{"id":9805,"date":"2025-10-15T03:04:36","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T01:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/2025\/10\/15\/this-years-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-winners-are-haunting-and-beautiful\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T03:04:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T01:04:36","slug":"this-years-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-winners-are-haunting-and-beautiful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/2025\/10\/15\/this-years-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-winners-are-haunting-and-beautiful\/","title":{"rendered":"This year&#8217;s Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners are haunting and beautiful"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<h2>Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 Winners<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year_2025_winners_collage.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year_2025_winners_collage.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year_2025_winners_collage.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year_2025_winners_collage.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 winners collage\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The Natural History Museum, London, has announced the winners of its 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, a range of images that showcase the variety of life on the planet in 19 different categories. They were chosen out of 60,636 images, with photographers from 113 countries and teritories submitting their work.<\/p>\n<p>The winning photographs are not only portraits of animals and other critters in their natural habitats, but are also often examples of worlds colliding: a hyena in an abandoned mining town, a juvenile giant anteater being nursed back to health in a rehabilitation center. They&#8217;re reminders that we&#8217;re just a part of a much larger world.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to see more stunning wildlife photography, be sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/articles\/9346631497\/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2025-sneak-peek\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">check out our slideshow<\/a> of the 16 highly commended images released from the competition earlier this year as a sneak peek. <\/p>\n<h2>Ghost Town Visitor &#8211; Wim van den Heever<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Wim_van_den_Heever__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Wim_van_den_Heever__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Wim_van_den_Heever__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Wim_van_den_Heever__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Wim van den Heever  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 \/ Urban Wildlife<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Wim van den Heever (South Africa) photographs this haunting scene of a brown hyena among the skeletal remains of a long-abandoned diamond mining town.<\/p>\n<p>With sea fog rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean, Wim chose this spot for his camera trap after noticing hyena tracks nearby. \u2018It took me 10 years to finally get this one single image of a brown hyena, in the most perfect frame imaginable.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The rarest hyena species in the world, brown hyenas are nocturnal and mostly solitary. They are known to pass through Kolmanskop on their way to hunt Cape fur seal pups or scavenge for carrion washed ashore along the Namib Desert coast.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location: <\/strong>Kolmanskop, near L\u00fcderitz, Namibia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon D810 + 17\u201335mm f2.8 lens at 17mm; 15 at f2.8; ISO 3200; 2x Nikon SB-800 Speedlight flashes; Camtraptions motion sensor<\/p>\n<h2>After the Destruction &#8211; Andrea Dominizi<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Andrea_Dominizi__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"293\" src=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Andrea_Dominizi__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Andrea_Dominizi__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Andrea_Dominizi__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Andrea Dominizi  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 \/ 15 \u2013 17 Years<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Andrea Dominizi (Italy) finds a longhorn beetle \u2013 a forest sentinel observing an intruder.<\/p>\n<p>Andrea noticed this longhorn beetle while walking in the Lepini Mountains of central Italy, in an area once logged for old beech trees. Using a wide-angle lens and off-camera flash, he framed the beetle against abandoned machinery.<\/p>\n<p>Andrea\u2019s photograph tells a poignant story of habitat loss. As longhorn beetles tunnel into dead wood, fungi make their way inside, helping to break it down and recycle nutrients. If the beetles\u2019 habitat is disturbed or destroyed, the effects ripple across the entire ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Lepini Mountains, Lazio, Italy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon D7100 + Tokina 10\u201317mm f3.5\u20134.5 fisheye lens at 17mm; 1\/80 at f8; ISO 400; Godox TT350 off-camera flash and diffuser<\/p>\n<h2>Orphan of the Road &#8211; Fernando Faciole<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Fernando_Faciole__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Fernando_Faciole__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Fernando_Faciole__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Fernando_Faciole__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Fernando Faciole  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Impact Award, 2025 \/ Highly Commended, Photojournalism<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fernando Faciole (Brazil) watches an orphaned giant anteater pup follow its caregiver after an evening feed at a rehabilitation centre.