Long Tail Tit Showing Its Colors and Feathers, by Rob van der Waal

In a small forest close to my hometown these colorful birds are rare visitors. On a cold winter day I decided to give it a change. Using the advantage of trees without leaves it was more easy to spot these very quick birds. Once I was able to locate these birds the next challenge was to create an image in an attractive setting. The result is shown in the image.

Award Winner: Photo of the Day | April 30
Award Score: 69 (Value 13, Clarity 12, Composition 18.5, Style 13, Skill 12.5)
Photo of the Day Award Category: Wildlife Photography
Photograph Location: Hellevoetsluis, Netherlands

Photographer: Rob van der Waal (Hellevoetsluis, The Netherlands.) Registered
Rob van der Waal was born in 1957 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. His father was a passionate photographer who taught him the basics of photography. When he was 7 years old, his family already had a darkroom on the top floor of their family house. His dad was on the edge of what was possible those days, using 2 Leica M3 bodies, and was developing black/white and color films by himself and with some modifications to his equipment, created images of 40x60cm. Apart from his father’s touch and some workshops, Rob van der Waal is an autodidact. With reading, listening and most of all just doing, he developed his creative and photography skills. To briefly summarize his style in photography; pure and honest are the key words that come close. He loves to be out in nature and enjoys the space, light and birds, and on those frequent trips his camera is his companion. He believes, some interest build into his DNA is “maritime”. It’s his preference to be at the waterfront, the sea, and close to ships and its related activity. He feels fortunate to live close to Rotterdam, a harbor area in the Netherlands. He will always respect nature and animals. He hopes more people will support this principle. What triggers him in photography is that, it is never done, complete or finish, as there is always a way to playing with the light and the moment, which gives the opportunity in another way to tell the story!

Portfolio: http://www.robvanderwaal-fotografie.nl
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rvdwaal_foto/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/waalrob