Through the Lens: Extraordinary Images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024

A Tranquil Moment | ©Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, Sri Lanka/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Words by Wildlife Photographer of the Year
IG: @nhm_wpy
WB: www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy
Covered by Conker Nature Magazine
IG: @conkernaturemagazine

First Published: 08th October 2024 at 11:30 PM GMT

Selected from a record-breaking 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories, the winners of the Natural History Museum's prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition were revealed at an awards ceremony in South Kensington this evening.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.

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The Swarm of Life | ©Shane Gross, Canada / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @shanegrossphoto

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024

Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas from Germany was awarded Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his up-close image ‘Life Under Dead Wood’, depicting the fruiting bodies of slime mould on the right and a tiny springtail on the left.

Alexis quickly rolled over a log to take the intriguing image, moving fast as springtails can jump many times their body length in a split second. Alexis used a technique called focus stacking, where 36 images, each with a different area in focus, are combined.

Springtails are found in almost every corner of the globe as one of the most abundant of all macroscopic animals. They are vital for improving soil health by feeding on microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, helping organic matter to decompose.

“A photographer attempting to capture this moment not only brings great skill, but incredible attention to detail, patience and perseverance. To see a macro image of two species photographed on the forest floor, with such skill, is exceptional.” says Kathy Moran.

A Global Stage

The two Grand Title winners were selected from 18 astounding category winners that showcase the wonder and richness of biodiversity on our planet, whilst also, in many cases, shining a light on the numerous challenges wildlife across the globe faces today. In an intensive process, each entry was judged anonymously by an international panel of experts on its originality, narrative, technical excellence and ethical practice.

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, says: “Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s longevity is a testament to the vital importance and growing appreciation of our natural world. We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year’s portfolio – these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale.”

Selected from a record-breaking 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories, the winners of the Natural History Museum's prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition were revealed at an awards ceremony in South Kensington this evening.

Celebrating its sixtieth year, the flagship Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition featuring the 100 awarded images will open on Friday 11 October 2024 at the Natural History Museum, London.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024

Canadian Marine Conservation Photojournalist, Shane Gross, was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his image ‘The Swarm of Life’, a breathtaking photograph that shines a light on the magical underwater world of western toad tadpoles.

Shane captured the image whilst snorkelling for several hours through carpets of lily pads in Cedar Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, making sure not to disturb the fine layers of silt and algae covering the bottom of the lake. A near threatened species due to habitat destruction and predators, these tadpoles start their transition into toads between four and twelve weeks after hatching, but an estimated 99% of them will not survive to adulthood.

Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury and Editor, says: “The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles. We were equally excited by the addition of a new species to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year archive. Over the last few years, the competition has highlighted environments and species that are often overlooked yet provoke the same wonder and delight when shared as the more typically photographed wildlife and wild places.”

Life Under Dead Wood | ©Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Germany/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year

To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and in line with the Museum’s vision of a future where both people and planet thrive, the competition introduced the Impact Award for both the Adult and Young Photographer categories. This award recognises a conservation success; a story of hope and/or positive change.

The Young Impact Award was given to Liwia Pawłowska from Poland, who entered the competition’s Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year category with her image ‘Recording by Hand’. This photograph spotlights a relaxed common whitethroat as part of bird ringing, a technique that aids conservation efforts by recording a bird’s length, sex, condition and age to help scientists monitor populations and track migratory patterns. Australian photographer Jannico Kelk won the Adult Impact Award with his image ‘Hope for the Ninu’. The greater bilby, a small marsupial also referred to as the ninu, was brought to near extinction

through predation by introduced foxes and cats. Jannico’s image showcases a greater bilby in a fenced reserve, a method that has eradicated predators so that the greater bilby can thrive.

Celebrating Sixty Years of Wildlife Photographer of the Year

To honour the sixtieth anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, this year’s exhibition spotlights past Grand Title winners across the competition’s history and includes photographs, trophies and camera technology highlights that encapsulate the competition’s sixty years of revealing nature’s stories.

The exhibition also includes videos showing the impact wildlife photography can have globally alongside insights from jury members, photographers and Museum scientists to invite visitors to advocate for the natural world. The journey continues outside South Kensington too with planet-positive actions that audiences can take, found on our website, and an extensive tour of the exhibition across the UK and internationally to venues in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, with more to be announced.

The sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the Year is supported by Associate Donor, The William Brake Foundation.

Discover all of the category winners below:

Animals In Their Environment

Evoking atmosphere and a sense of place - with the habitat as a major element of the picture – to convey how an animal is an integral part of its environment.

FRONTIER OF THE LYNX

Russian Lynx, Lynx lynx. Lazovsky District, Primorsky Krai, Russia
Igor Metelskiy, Russia.
Category: Animals in Their Environment.
WINNER

Igor Metelskiy shows a lynx stretching in the early evening sunshine, its body mirroring the undulating wilderness.

The remote location and changing weather conditions made access to this spot – and transporting equipment there – a challenge. Igor positioned his camera trap near the footprints of potential prey.

It took more than six months of waiting to achieve this relaxed image of the elusive lynx. A survey carried out in 2013 estimated the entire Russian lynx population was around 22,500 individuals, with numbers for the Russian Far East, including those in Primorsky Krai, at 5,890.

Nikon D750 with Nikon 24–120mm f/4 lens. 24mm; 1/125s; f/11; ISO 800.

Frontier of the Lynx | ©Igor Metelskiy, Russia. / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @igor.metelskiy

Behaviour: Birds

Portraying memorable, unusual or dramatic behaviour.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus. Los Angeles, California, USA
Jack Zhi, United States
Category: Behaviour: Birds
WINNER.

Jack Zhi enjoys watching a young falcon practising its hunting skills on a butterfly, above its sea-cliff nest.

Jack has been visiting this area for the past eight years, observing the constant presence of one of the birds and photographing the chicks. On this day it was a challenge to track the action because the birds were so fast.

Should this young peregrine falcon make it to adulthood, tests have shown it will be capable of stooping, or dropping down on its prey from above, at speeds of more than 300 kilometres per hour (186 miles per hour).

Sony α9 II + 600mm f4 lens; 1/4000 at f5.6; ISO 640

Practice Makes Perfect | ©Jack Zhi, United States. / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @jack.zhi.photo

Animal Portraits

Revealing the personality of an individual or an intimate group of animals in a thought-provoking or memorable way.

ON WATCH

Eurasian Lynx, Lynx lynx. Yukon, Canada
John E Marriott, Canada
Category: Animal Portraits
WINNER

John E Marriott frames a lynx resting, with its fully grown young sheltering from the cold wind behind it.

John had been tracking this family group for almost a week, wearing snowshoes and carrying light camera gear to make his way through snowy forests. When fresh tracks led him to the group, he kept his distance to make sure he didn’t disturb them.

Lynx numbers usually reflect the natural population fluctuations of their main prey species, the snowshoe hare. With climate change reducing snow coverage, giving other predators more opportunities to hunt the hares, hare populations may decline, in turn affecting the lynx population.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens at 400mm; 1/800 at f9; ISO 1250

On Watch | ©John E Marriott, Canada / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @johnemarriott

Behaviour: Mammals

Portraying memorable, unusual or dramatic behaviour.

A TRANQUIL MOMENT

Toque Macaque, Macaca sinica. Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka
Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, Sri Lanka
Category: Behaviour: Mammals
WINNER.

Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod finds this serene scene of a young toque macaque sleeping in an adult’s arms.

Resting in a quiet place after a morning of photographing birds and leopards, Vinod soon realised he wasn’t alone. A troop of toque macaques was moving through the trees above. Vinod spotted this young monkey sleeping between feeds and used a telephoto lens to frame the peaceful moment.

Toque macaques easily adapt to human foods, and the encroachment of plantations into their habitat has seen an increase in incidents of shooting, snaring and poisoning by farmers trying to preserve their crops.

Nikon D500 + 600mm f4 lens; 1/1250 at f4; ISO 3200

A Tranquil Moment | ©Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, Sri Lanka / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles

Revealing active behaviour that adds to our understanding of the nature of a species.

WETLAND WRESTLE

Yellow Anaconda and Yacré Caiman, Eunectes notaeus and Caiman yacare. Transpantaneira Highway, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Karine Aigner, USA
Category: Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles
WINNER.

Karine Aigner recognises the skin of a yellow anaconda as it coils itself around the snout of a yacaré caiman.

