Note added Aug 3: Please vote! I plan to end the poll as soon as I can after noon MDT, Monday, August 5 -- probably around 13:00. Your intrepid judges will announce the winner on Wednesday. We will display a Semi-Finalist each of the next 2 Mondays at noon.
***
Here are the finalists of the 2013 photography contest. We received approximately 30 photographs from 17 photographers, about the same statistics as last year. Most of the pictures were excellent, and we practically had to roll the dice to limit the finalists to 6.
To choose the finalists, we considered what we thought were the scientific and pictorial qualities of the photographs, and also attempted to represent as many photographers and present as much variety as possible. The text was written by the photographers and lightly edited for consistency.
The finalists are given below the proverbial fold, in alphabetical order of last name. Please look through their photographs before voting for your favorite. You will have to be logged in to vote on the poll. We know it is possible to game these polls. Please be responsible and vote only once. If we think that the results are invalid, we will cancel the contest.
The winner will receive a copy of Unintelligent Design by our late colleague Mark Perakh. We dedicate this contest to his memory.
Photograph by Alexander Bortolot.
Methane gas bubbles in clear lake ice in Wisconsin.
Photograph by Al Denelsbeck.
Theridiidae -- spider sex. Mr. Deneslbeck writes that the spiders are 3-4 mm long, and "The male's sperm-laden pedipalps, dark club-shaped appendages, can be seen extended towards the female's abdomen - the boudoir is a holly leaf."
Photograph by Diogenes.
Calopteryx splendens -- male banded demoiselle damselfly, Likeng, Jiangxi Province, China.
Photograph by Robin Lee-Thorp.
Sphex ichneumoneus - great golden digger wasp with a katydid (family Tettigoniidae).
Photograph by Dave Rintoul .
Caracara plancus - southern crested caracara, Pantanal of Brazil, May, 2013. Mr. Rintoul writes, "Formerly considered to be identical to the northern crested caracara (C. cheriway).... Split from the northern species (whose range extends into the southern part of the US) on the basis of morphometric and plumage characters."
17 Comments
Richard B. Hoppe · 29 July 2013
One of each, please. :)
AltairIV · 30 July 2013
The methane bubbles are actually encased in ice? VERY clear ice, apparently.
All of the pics are gorgeous, as always, but I'm going to have to go with that one. Not only is it the most dynamic, it also represents a real threat to life on Earth as we currently enjoy it.
Robin · 30 July 2013
As one of the contributors I'm not sure how much my perspective counts, but I have to say that if we are talking both artistic and scientific, I lean towards Alexander's methane bubbles as well. That's just a cool shot to me. I do admit that I'm a sucker for such object shots and landscapes like James' for which I have no talent for taking.
sharla.hardy · 30 July 2013
Will any of these be available as posters or wallpaper?
Doc Bill · 2 August 2013
Come on, people, VOTE!
Henry J · 3 August 2013
What, nobody liked the spiders? I guess it should have been butterflies!
Matt Young · 3 August 2013
Come on, people, VOTE!
Yes, please! As I note in an update to the main article, I plan to end the poll as soon as I can after noon MDT, Monday, August 5 – probably around 13:00. Your intrepid judges will announce the winner on Wednesday. We will display a Semi-Finalist each of the next 2 Mondays at noon.
gnome de net · 3 August 2013
As photographs, they're all equally excellent.
The subject matter thus becomes the tie-breaker. Although the particular spiders, damselfly, Mt. St. Helens view, wasp and caracara may each be a unique image of something never-before photographed, the uniqueness fades when grouped with the photos of all the other spiders, damselflies, Mt. St. Helens views, wasps and caracaras.
The ice-entrapped methane bubbles are an extraordinary example of a photographer recording Nature as an abstract artist.
james42rice · 3 August 2013
Do we really know that those bubbles are methane? I want a test to be sure. *grin*
https://me.yahoo.com/a/2O55.ARwtv2RyjJTmPJGEEogx2pZERgKH7MXzn9PUD6he.jSKjokvZXxRQ--#d629a · 4 August 2013
james42rice said:
Do we really know that those bubbles are methane? I want a test to be sure. *grin*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3fuireB1ns
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/12/methane/lavelle-text
Will this do?
diogeneslamp0 · 4 August 2013
james42rice said:
Do we really know that those bubbles are methane?
Were you there?
Al Denelsbeck · 4 August 2013
Henry J said:
What, nobody liked the spiders? I guess it should have been butterflies!
Now, see, if you'd said, "No love for the spiders," you would have gotten off a nice ironic pun... ;-)
logicman · 4 August 2013
Methane gas bubbles. Of course, all of the finalists are top notch.
Doc Bill · 4 August 2013
The Bird is the Word!
Vote Bird!
LouFCD · 4 August 2013
Dave Rintoul's Caracara!
gerryprimate · 5 August 2013
These photos are all great. I voted for the bubbles, but the Mount St Helens would be my second -- just because I work close enough to see it on a clear day. Oh, and the damselfly would be my 2nd 2nd vote.
cmb · 5 August 2013
They are all great shots. Kudos to all and thanks for sharing!
17 Comments
Richard B. Hoppe · 29 July 2013
One of each, please. :)
AltairIV · 30 July 2013
The methane bubbles are actually encased in ice? VERY clear ice, apparently.
All of the pics are gorgeous, as always, but I'm going to have to go with that one. Not only is it the most dynamic, it also represents a real threat to life on Earth as we currently enjoy it.
Robin · 30 July 2013
As one of the contributors I'm not sure how much my perspective counts, but I have to say that if we are talking both artistic and scientific, I lean towards Alexander's methane bubbles as well. That's just a cool shot to me. I do admit that I'm a sucker for such object shots and landscapes like James' for which I have no talent for taking.
sharla.hardy · 30 July 2013
Will any of these be available as posters or wallpaper?
Doc Bill · 2 August 2013
Come on, people, VOTE!
Henry J · 3 August 2013
What, nobody liked the spiders? I guess it should have been butterflies!
Matt Young · 3 August 2013
gnome de net · 3 August 2013
As photographs, they're all equally excellent.
The subject matter thus becomes the tie-breaker. Although the particular spiders, damselfly, Mt. St. Helens view, wasp and caracara may each be a unique image of something never-before photographed, the uniqueness fades when grouped with the photos of all the other spiders, damselflies, Mt. St. Helens views, wasps and caracaras.
The ice-entrapped methane bubbles are an extraordinary example of a photographer recording Nature as an abstract artist.
james42rice · 3 August 2013
Do we really know that those bubbles are methane? I want a test to be sure. *grin*
https://me.yahoo.com/a/2O55.ARwtv2RyjJTmPJGEEogx2pZERgKH7MXzn9PUD6he.jSKjokvZXxRQ--#d629a · 4 August 2013
diogeneslamp0 · 4 August 2013
Al Denelsbeck · 4 August 2013
logicman · 4 August 2013
Methane gas bubbles. Of course, all of the finalists are top notch.
Doc Bill · 4 August 2013
The Bird is the Word!
Vote Bird!
LouFCD · 4 August 2013
Dave Rintoul's Caracara!
gerryprimate · 5 August 2013
These photos are all great. I voted for the bubbles, but the Mount St Helens would be my second -- just because I work close enough to see it on a clear day. Oh, and the damselfly would be my 2nd 2nd vote.
cmb · 5 August 2013
They are all great shots. Kudos to all and thanks for sharing!