How to Take a Contest-Winning Photo

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All you have to do is buy an expensive camera and press the shutter button. Don't you wish. Yes we all do, unfortunately its not that easy. But its not impossible either. First let's look at how the winning photos are selected.

Here's a winning photo from http://images.nationalgeographic.com (link below)



Now why would this one make the photo of the day, while another might not? The obvious reason might include that it is certainly not the shot you and I get when we shoot a bird flying since it means you would have to had set yourself up, anticipating its flight into your lens, and more that, its wings are not affixed in their normal position of wide open. Next it is an extremely sharp image, meaning the focus was spot on. Also the background does not compete with the subject, the owl. And too it fits the one thirds rule, the subject is 1/3rd of the image, rather than in the center.

Can you replicate this? Not if you are taking a walk and chance upon an owl suddenly flying into your vision. But what if you had set out to capture a bird inflight? What else might you have taken with you and your camera in order to capture this winning photo?

How about a tripod, a remote shutter release, great ambient light, a fast lens, and a setting that allows for moving subjects (Canon calls this AI Servo Mode), and of course PATIENCE.

Patience is necessary even if all the other conditions and tools aren't available. Here's that link but prepare to wait for an ad, then exit the ad: http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/456/cache/eagle-owl-flight_45673_990x742.jpg

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