The tour group Karine was leading had stopped to photograph some marsh deer when she noticed an odd shape floating in the water. Through binoculars, Karine quickly recognised the reptiles and watched as they struggled with each other.

Caimans are generalist feeders and will eat snakes. As anacondas get larger, they will include reptiles in their diet. It’s hard to determine who is the aggressor here. On the snake’s back are two tabanids, blood-sucking horseflies that are known to target reptiles.

Sony α1 + 200–600mm f5.6–6.3 lens; 1/400 at f16; ISO 800.

Wetland Wrestle | ©Karine Aigner / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @kaigner

Behaviour: Invertebrates

Revealing the most interesting or memorable behaviour of any of the multitude of smaller animals without backbones – whether on land, in the air, or in water.

THE DEMOLITION SQUAD

Blue ground beetle and Red Wood Ants, Carabus intricatus and Formica rufa. Hessen, Germany.
Ingo Arndt, Germany
Category: Behaviour: Invertebrates
GOLD AWARD WINNER.

Ingo Arndt documents the efficient dismemberment of a blue ground beetle by red wood ants.

‘Full of ant’ is how Ingo described himself after lying next to the ants’ nest for just a few minutes. Ingo watched as the red wood ants carved an already dead beetle into pieces small enough to fit through the entrance to their nest.

Much of the red wood ants’ nourishment comes from honeydew secreted by aphids, but they also need protein. They are capable of killing insects and other invertebrates much larger than themselves through sheer strength in numbers.

Canon EOS 5DS R + 100mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 at f8; ISO 400; Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX flash; softboxes

The Demolition Squad | ©Ingo Arndt, Germany/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Natural Artistry

Reflecting the simple beauty or complex artistry of nature. Photographs can be in colour or black and white, and although they may not match the criteria of other categories, they must remain true to nature.

THE ARTFUL CROW

Carrion Crow, Corvus corone. Park im Grünen – Grün 80, Basel, Switzerland .
Jiří Hřebíček, Czech Republic
Category: Natural Artistry
WINNER.

Jiří Hřebíček creates an impressionistic vision of this perching carrion crow.

Jiří often visits his local park in Basel as it’s an ideal place to experiment with camera techniques. To create this painterly effect of a sitting carrion crow, Jiří deliberately moved his camera in different directions while using a long shutter speed.

Carrion crows are intelligent birds that have successfully adapted to living alongside humans, with gardens and parks providing a regular food supply. In Switzerland they are found north of the Alps, with some of the highest concentrations around Basel.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 70–200mm f2.8 lens + 2x teleconverter; 2 sec at f10; ISO 50; variable neutral density filter

The Artful Crow | ©Jiří Hřebíček, Czech Republic/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @jiri_hrebicek

Oceans: The Bigger Picture

Reporting on the vital influence and importance of marine environments for us or the planet. Photographs can be taken above or below the water. They should convey a message – symbolic or actual – whether seas as reservoirs of extraordinary plenty or oceans as drivers of climate and weather, or as examples of human exploitation, protection or restoration of a marine environment.

A DIET OF DEADLY PLASTICS

Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes. Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia. 
Justin Gilligan, Australia
Category: Oceans: The Bigger Picture
WINNER

Justin Gilligan (Australia) creates a mosaic from the 403 pieces of plastic found inside the digestive tract of a dead flesh-footed shearwater.

Justin has been documenting Adrift Lab’s work for several years, often joining them on beach walks at dawn to collect dead chicks. The team brings together biologists from around the world to study the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems.

Studies found that three quarters of adult flesh-footed shearwaters breeding on Lord Howe Island – and 100% of fledglings – contained plastic. The team, including a Natural History Museum scientist, discovered it causes scarring to the lining of the digestive tract, a condition called plasticosis.Sony A7R IV with Sony 16–35mm f/2.8 lens. 16mm; 1/160s; f/4; ISO 500.

A Diet of Deadly Plastics | ©Justin Gilligan, Australia / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @justingilligan

Plants and Fungi

Conveying the essence of a plant or fungus or portraying its importance or role in its environment or its means of survival.

OLD MAN OF THE GLEN

Birch Tree, Betula pendula. Glen Affric, Highland, Scotland, UK.
Fortunato Gatto, Italy
Category: Plants & Fungi
WINNER.

