Skip to page content

2005: The Eric Hosking Portfolio Award - Winner

Bence Máté Enlarge image Egret in the snow

Bence Máté (Hungary)

Egret in the snow

Last winter, when Bence photographed more than a hundred egrets and herons at a small lake in Hungary, he says that “conditions were so terrible that every day natural selection took place before my eyes. The weakest birds died, the stronger ones survived.” By March, 30 per cent of the birds were dead. This picture of a great white egret was taken towards the end of winter in the final snowfall of the year, and Bence feels sure the bird would have survived to breed.

Canon EOS 1N RS with Nikon 300mm f2.8 lens; EOS-Nikon converter, Nikon TC-301 2x teleconverter; 1/750 sec at f5.6; Fujichrome Velvia 50; hide.

View other winners in this category


  • Special awards Grey heron fight Bence Máté

    View

  • Special awards Yawning fox Bence Máté

    View

  • Special awards Hoopoe provider Bence Máté

    View

  • Special awards Transylvania in autumn Bence Máté

    View

  • Special awards Grey heron mouthful Bence Máté

    View