Nature's Best: Students

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  Kodiak Brown Bear
  Jordann Foland, age 13
  Canyonlands National Park, Utah
  "I took this photo while on a trip with my family. This bear was very animated and, even though he had a hard time catching fish, he was fun to watch. His movements provided tons of great photo opportunities. I did not use a tripod and, believe it or not, I had accidentally turned my camera to a macro setting. But the image turned out really well."
  Gear: Nikon D50 with 70-300mm lens; settings unrecorded, hand-held
  
  
  
  

  Jordann Foland, age 13 / Nature's Best

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  Curious Mountain Goat
  Alex Binford-Walsh, age 16
  Canyonlands National Park, Utah
  "While my father and I were walking on one of the trails, a small group of mountain goats came toward us. I was able to capture these curious youngsters by leaving my camera on a tripod and using a remote shutter release."
  Gear: Canon 20D with 17-85mm lens; 1/125 sec at /6.3; ISO 100; tripod; remote shutter release
  
  
  

  Alex Binford-Walsh, age 16 / Nature's Best

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  Courting Waved Albatross
  Eddie Schermerhorn, age 16
  Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
  "I could hear this pair of courting albatross before they came into view. They were making all sorts of honking and clicking sounds as part of their mating ritual. The albatross were also dancing and bobbing up and down. I tried to catch them in an animated pose to show their actions."
  Gear: Canon EOS Digital Rebel with 100-400mm lens; 1/500 sec at /5; ISO 200.
  
  
  

  Eddie Schermerhorn, age 16 / Nature's Best

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  White-tailed Kite
  Ben Knoot, age 11
  Redwood City, Calif.
  "I spotted this white-tailed kite hunting by a pond. The kite swooped down to catch a vole and he ate it in the air on the way to this pine tree. When the bird landed on the tree he had difficulty balancing and wobbled back and forth. I took this image as he spread his wings to keep steady."
  Gear: Canon EOS 5D with 400mm lens; 1/1250 sec at /5.6; ISO 160
  
  
  

  Ben Knoot, age 11 / Nature's Best

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  American Robin
  Mark Farag, age 17
  Backyard, Mount Laurel, N.J.
  "This robin's call caught my attention while I was photographing in my backyard. I was too far away from the robin to get the shot I wanted, so I attached my tele-converter to make the bird larger in the frame. The robin only stayed still for a few moments before it flew away; I acted quickly to get this image."
  Gear: Canon EOS 20D with 17-40mm lens; tele-converter; 1/50 sec at /8; ISO 400; tripod
  
  
  

  Mark Farag, age 17 / Nature's Best

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  Bufflehead Duck
  Nico Sarbanes, age 14
  Cape Henlopen State Park, Del.
  "I was birding with a friend when I snapped this shot. The weather was beautiful and the sunset was fantastic as we walked along one of the park's boardwalks, heading to our car. We spotted this female bufflehead duck as she swam under one of the low wooden bridges and into the reflection of the sunlit sky. Buffleheads are usually difficult to approach. I began to shoot frantically, and for one instant, the bird turned her head, allowing me to take this silhouette."
  Gear: Nikon D80; Tamron 200-500mm lens at 500mm; 1/1000 sec at /6.3; ISO 140
  
  
  

  Nico Sarbanes, age 14

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  Elephant Seal
  Megan McCubbin, age 12
  South Shetland Islands
  "Photographing this seal was fun because I was able to get up close and personal. There were lots of seals on the stony beach but I chose to photograph this one because she was moulting and her coat showed different colors and textures. As she slept, I waited for her to do something more interesting. I quickly pressed the shutter button when she used her flipper to scratch her eye."
  Gear: Nikon D70 with 80-400mm lens at 310mm; 1/200 sec at /5.6; ISO 200
  
  
  

  Megan McCubbin, age 12 / Nature's Best

• For more info and to see more images, go to: Nature's Best Students Online
  Canyonlands Snow
  Nick Burden, age 16
  Canyonlands National Park, Utah
  "My dad, a friend, and I woke up in Moab, Utah, to freezing rain. It was our last morning there and we decided to drive to the park to check out weather conditions. As we got closer to our destination the rain turned to snow. We pulled into a parking lot and seeing no other cars or even tire tracks, we were confident that we were the first to arrive. As we hiked there was a beautiful sky overhead and a fresh dusting of snow on the landscape."
  Gear: Nikon D100; Sigma 28-200mm lens; settings unrecorded; Slik u212 tripod
  
  
  

  Nick Burden, age 16 / Nature's Best