Fortunato Gatto comes across a gnarled old birch tree adorned with pale ‘old man’s beard’ lichens.

Fortunato often visits the Glen Affric ancient pinewoods alone to lose himself in its intricate, chaotic, timeless beauty. The pale ‘old man’s beard’ lichens indicate that it’s an area of minimal air pollution.

Glen Affric is home to the highest concentration of native trees in the UK, making it a vital ecosystem. Analysis of pollen preserved in the layered sediments shows that the forest has stood here for at least 8,300 years.

Canon EOS R5 + 24–105mm f4 lens; 4 sec at f13; ISO 320; remote shutter release; Leofoto tripod 

Old Man of the Glen | ©Fortunato Gatto, Italy / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @fortunato.gatto

Underwater

Revealing life under water, whether a marine or freshwater environment. Photographs can focus on animal behaviour or portray animals or plants as part of particular underwater environments.

UNDER THE WATERLINE

Leopard Seals, Hydrurga leptonyx. Paradise Harbour, Antarctica.
Matthew Smith, UK/Australia
Category: Underwater
WINNER.

Matthew Smith carefully photographs a curious leopard seal beneath the Antarctic ice.

Matthew used a specially made extension he designed for the front of his underwater housing to get this split image. It was his first encounter with a leopard seal. The young seal made several close, curious passes. ‘When it looked straight into the lens barrel, I knew I had something good.’

Though leopard seals are widespread and abundant, overfishing, retreating sea ice and warming waters mean that krill and penguins – their main food sources – are both in decline.

Nikon Z 7 II + 14–30mm f4 lens; 1/200 at f11; ISO 640; neutral density graduated filter; Aquatica AZ6/7 housing + Matty Smith 12" split shot dome port; Sea & Sea YS-D3 MKII strobes 

Under the Waterline | ©Matthew Smith, UK/Australia / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @mattysmithphoto

Urban Wildlife

Focusing on nature’s occupation or cohabitation in a human-dominated environment, whether capturing the magic of the commonplace or the surprise of the unexpected or normally unseen.

TIGER IN TOWN

Tiger, Panthera tigris. Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
Robin Darius Conz, Germany
Category: Urban Wildlife
WINNER.

Robin Darius Conz watches a tiger on a hillside against the backdrop of a town where forests once grew.

Robin was following this tiger as part of a documentary team filming the wildlife of the Western Ghats. On this day, he used a drone to watch the tiger explore its territory before it settled in this spot.

The protected areas in the Western Ghats, where tigers are carefully monitored, are some of the most biodiverse landscapes in India and have a stable population of tigers. Outside these areas, where development has created conflict between humans and wildlife, tiger occupancy has declined.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine + 70mm f2.8 lens; 1/15 at f2.8; ISO 400

Tiger in Town | ©Robin Darius Conz, Germany / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @robin_darius

Wetlands: The Bigger Picture

Communicating the vital role of freshwater ecosystems, from mountain-tops-bogs and peat uplands, rivers and lakes to deltas, floodplains, marshes and mangroves. Photographs can be powerful through their impact or beauty or illustrate an environmental or conservation story that reveals the importance of wetlands for nature and/or for people.

THE SWARM OF LIFE

Western Toad Tadpoles, Anaxyrus boreas. Cedar Lake, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Shane Gross, Canada
Category: Wetlands: The Bigger Picture
CATEGORY WINNER AND WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024.

Shane Gross looks under the surface layer of lily pads as a mass of western toad tadpoles swim past.

Shane snorkelled in the lake for several hours, through carpets of lily pads. This prevented any disturbance of the fine layers of silt and algae covering the lake bottom, which would have reduced visibility.

Western toad tadpoles swim up from the safer depths of the lake, dodging predators and trying to reach the shallows, where they can feed. The tadpoles start becoming toads between four and 12 weeks after hatching. An estimated 99% will not survive to adulthood.

Nikon D500 + Tokina fisheye 10–17mm f3.5–4.5 lens at 11mm; 1/200 at f13; ISO 640; 2x Sea & Sea strobes; Aquatica housing.

The Swarm of Life | ©Shane Gross, Canada / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @shanegrossphoto

Photojournalism

For the following categories, you will need to submit multiple photographs. You may provide a minimum of six and maximum of 10 photographs.

