Dear readers, we have finally arrived at that exciting time of the year. Organized by the Natural History Museum, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, one of the best platforms that showcase the world’s best nature photography and wildlife photojournalism, has finally unveiled its ‘Highly Commended’ photographs. In its 60th year, the contest received a ground-breaking 59,228 entries from photographers in 117 nations. Read more to find out what makes this edition so unique.
This year’s excellent photographs depict natural phenomena—a ‘dancing’ stoat, a moonlight hunter, and even the David Bowie spider—to name a few. With every iteration of the awards, the photographers’ creativity, originality, and technical prowess have reached new heights, making the judging process an intricate task for the international panel of experts. Kathy Moran, Chair of the judging panel, notes, “In this selection, you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues. These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world – the beauty and the challenges. It is a powerful selection with which to kickstart a milestone anniversary.”
Although the Highly Commended section of the contest has been unveiled, the winners—including the prestigious Grand Title and Young Grand Title awards—will be declared on October 8. Furthermore, a stunning showcase of 100 striking images has also been scheduled to commence on October 11. Since the Museum is celebrating its diamond jubilee of the contest, the showcase will also include a timeline highlighting significant moments from the awards’s history. Dr. Doug Gurr, Director of the Museum, reflects, “Today, the competition remains true to one of its founding objectives: ‘to enhance the prestige of wildlife photography in the hope that ultimately the awards would benefit animals by creating greater public interest in them and in that all-important topic – conservation.’”
Let’s look at the Runner-Up and the Highly Commended list without further ado.
Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year
In the Spotlight by Shreyovi Mehta, India – Runner-Up
Shreyovi Mehta was walking in Keoladeo National Park with her parents when she noticed two Peafowl standing opposite each other. The layers of mist created a fascinating silhouette, giving the image a painterly quality. Shreyovi quickly returned to her father to take his camera and photograph this moment from a low angle. The image is a Runner-Up in the 10 Years and Under category.
Location: Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, India
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 + 100–500mm F4.5–7.1 lens; 1/800 at F10; ISO 1600
Leaving the Nest by Sasha Jumanca, Germany/Romania
Sasha Jumanca discovered the tawny owlets curiously looking at people walking by. He discovered them at a park near his house and observed them for several days before he captured this image. The image is Highly Commended in the 10 Years and Under category.
Location: Maximiliansanlagen, Munich, Germany
Technical details: Nikon D7200 + 200–500mm F5.6 lens at 270mm; 1/500 at F6.3; ISO 2200
Twist and Jump by Jose Manuel Grandío, Spain
Jose Manuel Grandío was enjoying his winter trip to France when he spotted this stoat jumping mid-air. To Grandío, the performance was an ‘expression of exuberance,’ a behavior whose motives have divided scientists’ opinions. Either way, Grandío was amazed by the little mammal hurling itself about in a fresh fall of snow. And so, captured the image that signifies its joy. The image is Highly Commended in the Behavior: Mammals category.
Location: Athose, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
Technical details: Nikon D500 + 500mm F4 lens; 1/6000 at F4; ISO 800
Centre of Attention by Georgina Steytler, Australia
In this image, Georgina Steytler observed a ball of male Dawson’s burrowing bees vying for access to a female. The young photographer has been studying the invertebrates for several years. Since she was aware of keeping her distance from the bees, Georgina chose to lie down on the ground to capture this stunning image. The picture is Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s Behaviour: Invertebrates category.
Location: Near Carnarvon, Western Australia, Australia
Technical details: Nikon Z 8 + 800mm F6.3 lens + 1.4x teleconverter; 1/5000 at F11; ISO 640
Deadly Bite by Ian Ford, UK
Ian Ford was at the South American Pantanal wetland when a call over the radio alerted him of a jaguar’s movements. Ian, who was at the banks of a São Lourenço River tributary, kneeled inside his boat to capture this excellent moment when the cat crushed the skull of the gullible Yacare caiman. The picture is Highly Commended in the Behavior: Mammals category.
Location: Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Technical details: Sony α1 + 400mm F2.8 lens; 1/800 at F4 (-1 e/v); ISO 400
Ziggy Spider by Lam Soon Tak, Malaysia
Lam Soon Tak was examining the Malaysian highlands when he saw a colorful David Bowie spider holding an egg sac. The spider, founded by Dr Peter Jäger, was named after the singer as its head looked akin to the make-up worn by Bowie during the 1970s. Tak, who sat on the branch of a tree near a river, captured this phenomenal instance by highlighting the spider against the vibrant greens of the moss. The photograph is Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s Behavior: Invertebrates category.
