Grass strokes - Georg Kantioler - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2010

2010: In Praise of Plants and Fungi - Highly Commended

Georg Kantioler Enlarge image Grass strokes

Georg Kantioler (Italy)

Grass strokes

'I often search for simple motifs,' says Georg. 'I'm not interested in finding rare plants or animals. I like to show the quiet beauty of everyday subjects.' The subject for this picture - delicate fox tail grass - was found one warm, sunny spring morning in dry grassland near his home in the South Tyrol, northern Italy. He took time experimenting with camera settings and angles 'to arrange the picture, sometimes changing my position by several centimetres, then by a matter of just a few millimetres,' varying the focus and then opening up the lens until he had the 'smooth pastel shades' and the 'tender, peaceful' picture he was after.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 100mm f2.8 lens; 1/30 sec at f3.2; ISO 200.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.