Vultures on the carcass

[IvoZafirov]

Rodope Mountains, Eastern Bulgaria
EOS 30D; 400/5,6; ISO 400; f5,6; 1/400

The image was taken from a hide and the 400mm appeared to be too much for the vultures huge wingspan :-)

[Paul Davey]

The bird putting on full display makes this image so powerful and dramatic. Looks a very wild scene. And yes, shame the far right wing tips had to be sacrificed. There is visible space to the left of the other wing which could have been substituted, but at such a fleeting moment you wouldn't really have the time. The other vultures don't look very effective. With their heads turned away they look preoccupied with something which leave viewers "straining" to look out of the frame to see what they are interested in. Would be better if these weren't in the photograph at all I think.

But even then, the wingspan is so great and long that it ends up making the bird itself appear small in the frame. All the background almost ruins it. A good close-up would exclude the full wingspan and aim to include just the head/body and "armpits" - just a small area of the wings. In my opinion. A well-timed and lucky shot nonetheless.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great action, angle and BG. A wider lens would have made this even better.