"I spent 10 days scouting and waiting at the Halema'uma'u Crater before the Kīlauea volcano erupted," says award-winning nature photographer who captured a white-tailed tropicbird rising above volcanic gases and red lava
This photographer captures birds in spectacular environments, and his powerful shot of a tropicbird at the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has now won the top prize in the Birds in Landscapes category at the Audubon Photography Awards
Award-winning nature photographer Liron Gertsman spent ten days scouting and waiting at the Halema'uma'u Crater within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, United States, prior to the Kīlauea volcano's eruption. His award-winning photograph showcases a white-tailed tropicbird soaring above the volcanic gases and glowing red lava. The photograph, a winner in the Birds in Landscape category at the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards, captures the bird within the crater's cracks, shielded from predators and utilizing the volcano's heat to lift itself while foraging for food.
The gaseous emissions surrounding the bird are comprised of water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and volcanic ash. The Canon EOS R5 camera, with its electronic viewfinder and professional-grade autofocus, played a crucial role in capturing this remarkable scene.
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