<\/p>\n<p>Fernando wanted to highlight the consequences of road collisions, a leading cause of the decline in giant anteater numbers in Brazil. This pup\u2019s mother was killed by a vehicle, and the hope is that it will be released back into the wild after being encouraged to develop crucial survival skills by its caregiver.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside rehabilitation centres, the Anteaters and Highways project of the Wild Animal Conservation Institute is developing strategies to reduce anteater deaths on Brazil\u2019s roads. These include erecting fences and building underground tunnels to allow the anteaters to cross safely.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres (CETAS), Belo Horizonte, Brazil<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon D850 + 24\u201370mm f2.8 lens at 28mm; 0.8 at f22; ISO 31; Nikon Speedlight flash with Greica CT-16 transmitter\/receiver<\/p>\n<h2>Like an Eel out of Water &#8211; Shane Gross<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Shane_Gross__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"346\" src=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Shane_Gross__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Shane_Gross__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Shane_Gross__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Shane Gross  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Animals in their Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Shane Gross (Canada) witnesses a peppered moray eel very much in its element hunting for carrion at low tide.<\/p>\n<p>It took Shane numerous attempts over several weeks to document this rarely photographed behaviour. At first the eels were elusive, but once Shane realised that they were scavenging for dead fish, he waited. His patience was soon rewarded when these three eels appeared.<\/p>\n<p>Peppered moray eels are well adapted to the intertidal zone. They can hunt both above and below the water\u2019s surface using their keen senses of smell and sight, sometimes staying out of water for more than 30 seconds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> D\u2019Arros Island, Amirante, Seychelles<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z6 + 24\u201370mm lens at 24mm; 1\/250 at f5.6; ISO 2500; Godox AD400 Pro flash with 24-inch diffuser; light stand<\/p>\n<h2>Cat Amongst the Flamingos &#8211; Dennis Stogsdill<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Dennis_Stogsdill__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Dennis_Stogsdill__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Dennis_Stogsdill__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Dennis_Stogsdill__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Dennis Stogsdill  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Behaviour: Mammals<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dennis Stogsdill (USA) witnesses a caracal hunting a lesser flamingo in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.<\/p>\n<p>Dennis had been keeping an eye out for wild cats such as servals for several days when a call came over the radio: one had been seen at Ndutu Lake. But it wasn\u2019t a serval. It was a caracal, successfully hunting wading lesser flamingos.<\/p>\n<p>Caracals have a varied diet, from insects to antelope, and are renowned for the acrobatic leaps they make to snatch birds from the air. But there are few, if any, records of them hunting flamingos.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Ndutu Lake, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Canon EOS-1D X Mark II + 600mm f4 lens; 1\/1600 at f5.6; ISO 2500<\/p>\n<h2>Shadow Hunter &#8211; Philipp Egger<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Philipp_Egger__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Philipp_Egger__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Philipp_Egger__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/1.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Philipp_Egger__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Philipp Egger  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Animal Portraits<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Philipp Egger\u2019s (Italy) patience is rewarded with the orange glint of an eagle owl\u2019s eyes and the evening light falling on its feathers.<\/p>\n<p>Philipp first saw this nest while climbing and spent four years observing it from a distance. He planned this image meticulously, right down to the slight camera wobble to blur the few elements present, using a telephoto lens.<\/p>\n<p>About twice the weight of a buzzard and with a wingspan approaching 180 centimetres (6 feet), these formidable nocturnal predators are among the largest owls. They nest on sheltered cliff ledges or in crevices, often returning to the same site for years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Naturns, South Tyrol, Italy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z9 + 180\u2013600mm f5.6\u20136.3 lens; 1\/10 at f29; ISO 320<\/p>\n<h2>Frolicking Frogs &#8211; Quentin Martinez, France<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Quentin_Martinez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-aspect-ratio=\"4x3\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TC4x3S520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Quentin_Martinez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Quentin_Martinez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TC4x3S1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Quentin_Martinez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Quentin Martinez  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Quentin Martinez (France) discovers a gathering of lesser tree frogs in a breeding event.