The Nature Photography Contest, which held its first edition in 2023, announced the inaugural winners’ circle, which offers €2,000 in cash prizes, equivalent to just over $2,000 USD.
The most prestigious awards go to Glenn Ostle for Photography of the Year and Alain Schroeder, who was named Photographer of the Year. Ostle earns €1,000 in prize money, and Schroeder will choose the country in which to plant nearly 400 trees as part of the Nature Photography Contest’s collaboration with the organization One Tree Planted. The quantity of trees is based on the number of participants in this year’s competition, according to the Nature Photography Contest, which the organizers “hope to surpass in future editions.”
There are 10 other categories, whose winners each receive €100 in prize money. Alessio Calviani won the category “Birds” for the photograph “Puffin in Iceland.” The image shows a closeup of the bird as it walks along a cliff. Muhammad Hossain’s photograph “Fatigue Sleep” won the “Environmental Impact” category.
“Many homeless people in Bangladesh have lost their homes and properties due to frequent floods, river erosion, and other natural calamities. They were forced to migrate to the Dhaka city in search of a better future. These people have no place to take shelter in big cities,” the entry reads. “Their day starts in dump hills and streets in roads or boats to nowhere. The concrete-covered street and dirt hills is a flower bed for these refugees who practically do not have any identity. They live by working as street hawkers, boatman, laborers, and doing other odd jobs.”
On a much lighter note, the image “Monday,” taken by Panisara Sripratoom prevailed in the “Funny Nature” category. In it, a sleepy-looking spotted owlet emerges from a hole in a tree stump. The photo also reflects the species’ ability to adapt to a university campus, according to the competition website.
“The Dreamer — Philaeus chrysops,” taken by Adrian Truchta, shows a close-up of the small spider, won the “Macrophotography” category.
Marek Biegalski’s “Burning Flower” took the “Natural Landscape” prize. Despite the name, the image actually shows a glacial river in Iceland. The flow of sediment gives off a bright orange hue, giving the illusion of a burning flower.
Moving to the Es Pontàs arch in Mallorca, Marc Marco’s “Los arcos y la cueva,” which won the “Night World” category, shows a mirrored arch of the Milky Way above the picturesque rock formation.
A similar arc of the solar system is on display in Marcio Cabral’s photography “Pandora.” This image, also seen at the top, won the “Plant Life” category and shows the night sky with illuminated white flowers in the foreground.
Photographer of the Year winner Schroeder also took the prize for the “Sharing the World Category” with the image “Saving Orangutans 01.” In it, a team prepares a baby orangutan, which was rescued after being kept as a pet, for surgery.
“Tangle,” taken by 家 住, shows an entrancing spiral of a moray eel and won the “Underwater” category. Soumya Ranjan Bhattacharyya won the “Wildlife” category with the image “Stories in the Sand.”
“I shot this image of the scorpion in the sand dunes at [Jaisalmer, India]. The scorpions when lighted by faint UV light, emit bright blue luminescence from its body. The image was captured using flashlight which lit up the wind created streaks of the dunes. The scorpion was illuminated by a UV flashlight,” the entry reads.
A massive gallery of finalists for this year’s contest are available on the competition’s website. The 2024 edition of the Nature Photography Contest is expected to open in May.
Image credits: Featured image by Marcio Cabral