Felix Heintzenberg
Germany / Sweden
Felix works as a wildlife photographer, writer and biology teacher. In recent years he has published six wildlife books, of which three have been awarded prestigious literature prizes.
Felix Heintzenberg's Image
The rusty metal rod at the opening of a sewerage outlet pipe was a favourite perch for kingfishers, giving them a view of the fish below. Felix visited the spot many times to study them. Seeing the photographic potential of the colourful scene, he used a gentle flash to highlight this particular bird against the dark opening.
Excellent hunters, kingfishers are also good indicators of high water quality. With better water treatment and bans on pollutants in some cities, these birds are slowly returning to urban areas. Kingfishers can struggle to find natural fishing perches in cities and so use whatever they can find, including shopping trollies and scrap metal.
Behind the lens
Image details
- Canon EOS-1D X
- 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens at 110mm
- 1/25 sec at f14 • ISO 100 • Speedlite 580EX II flash + two 540EZ flashes • Tripod • Pocket Wizard Plus II transceiver • Hide
- River Höje, Lund, Sweden
Copyright in WPY competition photographs remains the property of the respective photographers. You may not copy, share, reproduce or republish the photographs except as expressly permitted by copyright law. For media image usage enquiries, please contact us.
Support our important work
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.