Location: Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
Technical details: Nikon Z 8 + 105mm F2.8 lens; 1/125 at F20; ISO 250; multiple flashes + DIY diffusers
The Last Resting Place by Randy Robbins, USA
It was a cold winter morning when Randy Robbins, who was checking his trail camera, spotted the body of the deer. Struck by its beauty, Randy photographed his moment using his smartphone, portraying the charm of this mammal’s frosted form on the forest floor. The picture is Highly Commended in the Natural Artistry category.
Location: Near Susanville, California, USA
Technical details: Apple iPhone XR; 4.25mm built-in lens; 1/121 at F1.8
Precious Rocks by Samual Stone, UK
Jackdaws are highly intelligent and adaptable birds. Samual Stone noticed this when he saw a hole in the trunk of a half-fallen willow tree in a park. The young photographer, who has been watching these birds, saw a duo of jackdaws visiting with their beaks full of hair taken from the coats of local deer. Later, he captured this photograph, where the bird carried stones to build its nest. The image is Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s Behavior: Birds category.
Location: Bushy Park, London, England, UK
Technical details: Nikon D5500 + Sigma 150–600mm F5-6.3 lens; 1/500 at F6.3; ISO 800
Going with the Floe by Tamara Stubbs, UK
Tamara Stubbs was on a nine-week expedition for Atlantic Productions in the Weddell Sea when she saw the fast asleep near her ship. It was unusual, as the tips of their nostrils were at the water’s surface. However, it was the duo in this photograph who had come up the water to a deeper breath when Tarama froze the tranquil moment. The image is Highly Commended in the Animals in their Environment category.
Location: Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Technical details: Sony α7R II + Canon 24–70mm F2.8 lens at 70mm; 1/320 at F7.1; ISO 100; polarising filter
Strength in Numbers by Theo Bosboom, The Netherlands
Mussels are crucial in establishing dynamic ecosystems for other marine invertebrates, including crustaceans, worms, and even small fish. However, they are not considered beautiful, per se. Theo Bosboom, however, prefers to photograph such creatures to portray their unrecognized significance. Theo used a probe lens for this image to illustrate how mussels bind together to avoid being washed away from the shoreline. The image is Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s Animals in their Environment category.
Location: Praia da Ursa, Sintra, Portugal
Technical details: Canon EOS R5 + Laowa 24mm Periprobe lens; 0.6 sec at F32; ISO 200; focus stack of 9 images
The Disappearing Ice Cap by Thomas Vijayan, Canada
Oceans: The Bigger Picture
The Bråsvellbreen glacier is part of Austfonna, Europe’s third-largest ice cap. Thomas Vijayan, who wanted to capture the mesmerizing beauty and mystery of Austfonna, spent hours intricately planning his trip to the icy wonder. The image, which was captured using a drone, was stitched using 26 individual frames to give a panoramic view of the location. The image is Highly Commended in the Oceans: The Bigger Picture category.
Location: Svalbard, Norway
Technical details: DJI Mavic Mini 2 + 24mm F2.8 lens; 26 individual exposures
Hooked by Tommy Trenchard, South Africa
Tommy Trenchard was on the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, which was on a research mission to document the accidental capture of sharks by boats fishing for tuna and swordfish. The goal was to shed light on the lack of effective regulations for industrial fishing in international waters. In this photograph, Tommy captures a requiem shark’s body twisted in a conclusive act of opposition. The image is Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s Oceans: The Bigger Picture category.
Location: International waters, South Atlantic Ocean
Technical details: Fujifilm X-T2 + 50–230mm F4.5–6.7 lens; 1/550 at F5.2; ISO 500
Stormy Scene by William Fortescue, UK
William Fortescue was in the Serengeti National Park when it began to pour. William saw the lion mate multiple times before the lioness broke off the intimacy. While he was making the image, he didn’t realize he had captured this enchanting image against a backdrop of storm clouds. It was only after he enlarged the image that he noticed the saliva trails and the explosion of insects from the male’s mane. The image is Highly Commended in the Behavior: Mammals category.
Location: Namiri Plains, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Technical details: Nikon Z 9 + 70–200mm F2.8 lens; 1/1000 at F5; ISO 320
Moonlight Hunter by Xingchao Zhu, China
During the Chinese New Year, Xingchao Zhu, who was on the freezing plateau of Inner Mongolia, came across Pallas’ cat. The mammals survive at altitudes up to 5,000 meters, so Xingchao was keen on tracking them. After much struggle, the young photographer captured this image of the feline with its prey against the glittery moon. The image is Highly Commended in the Behavior: Mammals category.
Location: Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia, China
Technical details: Nikon Z 9 + 800mm F6.3 lens; 1/160 at F6.3; ISO 1400
For more information on the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, visit the Natural History Museum’s website.