Third place at the BirdWatching Photography Awards 2022!

Stan Bysshe of Marshall, Virginia wins third place in our 2022 BirdWatching Photography Awards competition with this spectacular shot of a bald eagle in an Alaskan snowstorm.

“Winter weather in Kachemac Bay, Alaska can change in a minute,” Stan writes. “On this windy, gray February morning, the weather turned into a sudden flurry of snow. When photographing birds in flight in low light, I often think of panning. Blowing snow was a challenge to avoid the front element of the lens, and it took many 20fps shots just to get one with the head in focus. Luckily there were several eagles flying to and from a driftwood perch on the beach behind the hostel where I was staying. So while bad weather canceled our planned shoot, I had the chance to try working with slow shutter speeds.

Equipment and settings: Sony A1, Sony 200-600 mm lens. Exposure data: f/6.3, 1/60, ISO 320, shooting at 350mm, handheld.

Many thanks to our panel of guest judges: editors Laura Erickson, Pete Dunne and Brian E. Small; professional photographers Marie Read and Alan Murphy; Outdoor photographer editors Wes Pitts and Kristan Ashworth; And Imagery resource Editor William Brawley.

See the first place winner

See the second place winner

See the finalists

Take part in our 2022 bird portrait competition