Annual 2023 Competition

[badgerbob]

My 3 efforts from Sussex.

[JGMA]

Here's my one entry for this year, a male Orange Tip that had just been forced to land due to a sudden fall in temperature and light drizzle. Not good for the butterfly but good for me

[millerd]

A bit of a mixed bag on offer this year...

Speckled Wood laying: Stanwell Moor 2nd May

Purple Emperor imbibing: Chiddingfold 24th June

Grayling resting: Chobham Common 12th August

Dave

[John W]

Here are my three offerings, in the order they were taken:

1. Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Park Corner Heath, 22/05/2023 17.00

2. Small Blue, Hutchinsons Bank, 01/06/2023 15.09

3. Small Skipper, Knowlands Wood, 29/06/2023 17.19

In case anyone is interested, the camera was a Panasonic Lumix FZ150 fitted with a Panasonic close-up lens.

Cheers
John W

[Katrina]

My three
Chalkhill Blue Sussex
NBA Kincraig
Small Blue Sussex

[Wolfson]

My contribution from the season.

[Annabel.Y]

Here are my submissions for this year's competition. The Small Blue and Glanville were both taken at Hutchinson's Bank. The Silver-studded blue was taken at Fairmile Common. Both sites in Surrey of course.

[David Lazarus]

3 entries from Essex, a male Brimstone looking remarkably like the surrounding bramble leaves; a male Silver-washed Fritillary flying in to join another; and a coupling pair of Ringlets because they were scarce in Essex this year.

Brimstone - Danbury Common, Essex 10/07/2023

Silver-washed Fritillary - Hatfield Forest, Essex 18/07/2023

Ringlet - Hatfield Forest, Essex 18/07/2023

All images taken using iPhone 11 Pro.

[Nigel Kiteley]

My three submissions

Marbled White, Buckinghamshire.

Small Blue, Warwickshire.

Orange Tip, Warwickshire.

[acherontia96]

Brown Argus

Taken at Aston Rowant

Scarce Copper

Taken in Spain

Queen of Spain

Taken in Spain

[BarryM]

My photos for 2023

[Neil Hulme]

Long-tailed Blue, West Worthing allotments 28.9.23

[Neil Hulme]

Long-tailed Blue, Lancing Ring 8.10.23

[Neil Hulme]

Duke of Burgundy, Storrington 4.5.23

[Jack Harrison]

Three from me. Not of course serious contenders but a bit fun from AI 'Night Cafe'.

Jack

[Buddleia]

Here are a Silver-washed Fritillary (in Gloucestershire), a Large White and a Camberwell Beauty (both in Oxfordshire).

[Pete Eeles]

Congrats to Mark Searle, overall winner in the 2023 UK Butterflies Annual Photography Competition! Mark wins a signed copy of British & Irish Butterfly Rarities by Pete Eeles that has been kindly donated by UK Butterflies sponsor, Greenwings. Thanks to all the competitors - the top 12 can be seen at https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/competi ... ?year=2023.

Thanks to Vince Massimo, Mark Colvin and Guy Padfield for helping me with the voting. As usual, none of us agreed on the best photo, but there were clearly some that each received a vote from all of the panel.

A comment from 3 of us is that contributors should ensure that they focus (!) on their composition, with too many excellent photos ruined by having the subject either too closely cropped, or too central within the frame.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Jack Harrison]

A comment from 3 of us is that contributors should ensure that they focus (!) on their composition, with too many excellent photos ruined by having the subject either too closely cropped, or too central within the frame.

A 'rule of thumb' that I picked up long ago was the subject should be looking into the frame, not out, unless done for a special reason, eg my 'Scarce Tortoiseshell' (another thread) becoming scarce as it leaves the scene.

Another convention worth remembering is the 'Rule of Thirds': It is normally best not to have the subject bang in the middle.
https://www.virtualartacademy.com/the-r ... ds-in-art/

Interestingly, the AI 'Night Cafe' seems to embrace these conventions rather well. The 'White Christmas' I recently asked for is a good example

Jack

[Ian Pratt]

Some gorgeous winning photos and many more which did not win. Well done everyone for entering the competition.

[Jack Harrison]

I agree. The standard gets higher every year.

Jack