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Leana Kuster's Image
Leana Kuster (Switzerland) shows a greater flamingo scratching its head with one of its unmistakably long legs.
While on holiday in southern France, Leana had been watching flamingos in the Camargue.
They moved gracefully through the shallow, saline wetlands, filter feeding for molluscs and crustaceans.
Flamingos use their tongues to force water through their specially adapted bills, which are lined with many rows of fine, comb-like plates.
These plates help trap a species of brine shrimp called Artemia salina. This gives the birds their famous pink hue.
Behind the lens
Leana Kuster
Switzerland
Leana has been fascinated by nature since she was a small child. She spent hours in the garden with her grandfather, which ignited her passion and laid the foundation for photography. In 2019, Leana bought her first bridge camera, and in 2022 she was able to buy an SLR camera with the money she’d saved. She loves to evoke emotions with her photos and to use them to tell her personal story.
Image details
- Nikon D810
- Tamron 150–600mm f5.6 lens
- 1/500 at f6.3 • ISO 250
- Pont de Gau, Camargue, France
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