<\/p>\n<p>In persistent rain, Quentin followed a flooded path to a temporary pool in a forest clearing. He framed this scene with a wide-angle lens and used a diffused flash, which didn\u2019t disturb the frogs, to highlight their metallic sheen.<\/p>\n<p>To attract mates, lesser tree frogs produce short, shrill calls. Huge numbers gather, and the spectacular breeding event \u2013 triggered by heavy rains \u2013 lasts for just a few hours.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Kaw Mountain, French Guiana<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Canon EOS 7D Mark II + 17\u201340mm f4 lens at 24mm; 1\/200 at f16; ISO 500; 4x Meike MK320 flashes; homemade softbox<\/p>\n<h2>Synchronised Fishing &#8211; Qingrong Yang<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Qingrong_Yang__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Qingrong_Yang__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Qingrong_Yang__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Qingrong_Yang__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Qingrong Yang  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Behaviour: Birds<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Qingrong Yang (China) perfects photographic timing to show a ladyfish snatching its prey from right under this little egret\u2019s beak.<\/p>\n<p>Qingrong was at Yundang Lake near his home, a place he visits regularly to photograph the feeding frenzies: little egrets patrol the surface, ready to pounce on fish leaping to escape underwater predators.<\/p>\n<p>Once a natural marine harbour, Yundang Lake was sealed off from the sea during 1970s development. Isolated from the tides and currents, it became polluted and stagnant. An engineering project later reconnected it to the sea via a system of gates that regulate water flow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Yundang Lake, Fujian Province, China<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z9 + 400mm f2.8 lens; 1\/2500 at f5; ISO 110<\/p>\n<h2>Mad Hatterpillar &#8211; Georgina Steytler<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Georgina_Steytler__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Georgina_Steytler__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Georgina_Steytler__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Georgina_Steytler__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Georgina Steytler  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Behaviour: Invertebrates<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Georgina Steytler (Australia) showcases the strange headgear of a gum-leaf skeletoniser caterpillar.<\/p>\n<p>Georgina had been looking out for this caterpillar for years when she noticed eucalyptus trees bearing skeletonised leaves, telltale signs that the animal had been grazing. She took this image backlit by the setting sun, using a fill-in flash to illuminate the living head at the base of the stack.<\/p>\n<p>This caterpillar\u2019s unusual headgear is made up of old head capsules, each retained with every moult. The resulting tower is believed to help deflect attacks by predators.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Torndirrup National Park, Western Australia, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III + 90mm f3.5 lens; 1\/250 at f22; ISO 500; Godox flash<\/p>\n<h2>The Feast &#8211; Audun Rikardsen<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Audun_Rickardsen__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"354\" src=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Audun_Rickardsen__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Audun_Rickardsen__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Audun_Rickardsen__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Audun Rickardsen  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Oceans: The Bigger Picture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Audun Rikardsen (Norway) witnesses feeding time around an Atlantic fishing vessel during a polar night in northern Norway.<\/p>\n<p>Audun managed to photograph this chaotic scene of gulls attempting to catch fish trapped by nets. The gulls have learnt to follow the sound of the boats to find a herring feast. Through his work, Audun aims to draw attention to the ongoing conflict between seabirds and the fishing industry.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, many birds drown in or around these purse seine nets each year. Various fisheries and researchers are trialling solutions, including sinking the nets more quickly to make them less accessible to the birds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Kv\u00e6nangen Fjord, Skjerv\u00f8y, Norway<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Canon EOS R5 + 15\u201335mm f2.8 lens at 15mm; 1\/200 at f4.5; ISO 10000; Canon Speedlite 600EX II flash; LED torch<\/p>\n<h2>The Weaver\u2019s Lair &#8211; Jamie Smart<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Jamie_Smart__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"780\" src=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Jamie_Smart__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Jamie_Smart__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" alt=\"\u00a9 Jamie Smart  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, 10 Years and Under<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jamie Smart (UK) spots an orb weaver spider inside its silken retreat on a cold September morning.<\/p>\n<p>Jamie first noticed the dew-laden web before realising its maker was sitting in a nest. With the patience and steadiness needed to manually focus her camera, she kept the spider perfectly lit and symmetrically framed.<\/p>\n<p>This spider\u2019s web is constructed from a scaffold of radial threads, overlaid with a spiral of sticky silk to hold ensnared insects. A strong signal thread transmits vibrations to the spider\u2019s hiding place, triggering it to emerge and collect its prey.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Mid-Wales, UK<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z9 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1\/200 at f10; ISO 80; Nikon SB-910 Speedlight flash; Cygnustech diffuser<\/p>\n<h2>Alpine Dawn &#8211; Lubin Godin<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Lubin_Godin__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"293\" src=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Lubin_Godin__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Lubin_Godin__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Lubin_Godin__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Lubin Godin  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, 11\u201314 Years<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lubin Godin (France) finds himself in mist-shrouded mountains with silhouetted ibex.<\/p>\n<p>Lubin spotted the Alpine ibex resting above a sea of clouds during an early morning ascent. As the mist rose and the sun broke over the crags, he retraced his steps to capture this ethereal moment before fog thickened and the light faded.<\/p>\n<p>Native to Europe, the species was hunted close to extinction in the early 1800s. Thanks to protection and reintroduction efforts, ibex now roam large areas of the Alps. However, a rapidly changing climate causing shifts in food availability during breeding seasons may hinder their survival.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location: <\/strong>Col de la Colombi\u00e8re, Haute-Savoie, France<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Canon EOS R7 + 100\u2013400mm f4.5\u20135.6 lens at 140mm + 1.4x teleconverter; 1\/640 at f8; ISO 100<\/p>\n<h2>Survival Purse &#8211; Ralph Pace<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Ralph_Pace__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Ralph_Pace__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Ralph_Pace__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Ralph_Pace__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Ralph Pace  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Underwater<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ralph Pace (USA) beautifully illuminates the egg case of a swell shark, tethered to the base of a giant kelp.<\/p>\n<p>Faced with strong currents pushing him from side to side, Ralph struggled to keep steady to photograph this egg case, or \u2018mermaid\u2019s purse\u2019. He lit the case from behind to reveal the swell shark embryo within, its gill slits and yolk sac clearly visible among the dark kelp forest.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers estimate that kelp forests in Monterey Bay have declined by more than 95 per cent over the past 34 years. Swell sharks depend on kelp to lay their leathery eggs, making them especially vulnerable to such losses.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Monterey Bay, California, USA<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon D850 + 28\u201370mm f3.5\u20134.5 lens; 1\/125 at f14; ISO 640; Nauticam housing; 2x Sea &amp; Sea strobes<\/p>\n<h2>Caught in the Headlights &#8211; Simone Baumeister<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Simone_Baumeister__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Simone_Baumeister__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Simone_Baumeister__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/3.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Simone_Baumeister__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Simone Baumeister  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Natural Artistry<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Simone Baumeister (Germany) shows an orb weaver spider on its web on a pedestrian bridge, silhouetted by lights from the cars below.<\/p>\n<p>To achieve this kaleidoscopic effect, Simone reversed one of the six glass elements in an analogue lens. This distorted the image at the edges while leaving the centre sharply focused. She then cropped the picture to move the spider slightly off-centre.<\/p>\n<p>In urban environments, orb weaver spiders often spin webs near artificial lights that attract insects at night. The web acts as an extension of their sense organ, gathering sound and transmitting vibrations, including those of prey, to their legs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Ibbenbu\u0308ren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Canon EOS R5 + Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 lens + 16mm extension tube; 1\/250 at f2.8 (-1.33 e\/v); ISO 1250<\/p>\n<h2>Deadly Allure &#8211; Chien Lee<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Chien_Lee__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Chien_Lee__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Chien_Lee__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Chien_Lee__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Chien Lee  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Plants and Fungi<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Chien Lee (Malaysia) uses a UV torch to reveal the fluorescent world of an insect-attracting pitcher plant.