BEST PICTURE 2014

AND THE WINNER IS ... CHIKKU BAIJU OF CHANDLER, ARIZONA. IT WASN'T AN EASY CHOICE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE THE RUNNERS-UP, BUT AFTER LOOKING AT THOUSANDS OF ENTRIES - LANDSCAPES, CLOSE-UPS AND NATURE SHOTS - IN OUR SIXTH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST, HE'S THE WINNER. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE IMAGE, AND SO ARE ALL THE REST.

GRAND-PRIZE WINNER Wildflowers, Superstition Mountains, by Chikku Baiju

Chikku Baiju is the first two-time winner in our contest's history, and he likely isn't done - he's only 22, after all. What sets this double-exposure photograph apart, says Photo Editor Jeff Kida, is that it shows the Superstitions from a perspective we don't normally see: “It's a nighttime shot, and Baiju uses the city lights from metropolitan Phoenix to illuminate the chollas in the foreground, as well as the mountains. The cactus is close to the mountains but doesn't impede the view - it's a part of the scene but not an interruption.” The composition, Kida adds, “is just different enough that it sets it apart.” LANDSCAPE: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Shutter: 4 min; Aperture: f/4; ISO: 400; Focal Length: 17 mm SKY: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Shutter: 30 sec; Aperture: f/4; ISO: 1600; Focal Length: 17 mm

SECOND PLACE Green Heron, Litchfield Park, by Peggy Coleman

"One word: patience," Kida says. "There's a small fish in the heron's mouth. I've watched herons fish, and they can stand motionless forever. This shot is about patience and timing." In addition, Kida notes the photograph's clean, simple composition and the elegance of the bird's wing structure. "It's visual poetry," he says. "The soft light allows us to see all the texture and detail of the feathers."

Camera: Nikon D800; Shutter: 1/1250 sec; Aperture: f/8; ISO: 1400; Focal Length: 340 mm

THIRD PLACE

Cottonwood Leaf, Gilbert, by Dave Anderson Kida says this shot is one of those things most people walk by. “A lot of times, we walk by little vignettes and don’t stop and look,” he says. “This is photographed in a setting that uses beautiful low, but directional, light. It brings out all the textures of the leaf and the mud it’s sitting in.” Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel; Shutter: 1/250 sec; Aperture: f/4; ISO: 250; Focal Length: 210 mm

HONORABLE MENTION

Hummingbirds, Sedona, by Joshua Esquivel Kida likens capturing this moment to shooting a sporting event. “It’s peak action,” he says, “and there’s anticipation — what’s going to happen next?” Hummingbirds’ movements aren’t easy to track, but Kida says the limited depth of field, combined with the diagonal line formed by the two birds, adds to the photo’s appeal.

Camera: Nikon D800: Shutter: 1/320 sec; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO: 250; Focal Length: 135 mm

HONORABLE MENTION HONORABLE MENTION

Great Blue Heron, Oak Creek, by David J. Griggs

Rambur's Forktails, Gilbert, by Peggy Coleman The uncommon camera angle is what strikes Kida about this photo. "We almost never see birds in flight from this perspective," he says. "The slower shutter speed, combined with panning, suggests movement. The warmer tones of the water below are a nice contrast with the cooler tones of the bird. And, again, diagonal lines are a strong element."

"Repeating patterns and elements are always a strong design," Kida says. "The fact that this shot has such limited depth of field is what makes the insects stand out. They're almost skeletons photographed against a bright, highlighted background. If Coleman had shot this against the darkness of the upper-right corner, it wouldn't have been nearly as successful. She has the ability to simplify her work very nicely."

Camera: Sony DSLR-A850:

Shutter: 1/45 sec; Aperture: f/8; ISO: 100;

Focal Length: 250 mm

Camera: Nikon D800; Shutter: 1/1250 sec;

Aperture: f/10; ISO: 320; Focal Length: 340 mm

HONORABLE MENTION Clouds, Grand Canyon, by Doug Koepsel

The composition of this photograph, made near Mather Point, is all about balance. “It’s a yin-and-yang photograph,” Kida says. “There’s a wonderful juxtaposition of hard, solid surfaces and low-hanging fog, which has a smoother, more ethereal quality. And the framing is tight enough to allow air around the pinnacle, but close enough that we can see what’s there.” Camera: Nikon D600; Shutter: 2 sec; Aperture: f/7.1; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 62 mm

HONORABLE MENTION

"This shot was captured using photo traps and laser triggers," Kida says, "but it was still well done and well thought-out-planned so that the photograph would capture a reflection and a splash. It's a frozen moment in time, and it features very simple elements."

Camera: Nikon D7000; Shutter: 20 sec; Aperture: f/13; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 165 mm

FACEBOOK FAN FAVORITE Teddy Bear Chollas, Lost Dutchman State Park, by Peter Coskun

A lot of thought went into this photo, Kida says: "It's shot at a great time of day. It's a great use of foreground, middle ground and background. And the camera angle puts the chollas against a dark background, adding contrast." But what really makes it successful is that saguaro, he says: "It's the payoff, the bonus to this photograph. If that weren't there, this wouldn't be nearly the photograph that it is."

Camera: Canon EOS 7D; Shutter: 15 sec; Aperture: f/14; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 17 mm

BONUS PICK: Wilderness Contest First Snowfall, San Francisco Peaks, by Phil Rullman

This image won a contest sponsored by Arizona Highways Photo Workshops in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. "There's a lot going on in this photo," Kida says, "but all the elements are fairly simple. The payoff is the mountains, which you get to see twice because of the reflection. A viewer can really luxuriate in this image."

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II; Shutter: 0.6 sec; Aperture: f/9; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 21 mm