Right place, right time

You never know when a great photo opportunity might develop.

Heather Secker was driving to work last month when she spotted a coyote hunting for breakfast in a field along Geneva Road near Winfield.

Fortunately, the 30-year-old Wheaton resident had her Panasonic Lumix in her car.

"He was so busy hunting that he didn't even see me for quite a while," she said. "I just sort of snuck up on him."

The end result was Secker capturing a shot of the coyote in midair as it pounced on a vole. The picture has been chosen as March's winning image by the Daily Herald's professional photography staff.

Photo Editor Scott Sanders called the photograph "a great action shot."

"She saw an interesting photo situation developing, and had her camera with her to get the shot," Sanders said. "Then she timed the shot just right to get the peak action."

Secker said her attempts to photograph the coyote hunting were aided by her digital camera's ability to take multiple pictures quickly.

"He only pounced a couple of times," she said. "I kind of got lucky with it."

Of course, Secker is no stranger to taking pictures of wildlife. She has been shooting nature photographs since getting her first camera at age 10.

"I just always liked the outdoors, so that kind of led me in that direction," she said. "Now that digital cameras are so great, I am able to get a camera that I can carry around with me."

Secker says she's motivated to take photographs because she enjoys being artistic and preserving memories in still images.

She keeps some of her nature photos above her desk at work.

"I am kind of stuck in a backroom right now with no windows," she said. "So it's nice to have some photos."

Each Sunday's Neighbor section includes at least one entry to our Photo Finish photography contest.

Our professional photography staff picks some of their favorite submissions to run each week and one overall monthly winner to receive a prize.

If you would like to submit a photo for consideration, e-mail it in .jpeg format with at least 300 dpi resolution to ssanders@dailyherald.com.

Include your name, address and a phone number (for contact purposes only), plus a description of where you took the photo and what the occasion was for it.

The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate, good at PJ's Camera, Pickwick Place Plaza, 662 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn.