Readers Photo Challenge: 'Out in the open' theme highlights birds, sunsets

Clifford Oto, The Record
·2 min read

The latest challenge was an open one, meaning that the choice of subjects was up to you. From sandhill cranes to sparrows, birds were the most popular choice of subjects with about of the the of the pictures sent in featuring our fine feathered friends.

Sunsets and sunrises were also a popular themes with their beautiful warm colors. A hundred photos were sent in by 23 readers, including several first-time entrants.

Here are some of the top examples:

Dave Skinner of Stockton used a Nikon D7500 DSLR camera to photograph a sandhill crane taking flight in a flooded field on Staten Island near Walnut Grove.
Dave Skinner of Stockton used a Nikon D7500 DSLR camera to photograph a sandhill crane taking flight in a flooded field on Staten Island near Walnut Grove.

Dave Skinner of Stockton photographed the rising sun and it’s warm morning light reflecting off of the water of a flooded field of Staten Island near Walnut Grove. Surrounded by an orange light, he used his Nikon D7500 DSLR camera to capture a sandhill crane as it flaps its wings and while running though the shallow water to take flight.

Carolyn Silva of Jackson used a Nikon D7500 DSLR camera to photograph a sunset from her backyard.
Carolyn Silva of Jackson used a Nikon D7500 DSLR camera to photograph a sunset from her backyard.

Carolyn Silva captured a sunset from the comfort of her backyard. With her Nikon D7500 DSLR camera she photographed clouds as they turned a fiery red/orange. A cow grazing on the ridge of a hill behind her Mother Lode home serves as a focal point to complete the composition.

Morris Senegor of Stockton used a Nikon D5500 DSLR camera to photograph a rainbow at Baker Beach in San Francisco.
Morris Senegor of Stockton used a Nikon D5500 DSLR camera to photograph a rainbow at Baker Beach in San Francisco.

Morris Senegor of Stockton went to San Francisco early one morning to capture a moon setting over the Point Bonita Lighthouse. It was cloudy and it was uncertain if he would see the moon at all. At the last minute the moon did peek through the clouds and he got some fine photos but that’s not the end of his story. Afterwards a light drizzle began at Baker Beach where he was set up. While dramatic clouds filled the sky in the west the sun was rising to the east. With his Nikon D5500 DSLR camera, Senegor quickly shot as a rainbow briefly touched down on the coastline before disappearing.

Robert Dutra of Stockton used an Apple iPhone 12 Pro max to photograph trees reflected in a lagoon at the Reserve at Spanos Park golf course in Stockton.
Robert Dutra of Stockton used an Apple iPhone 12 Pro max to photograph trees reflected in a lagoon at the Reserve at Spanos Park golf course in Stockton.

Robert Dutra of Stockton was playing a round of golf when he took his photo. While near the nith hole at the Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton, he looked across a lagoon towards the 18th hole to a stand of trees. With an Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, he photographed the trees as they and the clouds above them were reflected in the still waters of the lagoon.

AnneMarie Lawrence of Stockton used a Nikon D3400 DSLR camera to photograph a row of corn in a field near Woodland.
AnneMarie Lawrence of Stockton used a Nikon D3400 DSLR camera to photograph a row of corn in a field near Woodland.

AnneMarie Lawrence of Stockton stopped by a cornfield near Woodland while traveling along Interstate 5 on a trip to Washington state. She used her Nikon D3400 DSLR camera to show a down a row of dried corn stalks which was probably waiting to be harvested for feed or ethanol. Unlike sweet corn which we eat, this type of corn is allowed to essential die off and dry before picking. The stalks formed a tunnel that framed her image as she captured the varying stages and colors of drying leaves.

More top picks can be seen at the Recordnet Facebook page and Instagram. All of the entries can be seen in an online gallery at recordnet.com. A new challenge assignment will be issued on Feb. 8.

Record photographer Clifford Oto has photographed Stockton and San Joaquin County for more than 37 years. He can be reached at coto@recordnet.com or on Instagram @Recordnet. Follow his blog at recordnet.com/otoblog. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton residents showcase sunsets, birds in latest photo challenge