Our world is a beautiful place inhabited by extraordinary creatures. Thankfully, there are skilled photographers who dedicate their lives to capturing precious moments in nature so that the rest of us can get a peek into other hidden worlds.
The World Nature Photography Awards (WNPA) is a platform that celebrates these photographers. The contest received entries from 20 countries over six continents to highlight the most skilled nature photographers in the world.
Meet the 2021 winner
The winner this year was Amos Nachoum from the United States. His picture depicts a story of predator and prey between a leopard seal and a defenseless penguin. The shot was captured on the remote island of Plano, a common spot for seals to seek out their food.
“For hours, I waited for the low tide to arrive along a shallow lagoon on a remote island off the Antarctic Peninsula,” explained Nachoum. “Like clockwork, the leopard seal arrived just before low tide. When a young Gentoo penguin came close, the seal turned its head at lightning speed, catching it by its feet and taking it to deep water.”
He continued: “To my surprise, it let go of the penguin twice. Each time, the seal chased after the penguin as if it was enjoying the game. The terrified penguin tried to escape as the game continued. But soon, the end came.”
Photography’s role in saving the world
These photographs are more essential now than ever. Populations of many species over the past 50 years have rapidly declined and these pictures provide an important window into these incredible habitats and the creatures that live within them. We see their triumphs, struggles, and mundane activities which are all fascinating in their own way. Which means this work might just be the key to saving them.
Photography is a powerful medium and can influence people to consider the world from a different perspective. That’s why the WNPAs are so valuable, they wake people up to the beauty we have to save through improving conservation efforts and slowing climate change. “Seeing these images cannot fail to motivate one to do everything to protect this fragile planet of ours,” said WNPA co-founder Adrian Dinsdale.
Click here to check out the rest of the breathtaking gallery.
