The Natural History Museum (NHM) has unveiled fourteen highly praised photographs as part of its annual competition, which is now in its 58th year.
This year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition includes photographs of a snow-covered stag in London and tree frogs enjoying a “pool party.”
The Natural History Museum (NHM) has unveiled fourteen highly praised photographs as part of its annual competition, which is now in its 58th year.
Seven-year-old Joshua Cox captured these images of a gorgeous red deer stag coated in the snow in Richmond Park, southwest London.
The photograph was taken by the schoolboy after he and his father followed a group of deer from a safe distance until one of them halted as the blizzard deepened.
Joshua remarked, “He (the deer) almost appeared to be experiencing a snow shower.”
Other entries include an extraterrestrial photograph of a European perch swimming under a layer of algae, recorded by Tiina Tormanen, and a photograph of a giraffe “disappearing” in Nairobi, Kenya, taken by Jose Fragoso.
They are joined by a photo of a polar bear peering out a window of an abandoned hamlet, a close-up of a southern right whale, and a dog sniffing a sloth.
On 14 October, an exhibition of the top 100 pictures submitted to the competition opens at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, southwest London, before touring the UK and internationally.
This year’s exhibition features photographs by photographers of all ages from 93 nations.
Each submission was evaluated by a worldwide panel of industry experts based on its creativity, originality, and technical proficiency.
Dr. Doug Gurr, director of the National Museum of Natural History, stated that the entries demonstrate some of the world’s finest photographic talent and inspire “curiosity, connection, and awe.”
These awe-inspiring photographs reflect the human impact on the natural world in a manner that words cannot, from the urgency of dwindling biodiversity to the uplifting resurgence of a protected species,” he said.
Roz Kidman Cox, chair of the judging panel, remarked, “What has lingered with me is not only the incredible variety of topics in this year’s collection – a wide panorama of the natural world – but also the emotional power of so many of the photographs.”
The winning photographs will be announced at an event hosted by wildlife broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham on 11 October.
The adult 2021 contest was won by a photograph depicting a rare underwater spawning that occurs only once a year around the full moon.
The photograph by French underwater photographer and biologist Laurent Ballesta reveals “a short period of intriguing animal behavior” viewed by a small number of individuals.
Ten-year-old Vidyun R Hebbar won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award in 2021 for his photograph “Dome Home,” which depicts a tent spider in Bengaluru, India.
