BPOTY at Birdfair 2019
The Bird Photographer of the Year team enjoyed an eventful Birdfair weekend last week. Well done to everyone who braved the wind, rain and mud of Rutland that produced some of the most challenging conditions in the 31 year history of the event. There will certainly have been a lot of car and boot cleaning going on this week!
Bird Photographer of the Year winner Caron Steele from the UK collecting her cheque and trophy from BPOTY director Andrew Cleave (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2019 winner Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz journeyed all the way from Hungary to collect his prize from Cameron Bespolka Trust trustee Keith Betton (centre left), Peter Antoniou of Swarovski Optik (left) and Chris Packham (right)
As well as a fabulous exhibition of the winning images on display in the BPOTY and Author Book Signing Marquee, those that made it through the mud were treated to another memorable awards event on Saturday afternoon. Our head judge and competition ambassador Chris Packham entertained a crowded main events marquee as the winners were revealed. Congratulations go to Caron Steele from the United Kingdom for her stunning winning image of a Dalmatian Pelican dancing across the ice of a frozen Lake Kerkini in Greece. Well done also to Tamás Koncz-Bisztricz from Hungary for winning our Young Bird Photographer of the Year prize with his colourful drone image of Mallards on one of Hungary’s soda lakes.
Congratulations also go to the following attending winners:
Ben Andrew from the UK, BPOTY 2019 Best Portrait Silver Award winner. Pictured with Paul Hill from Gitzo (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Helen Moore from the UK, BPOTY 2019 Birds in the Environment Bronze Award winner. Pictured with Maria Chilvers of Country Innovation (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Ivan Sjorgren from Sweden, BPOTY 2019 Bird Behaviour Gold Award winner. Pictured with Peter Antoniou of Swarovski Optik (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Martin Eschholtz from Germany BPOTY 2019 Garden and Urban Birds Bronze Award winner. Pictured with Maria Chilvers of Country Innovation (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Audun Lie Dahl from Norway BPOTY 2019 Creative Imagery Bronze Award winner. Pictured are Audun’s brother Espen (centre) accepting the award on his brother’s behalf from Maria Chilvers (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Kathryn Cooper from the UK BPOTY 2019 Creative Imagery Silver Award winner. Pictured with Paul Hill from Gitzo (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Marc Weber from France, BPOTY 2019 Creative Imagery Gold Award winner. Pictured with Peter Antoniou of Swarovski Optik (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Martin Grace from the UK BPOTY 2019 Inspirational Encounters Award winner. Pictured with Dan Free of Wildlife Worldwide (left) and Chris Packham (right)
Our thanks go to the organisers of Birdfair for allowing us to host this fantastic event, Chris Packham for his brilliant presentation and all our photographers for entering the 2019 competition. For a full list of all the winners please click here.