<\/p>\n<p>Insects can see ultraviolet (UV) light, but humans can\u2019t, so Chien used a long exposure and a UV torch. Waiting until after sunset, he had just a five-minute window before the ambient light illuminating the backdrop disappeared completely.<\/p>\n<p>Some carnivorous pitcher plants reflect UV light on certain areas as part of their \u2018display\u2019. They use colour, scent and nectar to lure their prey into pools of digestive juices at the bottom of their leaves.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z9 + Laowa 15mm f4 macro lens; 30 at f16; ISO 100; Convoy C8 ultraviolet torch<\/p>\n<h2>Vanishing Pond &#8211; Sebastian Fr\u00f6lich<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Sebastian_Fro%CC%88lich__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Sebastian_Fro%CC%88lich__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Sebastian_Fro\u0308lich__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Sebastian_Fro\u0308lich__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Sebastian Fro\u0308lich  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sebastian Fr\u00f6lich (Germany) finds a springtail among a galaxy of neon green gas bubbles in Austrian moorlands.<\/p>\n<p>Sebastian visited this fragile wetland ecosystem to highlight its importance as a vast store of carbon dioxide and as a habitat for diverse wildlife. A tiny springtail ran across escaping gas bubbles rising through the algae, giving this image a sense of scale.<\/p>\n<p>Austria has lost 90 per cent of its peat bogs, and only 10 per cent of those that remain are in good condition. Platzertal is one of the last intact high moorlands in the Austrian Alps, and an area renowned for its carbon-storing peat bogs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Platzertal, Tyrol, Austria<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z7 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1\/800 at f9 (-1.67 e\/v); ISO 400<\/p>\n<h2>How to Save a Species &#8211; Jon A Ju\u00e1rez<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Jon_A_Jua%CC%81rez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Jon_A_Jua%CC%81rez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Jon_A_Jua\u0301rez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Jon_A_Jua\u0301rez__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Jon A Jua\u0301rez  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Photojournalism<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jon A Ju\u00e1rez (Spain) documents the groundbreaking science to save the northern white rhino from extinction through in vitro fertilisation (IVF).<\/p>\n<p>Jon spent years documenting the work of the BioRescue Project, and says that witnessing a milestone in saving a species &#8216;was something I will never forget&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>This southern white rhino foetus, which did not survive due to an infection, was the result of the first successful rhino embryo transfer into a surrogate mother through IVF. This breakthrough paves the way for saving the rare northern white rhino from extinction, as scientists can take the next crucial steps towards transferring the first northern white rhino embryo into a southern white rhino surrogate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Ol Pejeta, Nanyuki, Laikipia County, Kenya<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z9 + 24\u2013120mm f4 lens at 24mm; 1\/400 at f7.1; ISO 1600; LED light panel<\/p>\n<h2>Seething Pit &#8211; Javier Aznar Gonz\u00e1lez de Rueda<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Javier_Aznar_Gonza%CC%81lez_de_Rueda__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Javier_Aznar_Gonza%CC%81lez_de_Rueda__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Javier_Aznar_Gonza\u0301lez_de_Rueda__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Javier_Aznar_Gonza\u0301lez_de_Rueda__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Javier Aznar Gonza\u0301lez de Rueda  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Photojournalist Story Award<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Visitors gaze at hundreds of western diamondback rattlesnakes at the annual rattlesnake round-up in Sweetwater, Texas. Many of these snakes will be killed and sold for their skin and meat. Round-ups can harm other animals too: snakes are often driven from their rock shelters using petrol fumes, which also affect any creatures sheltering alongside them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Sony \u03b17R III + 24\u201370mm f2.8 lens at 44mm; 1\/30 at f10; ISO 4000<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Javier Aznar Gonz\u00e1lez de Rueda (Spain) explores the complex relationship between humans and rattlesnakes across the United States.<\/p>\n<p>For centuries, rattlesnakes have been viewed in vastly different ways across the American continent \u2013 from reverence and respect to fear and suspicion. Annual rattlesnake round-ups, where hunters compete to collect the highest weight of snakes, began in the 1930s. Today, these competitions are losing their appeal, but in some states, anti-rattlesnake sentiment remains strong.<\/p>\n<p>In this portfolio, Javier calls for respect and protection for these creatures before they disappear from the American landscape.<\/p>\n<h2>Sole Survivor &#8211; Luca Lorenz, Germany<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Luca_Lorenz__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__5_.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Luca_Lorenz__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__5_.