From bees mating in the sands of a Texas ranch to a snow leopard charging down an Indian mountainside, the 2022 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards reveal rarely seen wildlife moments, reminding us how breathtaking and fragile our planet is.
The awards are an annual competition developed and produced by London, England’s Natural History Museum. The competition is open to anyone, with the winning shots exhibited in museums around the world, including Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum.
This year, 38,575 photographers entered from 93 countries. An international panel of experts anonymously judged each photo, weighing originality, narrative, technical excellence, and ethical practice.
“Wildlife photographers offer us unforgettable glimpses into the lives of wild species, sharing unseen details, fascinating behaviours, and front-line reporting on the climate and biodiversity crises,” said Doug Gurr, the director of the Natural History Museum, in a statement. “These images demonstrate their awe of and appreciation for the natural world and the urgent need to take action to protect it.”
Each year, one photographer is awarded the Grand Title award for the top photo. American photographer Karine Aigner secured this year’s grand prize with her photo of a ball of cactus bees mating near a Texas ranch. Aigner is only the fifth woman in the competition’s 58-year history to win the award.
The 2023 competition is now open to applicants, closing on December 8, 2022.
If you are thinking about photographing wildlife, we encourage you to be responsible. You can find out about the do’s and don’ts of wildlife photography is season 3 episode 2 of the Cottage Life Podcast.
See the winners from the 2021 Cottage Life Photo Contest
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