> But am I the only one that thinks this was also chosen for a political statement? For what it's worth, the competition site says [0]: > Typically, an awarde

> But am I the only one that thinks this was also chosen for a political statement? For what it's worth, the competition site says [0]: > Typically, an awarded photo will: > Be properly in focus, > show good use of exposure and lighting, > display technical excellence in its execution, > and capture a unique moment, behaviour, or story. The last criteria seems like it could answer your question. The announcement page also has this blurb [1]: > The image tells an important story of habitat fragmentation, and how structures such as the border wall can prevent wildlife from migrating and moving into other areas. The wall dominates the image, with the roadrunner seemingly powerless and small in the frame. [0]: https://www.birdpoty.com/news/judging-bird-poty-how-we-decide-the-winners https://www.birdpoty.com/news/judging-bird-poty-how-we-decid... [1]: https://www.birdpoty.com/2021-winners https://www.birdpoty.com/2021-winners