2005: The Eric Hosking Portfolio Award - Winner
Bence Máté (Hungary)
Grey heron fight
This is one of Bence's favourite pictures, not least because of the discomfort he endured to get it. In 2005, a harsh winter took Hungary by surprise. The lake near Bence's home in Pusztaszer rapidly froze over. Within a day or two, only a small patch of open water remained, and the hundred or so hungry grey herons and great white egrets began to steal fish from each other. Determined to photograph one of these desperate battles, Bence spent every day for more than a month huddled inside a sleeping bag in his hide in temperatures of -20°C (-4°F). While he finally got his prize, his subjects lost theirs. As these two old herons quarrelled in the air, the fish fell to the ice and was snatched away by another hungry heron.
Canon EOS 1N RS with Nikon 300mm f2.8 lens, EOS-Nikon converter and Nikon TC-14B 1.4x teleconverter; 1/750 sec at f4; Fujichrome Velvia 50 rated at 100; Gitzo tripod, hide.
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