People's Choice Award shortlist for 2016 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Announced Facing the Storm by Gunther Riehle of Germany / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Fans of wildlife and nature photography can now have their say in the annual People's Choice Award for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
The award recognizes outstanding competition entries as chosen by the public. Lovers of wildlife photography around the world can choose from 25 images, pre-selected by the Natural History Museum from almost 50,000 submissions from 95 countries.
Online voting is open now, until January 10th, 2017. Click here to cast your vote, and in case you missed them, take a look at the overall competition winners.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.
Facing the storm
Gunther Riehle, Germany / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Gunther arrived at the frozen sea ice in Antarctica in sunshine, but by the evening a storm picked up. Initially just strong winds, by the early morning snow had arrived. He concentrated on taking images of the emperor penguin chicks huddled together to shield themselves from the force of the snowstorm.
Nikon D4; Nikon 80–400mm f4. 5–5. 6 lens at 400mm and B+W polarising filter; 1/640 sec at f18 (+0. 3 e/v); ISO 640.
A mother’s hand
Alain Mafart Renodier, France / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Alain was on a wintertime visit to Japan’s Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park when he took this poignant photograph of a sleeping baby Japanese macaque, its mother’s hand covering its head protectively.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III; 70–200mm f2. 8 lens; 1/1250 sec at f2. 8; ISO 1600.
The stare of death
Johan Kloppers, South Africa / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Johan saw this little wildebeest shortly after it was born in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa. Little did he know that he would witness its death later that same day – the small herd of wildebeest walked right past a pride of lions and the calf was caught by a lioness and then taken by this male lion.
Canon 7D Mark II; Canon 500mm f4 lens at f4. 5; 1/1000 sec; ISO 1250.
The blue trail
Mario Cea, Spain / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The kingfisher frequented this natural pond every day, and Mario used a high shutter speed with artificial light to photograph it. He used several units of flash for the kingfisher and a continuous light to capture the wake as the bird dived down towards the water.
Canon EOS 7D; 100–400mm lens at 160mm; 1/15 sec at f7. 1; 250 ISO; four Godox V860 flashes; LED light lantern; Benro tripod and ballhead; Cable release; Hide.
Hitching a ride
Daisy Gilardini, Switzerland / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
This female polar bear was resting with its two young cubs in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada, when it suddenly got up and rushed downhill through the deep snow. One of the cubs jumped on to her, holding onto her furry backside with a firm bite – totally unexpected and humorous behaviour.
Nikon D4s; Nikkor 800mm f5. 6 lens and 1. 25x extender; 1/1000 sec at f13 (+2/3 e/v); ISO 1250; Gitzo tripod and RRS ballhead.
Eye in focus
Ally McDowell, USA/UK / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Ally often focuses on colours and patterns underwater. She nearly threw away an image of a fish’s eye but her partner asked to see it and then turned it upside down. It was then that Ally saw it was an unusual, abstract view, and so on a night dive, when the parrotfish were still and sleeping, she focused on creating a similar image.
Nikon D7100; 105mm lens; 1/100 sec at f22; ISO 640; Nauticam housing; Inon Z-240 strobes.
Head-on
Tapio Kaisla, Finland / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Tapio took a trip to Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjell National Park, Norway, to find these magnificent oxen amid their natural habitat. Even though spring is not rutting season for these animals, they were already seriously testing their strength against each other and the air rang out with the loud bang of the head-on collision between these two beasts.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III; 200–400mm f4 lens and 1. 4x extender; 1/640 sec at f8; ISO 2500.
Into the fray
Stephen Belcher, New Zealand / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Stephen spent a week photographing golden snub-nosed monkeys in a valley in the Zhouzhi Nature Reserve in the Qinling Mountains, China. The monkeys have very thick fur, which they need to withstand the freezing nights in winter. This image shows two males about to fight, one already up on a rock, the other bounding in with a young male.
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II; 70–200mm f2. 8 lens; 1/800 sec at f7. 1; ISO 400.
Confusion
Rudi Hulshof, South Africa / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Rudi wanted to capture the uncertainty of the future of the southern white rhino in the Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa, because of poaching. He anticipated the moment when these two rhinos would walk past each other, creating this silhouette effect and the illusion of a two-headed rhino.
Sony A900; Sony 70–400mm f4–5. 6 lens at 210mm; 1/8000 sec at f5. 6; ISO 400.
Rainbow Wings
Victor Tyakht, Russia / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The bird’s wing acts as a diffraction grating – a surface structure with a repeating pattern of ridges or slits. The structure causes the incoming light rays to spread out, bend and split into spectral colours, producing this shimmering rainbow effect, captured here by Victor.
Nikon D300s; Nikkor 80–400mm f4–5. 6 lens at 400mm; 1/8000 sec at f11; ISO 200.
. dpreview.com2016-12-4 14:00
