 (discontinued; used from £209.99) 1% Nikon D300s (discontinued; used from £999.00) 3% Nikon D700 (discontinued; used from £599.99) 1% Nikon D90 (discontinued; used from £235.00) 2% Canon EOS 5D (discontinued; used from £349.00) 1% Nikon D600 (£1050.00) 2% Canon EOS 550D (£589.95) 1% Phase One P65 (*£11 295.00) 2% Nikon D800E (discontinued; used from £1499.00) 54 December 2014 © Biochemical Society News Downloaded from http://portlandpress.com/biochemist/article-pdf/36/6/52/3058/bio036060052.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 Feral spirits (Sam Hobson, UK) Nikon D7000 + 17–35 mm f2.8 lens at 17 mm; 1/30 seconds at f6.3; ISO 800; Nikon Speedlight SB-800 flash + PocketWizard Plus III remote release; Manfrotto tripod. (Sam Hobson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014) Little squid (Fabien Michenet, France) Nikon D800 + 105 mm f2.8 lens; 1/320 seconds at f16; ISO 200; Nauticam housing; two Inon Z-240 strobes. (Michenet/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014) of an eye, but revealed here in a multi-image sequence.” The winner was Paul Klaver from The Netherlands with ‘Winter endings’, an elegiac sequence of a dead red deer and a dead kingfisher on a cold winter’s night. The result is rather gloomy. The two finalists were Rich Reid (USA) with ‘The fire tree’, showing the burning of pine trees Stinger in the sun (Carlos Perez Naval, Spain) Nikon D300 + 105 mm f2.8 lens (28–300 mm (not only are the trees fire-resistant, but also their seeds lens for the background); 1/320 seconds at f10; ISO 320; flash.