Arne Hogan, Black Swan Cygnets at Sydney Park (ANIMAL & NATURE 2020)

At this age, these cygnets are never far from the looming presence of their relatively giant parents. Shooting with a 300mm prime on an APS-C sensor provides a good frame for the cygnets when the family gathers close to shore, but the constant proximity of the parents means that some part of them – a long neck, a scaly foot, a spread wing, a back forming an impromptu nest – often darkens a good portion of the image. This sequence plays on the contrasts between the tiny, pale, vulnerable and unconcerned cygnets and the enormous, dark, wary and menacing adults watching over them. Shot at twilight, on a park thrown like a carpet over an old rubbish dump, hemmed in by traffic and industry.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.