1st Place Winner to Our Own Bob Blanchard

[Maxis Gamez]

http://catcheroflight.smugmug.com/photos/280205275_HSki5-X3.jpg

This is an honor for me to announce:

Bob Blanchard was selected as the first place winner in the Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest. Did I say 1st place winner?? :D:D. He didn't get the grand prize but 1st place is a great honor.

Bob is picking a very nice price of a EOS 5D, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and a PIXMA Pro9500 Photo Printer (approximate retail value of $4,148.00)

I would like to congratulate you for such wonderful work. Your dedication is really paying off my friend. I'm proud of you!

[Mike Tracy]

Congrats and good job. From a post on POTN I saw this and casted my vote your way. It's a well deserved award.

[Beth Goffe]

Yippee, Bob! Congratulations for the beautiful image!

[Alfred Forns]

Big Time Congrats Bob !!! Great win and love the image !!!!!

[denise ippolito]

Bob-Well deserved-Bravo!

[Lana Hays]

Wow.....congrats, Bob. Wonderful image.....and fantastic prize to boot!!!

[Rod Wiley]

Bob I know you work very hard getting the photos you share with us, Congratulation on this win. Rod

[Bob Blanchard]

Thank you all so much for the kind words, and thank you Maxis for sharing this great news with the forum! I'm still a bit on "cloud nine", but realize that my best work definitely is in front of me. No time to rest on this one...birding season is in full swing here in Florida, so it's back to my signature posture of "face down in the mud" for the next few months!

I do want to thank everyone here for the great critiques that make us all better, and a special thanks to Artie for his wonderful instruction. As I mentioned before, this image was captured using techniques I learned in the Spring IPT earlier this year. With the challenging exposure situation in this image, I would bet that the bird would have been blown had I not learned that technique! I'd say that my "Return on Investment" for that IPT was pretty good! This one's for you maestro!

See you all out in the mud!

[James Shadle]

Wow!
Congratulations Bob!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great image and well deserved, congratulations, Bob!

[Adams Serra]

Hi Bob,
Congratulations, beautiful image. Looking forward to see you out in the field again.

Adams

[Chris Starbuck]

Big congrats Bob! "Wonderful" just isn't enough for this image.

[JP Bruce]

Congrats!! Beautiful image!!

[John Hawkins]

Congrats Bob. Way to represent our hometown area. Impressive image.
John

[Julie Kenward]

That's wonderful news, Bob! I offer my heartfelt congratulations. Not only is it a great image but you got a pretty sweet prize for making it!

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Bob,
Congratulations! Great win!
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Aidan Briggs]

Wow!
Congrats, Bob!!

[Chris van Rooyen]

Well deserved! Fantastic image!

[Doug Brown]

Good for you Bob! Congratulations! Enjoy the great new gear!

[Alma K Bailey]

Big Congrats Bob !!! Great win and love the image !!!!!
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[Harold Davis]

big congrats, bob!! awesome image!!!!

[Richard Waas]

Beautiful shot, great honor!! Congrats.....

[Samir Begovic]

Well deserved.

[Giulio Zanni]

Super Bob, congratulations, great image!

[Ed Cordes]

Congrats! It is a super image!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Way to go Bob!! Your dedication is paying off :-)

[Bob Blanchard]

Thank you for the kind words everyone! I found out today that were were a little over 20,400 entries for that contest. It's very inspiring to me to know that my image was picked so highly out of that many, and that so many folks that I don't even know voted for it.

This just motivates me to work even harder, and go after much higher goals.

[Roger Clark]

Bob,
Beautiful image. I really liked it the first time I saw it.
Roger

[Gus Cobos]

Congratulations Bob...a stunning image...:cool:

[bill kominsky]

Agree hugely with all of the above and a huge congratulations on a very wonderful image.

Bill

[Don Thompson]

A little late Bob, but congratulation on a great photo and for 1st place.

[Bob Blanchard]

Canon has just "Officially" announced the winners. Here is the link:

http://www.usa.canon.com/parks