22 23 November 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Call
A superb selection of images from this
year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year
competition and exhibition, as chosen
by Amy Davies
N
ow in its 55th year,
Wildlife Photographer
of the Year is the
most prestigious and
sought after award for natural
world photographers. Held every
year in the amazing setting of
the Hintze Hall at the Natural
History Museum, AP once again
had the privilege of attending the
gala dinner where all the winners
were announced by TV presenter,
naturalist and photographer
Chris Packham.
As usual, the winners come from
across the globe – more than 100
countries had participants this year.
All of the winners were present on
the night of 15 October to receive
their awards, which for many will
be a pinnacle and highlight of their
photography career.
The judges had an extraordinary
challenge on their hands to whittle
down the 48,000-plus entries to
the 100 that are displayed in the
exhibition and featured in the
accompanying book, never mind
the added selection of the category
and overall winners.
This year, the overall winner title
went to photographer Yongqing
Bao, for his remarkable image of a
Tibetan fox pouncing on a startled
marmot in the Qilian Mountains in
China (right). Wildlife Photographer
of the Year is also a great exponent
of young photographers, with this
year’s Young Wildlife Photographer
award going to Cruz Erdmann,
who was just 12 when he took his
amazing image of a big-finned
reef squid (see page 26).
In total, there are 19 different
categories across this incredible
competition. Over the next few
pages, I have selected a few of our
favourites. Some of them won their
categories, while others came close
but didn’t quite cross the line.
You can see all of them yourself
in a wonderful exhibition at the
Natural History Museum, London,
until 31 May 2020, and we can’t
recommend it highly enough. The
photographs are displayed better
than you’ll see them anywhere else,
as large prints with backlighting
bring out every detail and awe-
inspiring moment.
We hope you enjoy the images on
these and the following pages.wild
of the
Snow Exposure
Max Waugh, USA
Winner, Black and White
Max Waugh has been entering Wildlife
Photographer of the Year for a decade, finally
winning a category for his magnificent bison shot this
year. His own worst critic, he realised he had something
special after seeing the reaction the image garnered from
Facebook and Instagram. Convinced to enter the shot
into the competition, he was thrilled to discover it had
won a category. Taken during a winter whiteout in
Yellowstone National Park, USA, he says he knew almost
instantly that this simple abstract image would work better
in black & white.
Canon EOS 1DX, 100-400mm f/5.6 lens at 200mm, 1/15sec at f/22 (+1ev), ISO 100© YONGQING BAO
© MA X WAUGH