American photographer Tim Laman has been awarded the top prize at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. The winners were announced yesterday at a special ceremony at the London Natural History Museum.
Laman, who is a past award-winner in the competition, beat out the almost 50,000 entries that had been submitted from 95 countries with his entry. Individually grading entries for creativity, artistry and technical complexity, the competition’s deciding judging panel was made up of respected industry professionals. Laman’s chosen winning image, ‘Entwined lives’, shows an orangutan in centre focus, high above the rainforests of Borneo, Indonesia.
In order to get the shot, Laman rope-climbed the 30 metre tall tree for several days, positioning several GoPro HERO4 Black cameras which would capture at 1/30 sec at f2. 8 ISO 231. He had previously witnessed a male orangutan shimmying up the fig roots that criss crossed the towering tree and correctly guessed it would return. Triggered remotely, he was able to photograph the orangutan’s face without disturbing it, while capturing the majestic forest view below.
'Motherless'. Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 16–35mm f2. 8 lens at 16mm; 1/8000 sec at f4; ISO 2500 /Tim Laman / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Wild orangutans are critically endangered due to the destruction of their habitat by agricultural expansion and the unchecked logging trade. This has only been exacerbated by rising number of poaching incidents, with orangutans being captured to supply the illegal pet trade. Though every image in his series While The Forest Still Stands explores these issues, the species’ dire circumstances, its relationship to the forest, and its increasing isolation are perfectly expressed in this picture.
“Protecting their remaining habitat is critical for orangutans to survive. ” Laman said “If we want to preserve a great ape that retains its vast culturally transmitted knowledge of how to survive in the rainforest and the full richness of wild orangutan behaviour, then we need to protect orangutans in the wild, now”
'The Moon and The Crow', Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Winner. Canon EOS 7D Mark I + 400mm f5. 6 lens; 1/250 sec at f6. 3; ISO 500. /Gideon Knight / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The other major prize, that of Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year went to 16-year-old Gideon Knight from the UK. His photo ‘The moon and the crow’ was shot near his home in London and, in perfect composition, shows a crow silhouetted against a full moon while it sits on a sycamore tree branch. The blue ethereal lighting and its overall structure ‘makes it feel almost supernatural, like something out of a fairy tale,’ said Knight.
‘If an image could create a poem, it would be like this. It should certainly inspire a few lines,’ commented Lewis Blackwell, Chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury. ‘The image epitomises what the judges are always looking for – a fresh observation on our natural world, delivered with artistic flair. ’
'Star player' Impressions Ctaegory Winner. Nikon D7000 + Tokina 10–17mm f3. 5–4. 5 lens at 10mm; 1/8 sec at f13; ISO 100; Aquatica housing; two Sea & Sea YS-110 strobes. /Luis Javier Sandoval / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The two overall winners were selected from the 16 category winners. The mandate they were given was to depict nature at its finest, whether it be captures of extraordinary animal behaviour or simply stunning natural landscapes. These prize winning submissions, among 100 shots selected by an international panel of judges will feature at the 52nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. It will tour the UK before showing internationally at locations including Spain, Canada, the USA, Germany and Macau.
Sir Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, London, which runs the competition, comments: ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year highlights some of the big questions for society and the environment: How can we protect biodiversity? Can we learn to live in harmony with nature? The winning images touch our hearts, and challenge us to think differently about the natural world. ’
'The Alley Cat', Urban Category Winner. Nikon D7000 + 18–105mm f3. 5–5. 6 lens at 21mm; 1/20 sec at f7. 1; three Nikon flashes; Trailmaster infrared triggers; custom-made housing. /Nayan Khanolkar / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. The official exhibition will run between 21 October 2016 – 10 September 2017. Entries for next years contest will be taken between 24 October to 15 December 2016. Find out more at the Natural History Museum website.
Cover Image: 'Entwined Lives' Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016. GoPro HERO4 Black; 1/30 sec at f2. 8; ISO 231. /Tim Laman /Wildlife Photographer of the Year
(Images used with permission)
. digitalrev.com2016-10-19 03:00