DUSTING FOR NEW EVIDENCE

CITES Border Force Department. Heathrow Airport, London, England, UK
Britta Jaschinski, Germany/UK
Category: Photojournalism
WINNER

Britta Jaschinski looks on as a crime scene investigator from London’s Metropolitan Police dusts for prints on a confiscated tusk.

Britta spent time at the CITES Border Force department where confiscated animal products are tested. Newly developed magnetic powder allows experts to obtain fingerprints from ivory up to 28 days after it was touched, increasing the chances of identifying those involved in its illegal trade.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare has distributed more than 200 specially created kits to border forces from 40 countries. They have been instrumental in four cases that resulted in 15 arrests.

Leica SL2 + 24–90mm f2.8–4 lens at 62mm; 1/80 at f3.8; ISO 200 

Dusting For New Evidence | ©Britta Jaschinski, Germany/UK / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @britta.jaschinski.photography

Photojournalist Story Award

Telling a powerful story, these six to ten photographs should have both individual quality and combined narrative power. Stories can be challenging, uplifting, provocative or revelatory and should illustrate how our attitudes, decisions and actions impact the natural world.

DOLPHINS OF THE FOREST

Amazon River Dolphin, Inia geoffrensis. Brazil and Colombia
Thomas Peschak, Germany/South Africa
Category: Photojournalist Story Award
WINNER

‘Among the Trees’

The Amazon river dolphin is one of two freshwater dolphin species living in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Only this species has evolved to explore the seasonally flooded forest habitat.

 Portfolio Story:

Thomas Peschak documents the relationship between endangered Amazon river dolphins, also known as botos or pink river dolphins, and the people with whom they share their watery home. 

The Amazon river dolphin’s relationship with humans is complex. Traditional Amazonian beliefs hold that the dolphins can take on human form, and they are both revered and feared. Others see them as thieves who steal fish from nets and should be killed. 

Thomas took these images in areas where local communities are creating opportunities for tourists to encounter the dolphins. This brings another set of problems: when they’re fed by humans, the dolphins become unhealthy and younger individuals don’t learn to hunt for themselves.

 Nikon Z 9 + 14–30mm f4 lens at 16mm; 1/320 at f6.3; ISO 1250  

Dolphins of the Forest | ©Thomas Peschak, Germany/South Africa / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @thomaspeschak

Rising Star Portfolio Award (18-26 years old)

Demonstrating style and artistic intent, this selection of the photographer’s best photographs (six to ten photographs of varying subjects or viewpoints) should show a breadth of skill and vision but with consistent quality.

THE SERENGETI OF THE SEA

Tube-snout fish eggs, Aulorhynchidae. California, USA
Sage Ono, USA
Category: Rising Star Portfolio Award
WINNER

‘Rubies and Gold’

These tube-snout fish eggs will fade in colour as the embryos develop. But for now, they sparkle like gems next to the kelp’s gold, glowing, gas-filled buoyancy aids. The green serrated edges of the kelp fronds complete the simple composition. 

Sage Ono explores the abundant life around the giant kelp forests in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Inspired by the stories told by his grandfather, a retired marine biologist, and by a photograph of a larval cusk eel, Sage acquired a compact underwater camera and decided to take up underwater photography.

After university, he moved to the coast near the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to pursue his interest. Here, it’s the submerged world of the bay’s forests of giant kelp – the biggest of all seaweeds – and the diversity of life they contain, that have captured his imagination.

Nikon D850 + 60mm f2.8 lens; 1/160 at f14; ISO 250; Nauticam NA-D850 housing; 2x Sea & Sea YS-D2J strobes

The Serengeti of the Sea | ©Sage Ono, USA / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @sageonophotography

Impact Award

To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and in line with the Museum’s vision of a future where both people and planet thrive, the competition introduced the Impact Award for both the Adult and Young Photographer categories. This award recognises a conservation success; a story of hope and/or positive change.

HOPE FOR NINU

Greater Bilby, Macrotis lagotis. Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, South Australia, Australia 
Jannico Kelk, Australia
Category: Impact Award
ADULT WINNER

Jannico Kelk illuminates a ninu, with the wire grass and shrubs behind it providing a frame against the darkness.

Jannico spent each morning walking the sand dunes of a conservation reserve, searching for footprints that this rabbit-sized marsupial may have left the night before. Finding tracks near a burrow, he set up his camera trap.

