Thank you to all the photographers that shared their best photos showing animals or birds within a beautiful landscape in the Creative Critterscapes Photo Contest in collaboration with our friends at Aperture Academy.

"Overall I was looking for moments that captured a small part of a a story, that really showcased a mastery of technical aspects as well as time and place. I looked for mood and was drawn towards images that made me want to be there to see what happened next. The images I chose I feel combine the technical and aesthetic perfectly." - Brian Rueb

A special thanks to friend and professional photographer Brian Rueb for his collaboration as a guest judge in this photo contest. Brian has been photographing for the better part of 25 years. Combining a degree in photography and a degree in art he has worked the two together to create powerful and dynamic landscape images. His love and passion for photography is evident in each and every image he shoots. In addition to his passion for art Brian also has a passion for education and has spent almost 20 years teaching art and photography in the public high school system. During that time he has developed an art and photography program that has seen numerous students win awards and go on to major in the profession. His goal is not only to be great himself, but to instill that knowledge and passion into his students.

Grand Jury Winner

"What really drew me to this image was the lighting. It's tricky lighting, and to get the detail is not easy. I just love the rim lighting on the cat, and the whole mood it creates. With wildlife photography a lot depends not only on finding that special moment, but also being able to capture it, often with a very small window of time to do so. this image has mood, mystery, and a simple beauty to it that I find very nice. It really is a perfectly captured moment." - Brian Rueb

Runner Up

"This image has a terrific moody feel. It's one of those images I looked at for awhile...everything seems to be almost perfectly set up. Swans on the lake in the right part of the frame, mist on the lake, warm light, Cathedral emerging from the mist. Really, I thought this has to be a composite...and it very well may be...but it looks fantastic if it is. If it's all perfect timing, it's that much better." - Brian Rueb

Runner Up

"I think what I liked most about this was the monochrome processing, and there weren't a lot of submissions done this way. The bokeh and leading lines are also nice ways to push the viewers eye towards the subject." - Brian Rueb

 

Runner Up

"It was supposed to be a wildlife category, and domestic dogs weren't what I envisioned with the submissions but the capture of this was too good not to mention. I loved the scenery and perfectly timed shutter click of this dog. There framing with the purple flowers in the back and the bit of them in the front was really well executed. I liked the joy on the dogs face, and just really liked the way the image came together." - Brian Rueb

 

People's Choice
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist