Beyond the Grid Wildlife Photography Contest - September 2023
In this article, we’ll reveal the winners of the fifth edition of Beyond the Grid, a wildlife photography contest where the community's best wildlife photographers shine beyond Instagram. It was a very tight competition with over 40 submissions from around the world.
Keep scrolling to see the September 2023 winners of Beyond the Grid!
If you missed the previous contests, you can see the winners below:
Submit your October photos by November 13
Missed submitting your September photos? No problem.
To be featured in the October issue, submit your photos via this form by Monday, November 13 at 11:59 pm Eastern and use the tag #BTGOctober2023 on Instagram. We can't wait to see your work!
Wildlife photography tutorials
If you're getting into wildlife photography, you might find my tutorials helpful. They’re packed with wildlife photography tips and techniques to help you improve your skills.
Why Beyond the Grid?
Although Instagram has become the most popular way to share our work, it’s not always optimized for this purpose. It also prioritizes people who can best market their work rather than produce the best photography.
That’s why Beyond the Grid aims to give visibility to more wildlife photographers outside of Instagram on a medium that better represents the fruits of our hard work.
Every month, we will shine a spotlight on the community's best wildlife photographers. Being a wildlife photographer can be challenging, but the results, as you can see from the work of the individuals below, can be absolutely breathtaking.
Participating in Beyond the Grid has many benefits:
Free entry to a wildlife photography competition (most are usually paid)
Your work is shared not only on social media, but on this website
You join a community of like-minded individuals passionate about nature
You get constructive feedback from photographers like you to take your photos to the next level
If you place within the top 5 winners, you become a judge for the next month
I am always looking to improve the quality of this competition and what participants get out of it (i.e. prizes), so keep an eye out for updates. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know.
How the winners are selected
The judges spent a long time evaluating each photo anonymously without seeing who the photographer is using three categories:
Visual impact: how impactful the image is when you see it.
Composition: how effective the composition is to make a pleasing photo.
Technical quality: This includes everything from proper focus, sharpness, dynamic range, noise, and more. How do the technical elements affect the photo?
Visual impact is scored out of 10 and composition and technical quality out of 5. Once all the judges have submitted their scores, I sum up all their scores to get the top 10 to see if there are any ties.
If there’s a tie, I then look at which of the tied images scored the highest on visual impact to break the tie. If there’s a tie again, then I check the composition scores and technical quality if there’s yet another one. The top 5 are the month’s winners and 6-10 are the honorable mentions.
Beyond the Grid - September 2023 Winners
Let’s get into the September 2023 winners of the Beyond the Grid wildlife photography contest.
You will find the top five winners in order. The judges provided their feedback for these, including what they liked and what could be improved. Photography is very subjective, so take any constructive criticism with a grain of salt.
Five honourable mentions are listed in the section after.
Meet the talented judges at the end.
Please enjoy the overall winners of the September 2023 Beyond the Grid wildlife photography contest!
1) Splash mayhem - Karim Bouzidi Idrissi
Sanderling | Canon R10 + Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x | ISO 1600, 1/500, f/4
Description:
A sanderling under heavy splash action at sunrise.
Why the judges loved it:
The chaotic scene immerses the viewer in the bird's world.
Excellent composition and control amid the chaos.
Impressive use of light, colors, and motion to capture the bird's energy.
Originality that stands out from typical shorebird shots.
What could be improved:
Add a touch of light on the subject's face for better visibility.
Consider a "deeper perspective" to reduce distraction from the terrain behind the bird.
Address the proximity of the rock behind the bird, which can make the bird blend in.
2) Majestic grouse - Ulysse Brault-Champion
Spruce grouse | Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR | ISO 1250, 1/1250, f/5.6
Description:
I was walking peacefully in the forest, when suddenly I saw this beautiful grouse resting on a tree trunk. Seeing it with the fall colors was magnificent.
Why the judges loved it:
The warm autumn background complements the bird beautifully.
Detailed and up-close headshot with striking colors.
Phenomenal depth in the headshot, drawing attention to the bird's head.
What could be improved:
Sharpen the bird's eye to match the sharpness of the beak.
Stop down the image to achieve full in-focus details across the entire bird.
Adjust composition to include more of the subject in focus.
3) Wave - Marc-André Galipeau
Sanderling | Nikon Z6 II + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR | ISO 2000, 1/2000, f/7.1
Description:
I was lying on the beach waiting hours to capture an image I had in mind: a shorebird with the splash of a wave behind the subject.
Why the judges loved it:
The range of colors in the shot adds vibrancy.
The splash adds dynamism and habitat context.
The slightly out-of-focus splash enhances the scene's realism.
What could be improved:
Improve the sharpness of the subject and reconsider the composition.
Explore a wider composition to position the splash either in front of or behind the bird.
Provide more space on the right and trim the top to achieve better balance.
4) Blue hour sandpiper - Karim Bouzidi Idrissi
Pectoral sandpiper | Canon R10 + Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x | ISO 1600, 1/500, f/4
Description
A portrait of a pectoral sandpiper foraging on a splashy shoreline before sunrise.
Why the judges loved it:
Exquisite grey/blue tones not commonly seen.
Exceptional layering and dimension in the image.
The soft blue light and color palette elevate the portrait.
What could be improved:
Add a slight vignette effect at the bottom to enhance depth.
Consider a slightly wider shot to showcase more of the habitat.
Include more of the environment to complement the light and colors.
5) Dunlin - James Bachand
Dunlin | Canon EOS 7D Mark II + Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 VC | ISO 800, 1/60, f/5.6
Description:
While coming home from school a few weeks ago I looked at my local eBird alerts and saw that a few shorebirds were seen at a park near my house. I rushed over to the park. When I arrived, it was already pretty dark, but I was still able to get this shot with cool urban light bokeh balls.
Why the judges loved it:
Well-executed composition with minimal distractions.
Bokeh adds a pleasing balance to the frame.
Blurry semi-urban background creates intrigue.
What could be improved:
Minimize distractions in the foreground that draw attention away from the subject.
Adjust the bird's head position to look more towards the right side.
Beyond the Grid - Honourable mentions
6) Juvi common loon headshot - Rain Saulnier
Common loon | Canon R10 + Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM | ISO 800, 1/1000, f/8
Description:
I took this photo while visiting my cottage in mid September. We went out in our small fishing boat and found 2 young loons with an adult. I got this shot as the loon surfaced fairly close to the boat. Utilizing the LCD screen on my R10 I was able to hang the camera low over the edge of the boat to get close to the water level.
7) Plover and wind - Rain Saulnier
Semipalmated plover | Canon R10 + Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM | ISO 100, 1/2000, f/1.8
Description:
I captured this photo on Wolfe Island near Kingston Ontario. To capture the environmental perspective in this photo I used my 50mm f/1.8 lens. To position myself for this photo I army-crawled and inched out in Lake Ontario, soaking my clothes head to toe.
8) Boreal woodland caribou - Ulysse Brault-Champion
Boreal woodland caribou | Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR | ISO 500, 1/8000, f/5.6
Description:
This photo represents a lot for me, it's the emotion, the moment, the animal. I wanted to create an image different from the majority.
9) Symmetry - Mark Bernards
Great egret | Nikon Z6 II + Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S | ISO 1400, 1/640, f/8
Description
I watched this pair of egrets slowly wading around this calm, shallow pond one evening. They hunted close together for some time, often overlapping, but I had to wait for the right moment to capture this moment of (almost) perfect dual-axis symmetry.
10) Great egret - Ulysse Brault-Champion
Great egret | Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR | ISO 800, 1/640, f/5.6
Description
A beautiful egret feeding at sunset.
Meet the Beyond the Grid judges
Beyond the Grid monthly top five winners get the chance to become judges for the following month. Thank you to our August 2023 winners, Alexandre, Antoine, Matt, Quinn, and Thomas for their participation as judges in the September contest.
We look forward to welcoming you back as participants and hopefully judges in the future!
See the August 2023 contest and their winning photos.
Alexandre Lauzier
Vegan wildlife photographer with a veterinary technician background, Alexandre Lauzier offers an honest and authentic look at an environment he has come to know through his explorations. Through his works, he advocates a careful relationship with Nature and wildlife, imbued with patience, respect and reciprocity.
Alexandre’s gear:
Quinn Smilgis
Quinn Smilgis is a 16-year-old photographer from British Columbia, Canada. He began shooting in late 2021. Since then, he’s learned as much as he can about wildlife photography and the animals surrounding him. He is eager to learn more and continue to improve.
Quinn’s gear:
Thomas Cadilhac
Thomas is a photographer from Montreal studying biology in Rimouski. He started photography during the pandemic and now has fun trying to capture the wildlife in his own artistic way. Thomas is always trying to learn and improve as a wildlife photographer.
Thomas’ gear:
Matt Parish
Matt Parish is an amateur wildlife photographer based in Ontario, Canada. He's on a mission to showcase intimate, detailed images of animals from his own unique perspective. Matt’s also passionate about getting most value out of his gear at an affordable price, which is why he’s proud to use Canon’s budget-friendly cameras and lenses.
Matt’s gear:
Antoine Clément
Antoine is a wildlife photographer based in the Montreal area. A wildlife enthusiast since childhood, he patrols the forests, fields and woodlands of Montreal's East Island, capturing images of the wildlife that inhabit them.
Antoine’s gear:
Thank you to all participants!
With over 40 engaging and high-quality photos from wildlife photographers from the community, the fourth Beyond the Grid wildlife photography contest is in the books!
Thanks to all participants for showcasing their incredible work this month.
Submit your best wildlife photos of October
To be featured in the October issue, submit your photos via this form by Monday, November 13 at 11:59 pm Eastern and use the tag #BTGOctober2023 on Instagram.
Want to become a better wildlife photographer?
If you are interested in learning more about the technical and artistic side of photography to take your photos to the next level, check out these awesome tutorials that can help you take amazing wildlife photos!