December 2025 Competition - Your Favorite Shot of 2025

[isabel]

On a backroad in the Sonoran Desert, a Crested Caracara family was nesting in a Saguaro. I watched one of the parents fly off while the other parent stood watch to protect the fledglings from the Hawks that were flying above. The Caracara parent returned with a rodent which was quickly fed to the young.

• ILCE-1
• FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/9
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 3200

 

[Matthew Herron]

• ILCE-7RM5
• FE 600mm F4 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 1,200.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 6400

Tricolored heron in the rain, Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Georgia
a7rV with Sony 600mm f/4 & 2x teleconverter, F/8 1/640s ISO 6400

 

[Karen MM]

I am a creative Portrait photographer based in Whitianga, New Zealand. This is from my last shoot, playing with my smoke ninja. "Cernunnos Awakens"

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
• 24.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/200 sec
• ISO 800

 

[Franbw]

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 298.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 3200

sony a1 f7.1 298 mm 200-600 fe 1/1000 sec. taken this last august in Katimai National Park. I have 1000's of images of bears and it was hard to decide on a favorite, but I love his hair style and the way he ambushes fish to catch them. I'm not sure how to load metadata- so I wrote it in. If there is another way please let me know as I haven't posted before.

 

[Doug Herr]

• ILCE-1
• FE 600mm F4 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 840.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 400

 

[Brian Scantlebury]

Australasian Harrier making a glutton of itself just out of my ktchen window. He's caught a common pigeon for breakfast.

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 3200

 

[ebbimage1]

ILCE 7RM5, Fe 200-600mm @ 600mm, 1/3200 shutter speed, f6.3, ISO1000

• ILCE-7RM5
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[Paetawa]

Face-time in Soho

• ILCE-7RM5
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/200 sec
• ISO 500

 

[picquic]

Entry December competition...

• ILCE-6700
• FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
• 25.0 mm
• ƒ/5
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 125

 

[Elscn]

I love looking at nature through my macro lens (Sigma 105 mm). Every time, I feel transported to another world, filled with wonder at all that beauty. Discovering the many details is so rewarding, details we wouldn't otherwise see.

• ILCE-7M3
• 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO | Art 020
• 105.0 mm
• ƒ/3.5
• 1/320 sec
• ISO 160

 

[Nikas Photography]

one step at a time ! Puffin in the Norwegian Artic

I took this image this August on a amazing excursion to the Arctic

 

[Tinopener]

• ILCE-9M2
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 3200

A Merry Christmas to everyone Not the greatest picture of a kingfisher but for me its perfect wanted and waited for ages to snap a kingfisher and this is the result . Fingers crossed I hope to get a better shot in 2026 .. Thank you

 

[New Mexico Dan]

Our December monthly competition is now open for entries.

Please Include Metadata with Images Submitted. The Creation Date Restriction is No Longer

Theme
For this month our theme will be "Your Favorite Shot of 2025". Hopefully this doesn't really need an explanation

Competition Dates
Entries start: The date that this post is published.
Entries end: December 21st
Voting starts: December 21st
Voting ends: December 28th

Shot Taken Date
Images can be taken anytime, there is no restriction like we had in 2024 for images to be taken in the current or previous two months.

What Do I Get if I Win?
I'm afraid now it's just the joy of taking part, but I will look into adding a special profile banner to winners profiles. In the past there have been vouchers for 1st and 2nd places, but we want to try and encourage people to enter without dangling a voucher code in front of them.

How to Enter + Rules

1. Post your entries in this thread by scrolling down to the reply box then hitting the 'upload images' button. Insert image as full not thumbnail.
2. Sony cameras only.
3. Camera metadata must be included in the images to verify.
4. Only one photo entry per member.
5. Keep the photos clean and family friendly.
6. Please don't use sky replacements or AI image generation.
7. You are free to change you image during the entry period.
8. Not essential but it would be nice if you added a little background information on your entry.

How to Vote (when voting opens)

1. Use the vote button (up arrow) to the right of the post (below post on mobile) to vote up images that you like
2. You can vote on as many images as you like apart from your own

Themes for 2025
Our themes for the year have already been decided to give you a heads-up on what's coming next.

• Jan: Black & White
• Feb: Natural World and Wildlife
• Mar: Creative
• Apr: Action
• May: Mechanized Machines
• Jun: Land and City Scapes
• Jul: At Home
• August: Close Up / Macro
• Sep: Long Exposure
• Oct: Street
• Nov: After Dark
• Dec: Your Favorite Shot of 2025

Feedback
I'd really appreciate feedback about how the competition is running but please don't post it in this thread. Instead please post any feedback in this thread in the Feedback Forum.

Thank you for participating and good luck!

Tim

• ILCE-7RM5
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 320