The greater bilby has many Aboriginal names, including ninu. It was brought to near extinction through predation by introduced foxes and cats. Within fenced reserves where many predators have been eradicated, the bilby is thriving.

Canon EOS 60D + 24mm f2.8 lens; 1/80 at f9; ISO 320; 3x Nikon SB-28 Speedlight flashes; Camtraptions PIR motion sensor 

Hope for the Ninu | ©Jannico Kelk, Australia / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @jannicokelk

RECORDING BY HAND

Common Whitethroat, Curruca communis. Rgielsko, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland 
Category: Impact Award
YOUNG WINNER

Liwia Pawłowska watches as a relaxed common whitethroat is gently held by a bird ringer.

Liwia is fascinated by bird ringing, and has been photographing ringing sessions since she was nine. She says that she hopes her photograph ‘helps others to get to know this topic better.’

Volunteers can assist trained staff at bird-ringing sessions, where a bird’s length, sex, condition and age are recorded. Data collected helps scientists to monitor populations and track migratory patterns, aiding conservation efforts.

Nikon Coolpix P900; 1/400 at f5; ISO 100

Recording by Hand | ©Liwia Pawłowska, Poland / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @photo_lensadventure

Young Wildlife Photographer Of The Year

For Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, you can submit up to 10 photos into one of the three age group categories.

• 10 Years and Under

• 11–14 Years

• 15–17 Years

Images can cover any aspect of wildlife and the natural world, whether wild plants or animals or their natural environments, or illustrate our interaction with nature, good or bad.

The winner of each age category will be considered for the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year title.

15-17 YEARS

LIFE UNDER DEAD WOOD

Slime mould and springtail, Collembola. Berlin, Germany 
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Germany
Category: 15–17 years.
CATEGORY WINNER AND YOUNG WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024.

Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas rolls a log over to see the fruiting bodies of slime mould and a tiny springtail.

Alexis worked fast to take this photograph, as springtails can jump many times their body length in a split second. He used a technique called focus stacking, where 36 images, each with a different area in focus, are combined.

Springtails are barely two millimetres long (less than a tenth of an inch). They are found alongside slime moulds and leaf litter all over the world. They feed on microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, improving soil by helping organic matter to decompose.

Panasonic Lumix G91 + Laowa 25mm f2.8; 2.5–5x ultra macro lens; 1/200 at f4; ISO 200; Nikon SB-900 Speedlight flash; Cygnustech macro diffuser; focus stack of 36 images 

Life Under Dead Wood | ©Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Germany / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

11 - 14 YEARS

AN EVENING MEAL

Cooper’s Hawk, Astur cooperii. Ed R Levin County Park, California, USA 
Parham Pourahmad, USA
Category: 11–14 years.
WINNER

Parham Pourahmad watches as the last rays of the setting sun illuminate a young Cooper’s hawk eating a squirrel.

Over a single summer, Parham visited Ed R Levin County Park most weekends to take photographs. He wanted to showcase the variety of wildlife living within a busy metropolitan city, and to illustrate that ‘nature will always be wild and unpredictable’.

The Cooper’s hawk is a common species across southern Canada, the USA, and central Mexico, where it inhabits mature and open woodlands. These adaptable birds also live in urban spaces, where there are tall trees to nest in, and bird feeders that attract smaller birds, which they can prey on.

An Evening Meal | ©Parham Pourahmad, USA / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

10 AND UNDER

FREE AS A BIRD

Stonechat, Saxicola. Near the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Cádiz, Spain 
Alberto Román Gómez, Spain
Category: 10 and Under.
WINNER.

Alberto Román Gómez contrasts a delicate stonechat bird with a hefty chain.

Watching from the window of his father’s car at the edge of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Alberto found this young bird tricky to photograph as it was quickly flying back and forth, gathering insects. To Alberto, the stonechat displayed a sense of ownership, as if it were a young guardian overseeing its territory.

This young bird has not yet developed its adult call, which sounds like two stones tapped together. Stonechats

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III +100–400mm f5.6–6.3 lens at 400mm; 1/640 at f6.3 (+1 e/v) 

Free as a bird | ©Alberto Román Gómez, Spain / Wildlife Photographer of the Year | @albertoromangomez

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