Tag Archives: photo contest amphibians

01/5/12

Announcing the Winners of the 2011 Frogs Are Green Photography Contest

We are excited to announce the winners of the second annual 2011 FROGS ARE GREEN photo contest. We were thrilled to receive such fabulous entries, and it was difficult to pick winners. We hope you will continue your adventures as amphibian photographers and enter next year’s photo contest!

We accepted photos in two categories: Frogs in the Wild and Backyard Frogs.

FROGS IN THE WILD

Winner

Photograph by Sara Viernum, Barking Treefrog holding onto to a reed in a vernal pond in the Talladega National Forest in Northeastern, Alabama.

Photograph by Sara Viernum, Barking Treefrog holding onto to a reed in a vernal pond in the Talladega National Forest in Northeastern, Alabama.

Honorable mentions:
"Froggy Condo" taken at Jenna Wild Life Preserve Swamps in Dixi County, Florida, by Tina Calderin.

"Froggy Condo" taken at Jenna Wild Life Preserve Swamps in Dixi County, Florida, by Tina Calderin

Tree frog in Lily, photographed by Brian Blom, Deerwood, MN.

Tree frog in Lily, photographed by Brian Blom, Deerwood, MN.

BACKYARD FROGS
Winner:
Photograph by Krista Herbstrith who says, "I was showing my son the frog on the flowers from the garden, when the frog leaped and landed on my son's face," Northfield, MN.

Photograph by Krista Herbstrith who says, "I was showing my son the frog on the flowers from the garden, when the frog leaped and landed on my son's face," Northfield, MN.

Honorable mention:
Photograph by Sara Viernum - Barking Treefrog is hunting for insects under the front porch light on a house in Oxford, Alabama.

Photograph by Sara Viernum - Barking Treefrog is hunting for insects under the front porch light on a house in Oxford, Alabama.

SPECIAL MENTION
This photo by Jan Knizek wasn’t easily categorized, but we wanted to give it  special mention because it poignantly tells the story of  how European Green Toads and other amphibians are losing their habitats through over development. This is one of a very few breeding sites of the toads in Prague, Czech Republic, and is currently endangered by a development project.
Photograph by Jan Knizak, Photo taken at the last known breeding site in Prague, Czech Republic, currently endangered by a development project.

Photograph taken by Jan Knizek taken at one of a very few breeding sites in Prague, Czech Republic, currently endangered by a development project.

07/12/09

Announcing the FROGS ARE GREEN photo contest

We are happy to announce the FROGS ARE GREEN photo contest. The winner will receive a free “Prince of Amphibians” t-shirt and we’ll feature the photo in the gallery on our blog. See the information on the left side of the blog. (Note: your photo can be of any amphibian, including salamanders).

For those of you who have never photographed an amphibian, here are some tips from the book Frogs: A Chorus of Colors by John and Deborah Behler, which has a chapter on photographing these elusive and well-camouflaged creatures:

  • Try to learn about the animal first. What is its habitat? When are they active?
  • Walk slowly and stop frequently (it helps to have someone with you who is less than 3 feet tall and has sharp eyes). Frogs and toads blend in so well that they are hard to find. Be alert for subtle movements.
  • In summer, you might find the sit-and-wait frog predators hanging out on the edges of ponds and lakes.
  • Be aware of the position of the sun. Avoid taking pictures at midday on bright sunny days. In the morning, face east and it will keep sunlight from coming into your lens and washing out your photos.
  • Don’t necessarily put the subject in the middle of the photo. Keep the whole animal in the photo, but compose the picture so the background tells a story.
  • Bracket your photos, i.e., take the same shot with different settings. Also, try taking a flash photo. Without a flash, animals in photos may look lifeless and poorly lighted.
  • Try to be on the same level as your subject.

Have fun!

My husband John and son Jeremy looking at a toad

My husband John and son Jeremy looking at a toad