Bronze Medal in the category « Wildlife Photography »

I was driving on the highway near Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael in Northern Israel when I noticed scores of Cormorants flying overhead, carrying an odd assortment of twigs and coastal debris to their nests, hidden inside an inaccessible thicket of bushes nearby. Known as ferocious and indiscriminate scavengers, they are arch-enemies of the Kibbutzniks, whose fisheries are their main source of livelihood and income - and have become, to their regret, a major attraction for a large and thriving colony of Cormorants.

I followed a deserted and potholed dirt road to their isolated nesting area, and, documenting them from a safe distance, was mesmerised by the breathtaking elegance of their gliding style. It is a wonder how birds with such a colossal wing span can fly so gracefully in the sky - a magnificent and awe-inspiring flying machine.

Yet another illustration how a camera can offer us a deeper and sharper insight into how mysterious, exhilarating and grinding life on earth is. Black and white photos, which strip this nesting scene to its essential elements, illustrate more dinstinctively - in my humble opinion - how all living creatures, sharing this plane, struggle to soar above almost insurmountable difficulties in order to survive and to transcend mortality.

May I also add that I was deeply inspired, and am attempting to immitate - with great humility - the clean, calm and uncluttered style of Japanese drawings, which use black ink and white space to capture the timeless beauty and complexity of the natural world.