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Luca_Lorenz__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__5_.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS1040x0~articles\/1677443633\/\u00a9_Luca_Lorenz__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__5_.jpeg 2x\" alt=\"\u00a9 Luca Lorenz  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year  5 \"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Rising Star Award<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Luca had been watching a tree hole where this Eurasian pygmy owl and its mate were nesting. When one disappeared, the other continued feeding the chicks. On this day, the remaining bird returned clutching the chicks\u2019 breakfast in its claws, and called for its mate, but there was no reply.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment:<\/strong> Nikon Z8 + 180\u2013600mm f5.6\u20136.3 lens at 600mm; 1\/125 at f6.3; ISO 2500<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Luca Lorenz (Germany) explores his passion for the natural world by viewing it through an artistic lens.<\/p>\n<p>Luca\u2019s childhood ambition was to learn everything he could about birds. He spent long hours in the parks around his home on the outskirts of Berlin, observing them. He bought his first camera when he was 13, and photography became a passion.<\/p>\n<p>Through photography, Luca is able to spend time in nature and highlight its beauty. His portfolio aims to show people his personal view of nature and inspire others to protect it.<\/p>\n<h2>Taiga Tapestry &#8211; Alexey Kharitonov<\/h2>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"images noCaptions noCrop single center\" data-image-height=\"null\" data-image-width=\"520\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"image\" style=\"width: 520px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/files\/p\/articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Alexey_Kharitonov__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__3_.jpeg\" target=\"article-1677443633\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" data-thumbnail-height=\"0\" data-thumbnail-width=\"520\" height=\"781\" src=\"https:\/\/4.img-dpreview.com\/files\/p\/E~TS520x0~articles\/1677443633\/%C2%A9_Alexey_Kharitonov__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__3_.jpeg\" width=\"520\" data-filename=\"\u00a9_Alexey_Kharitonov__courtesy_Wildlife_Photographer_of_the_Year__3_.jpeg\" alt=\"\u00a9 Alexey Kharitonov  courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year  3 \"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Winner, Portfolio Award for Visions of the North<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A kaleidoscope of colours carpets Mukhinskoye Swamp under a grey sky. Blue lakes and channels fringed with white ice contrast with green and yellow grasses and widespread sphagnum mosses, which turn vibrant orange and red during the brief autumn.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Equipment: <\/strong>DJI Mavic 2 Pro + Hasselblad L1D-20c 28mm f2.8 lens; 1\/30 at f2.8 (-0.3 e\/v); ISO 100<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Alexey Kharitonov (Israel\/Russia) finds art in unexpected perspectives across Russia\u2019s northern swamps.<\/p>\n<p>Alexey is a self-taught photographer with a passion for landscape photography. His artistic exploration of remote regions in the Russian North, Siberia and Asia highlights taiga and Arctic tundra scenes as summer rapidly turns to winter.<\/p>\n<p>Using drones, he picks out details in these vast terrains, showcasing their wild beauty through striking compositions. Yet beyond this visual feast lie human-made threats \u2013 not least a pressing vulnerability to climate change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Author:<br \/>\nThis article comes from <i>DP Review<\/i> and can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpreview.com\/articles\/1677443633\/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2025-awards-natural-history-museum-london\" target=\"_blank\"><b>read on the original site.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 Winners The Natural History Museum, London, has announced the winners of its 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_customify_content_layout":"","_customify_sidebar":"","_customify_page_header_display":"","_customify_disable_header":"","_customify_disable_header_top":"","_customify_disable_header_main":"","_customify_disable_header_bottom":"","_customify_disable_page_title":"","_customify_disable_content_vertical_padding":"","_customify_disable_footer_top":"","_customify_disable_footer_main":"","_customify_disable_footer_bottom":"","_customify_breadcrumb_display":"","_customify_header_transparent_display":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[51,50,49,39,52],"class_list":["post-9805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-camera-review-and-news","tag-camcorder","tag-camera","tag-dp-review","tag-news","tag-review"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Brokenmount","author_link":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/author\/sysop\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/category\/camera-review-and-news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Camera Reviews and News<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 Winners The Natural History Museum, London, has announced the winners of its 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition,&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9805"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9805\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brokenmount.com\/bm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}