Conservation photographer Ami Vitale is no stranger to lending a helping hand. From shining an international spotlight on the plight of endangered rhinos to co-founding Vital Impacts, a non-profit that uses fine art photography to raise funds for environmental organizations, Vitale is always thinking of what she can do to assist others. And, in light of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, she continues to be an example by doing what she can to help fire victims.

Currently, she is offering a free print of her image A Hopeful Sign to anyone who has lost their home in the LA fires or were impacted by other devastating climate events like the recent floods in Ashevilla, North Carolina. The image shows a black rhino resting under a rainbow at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. One thousand copies are currently available to those who reach out to 1000prints@vitalimpacts.org, and will be shipped as soon as the person is ready to receive it. Anyone who loves the print but was not impacted by the fire, can purchase it as part of the Vital Impacts annual print sale, with proceeds going toward the protection of the Amazon.

Vitale's thoughtful gesture comes from a personal place. “My sister lost her house in the Ventura fire in 2016 and the thing that upset her the most was losing her art,” the photographer writes on Instagram. In doing her part to give back, Vitale is stepping up and showing that even the smallest gestures can have a great impact.

When someone loses their home, they not only lose the physical place but all of the items and the memories that are attached to them. This image will perhaps go a long way in making whatever new space these homeowners lost a calm, comforting space to create new memories.

If you want to help those who have been affected by the fires in the LA area, check out this list of wildfire relief initiatives. For those affected by the fires, please refer to this updated list of resources for shelter, food, clothing, pet care, and more.

Ami Vitale: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Vital Impacts: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Vital Impacts.

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READ: Renowned Conservation Photographer Offers Free Fine Art Photo Prints to LA Fire Victims

“The Old Man and the Mountain”
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Wildlife photographer, scientist, and world record seeker George Dian Balan has long been fascinated by big tusked elephants. These “big tuskers” have tusks so large that they reach the ground, but are exceedingly difficult to find in nature.

The big tuskers hearken back to the woolly mammoths of epochs past, seeming to come from another time. Through his award-winning wildlife photography and extensive database of Asian and African big tusked elephants, Dian is doing his part to bring attention to these incredible animals.

After publishing his book, The World As It Once Was, Dian has continued his quest to catalog these elephants, but living and dead. This has brought him to discover not one, but two World Records. This includes the record-breaking 3.26-meter-long (about 10.7-feet-long) tusks on display at the Riga Zoo. Thanks to his diligent work, the scientific community has more knowledge about the big tuskers and this, hopefully, will push forward more conservation efforts.

We had the opportunity to speak with Dian about his work and what drives his passion for these “big tuskers.” Read on for My Modern Met's exclusive interview and to learn more about his work, you can follow George Dian Balan on Instagram.

“Quintessential Millionaire”

Where does your love of animals stem from?

I've been fascinated with wildlife ever since I can remember myself.

When I was a very young kid my parents and grandparents bought me hundreds of books in various fields and languages, from history and art to science. The ones that I cherished the most were the wildlife books, so they bought me more of those. My family wanted me to learn foreign languages and to keep me busy reading books.

“The River of Giants”

“Asian Jade Reflections”

What is it about elephants specifically that fascinates you?

I am in love with megafauna, and especially megaherbivores such as big tusked elephants, big horned rhinos, and big antlered giant moose. There is something primeval to them, they are so similar to woolly mammoths, woolly rhinos, and Ice Age giant deer, as they sport tusks, horns, and antlers of pretty much the same size as their Ice Age cousins! Being in the commanding presence of these giants of today feels for me like traveling back in time.

“Great Tusker Coconut Mandala”

“The Time of Mammoths is Now”

When did your relationship with photography begin, and how has it allowed you to further your interest in animals?

Photography can be a very powerful tool. It motivates me.

While about 20 years ago I was a clumsy photographer, I have been receiving awards for wildlife photography for 17 years. The last 10 years have been dedicated to the intensive study and photography of megafauna, with an emphasis on big tusked elephants.

“World Record Raja Reflections”

“World Record Raja Reflections”

Can you share the story of how you found the World Record-breaking Asian elephant tusks?

I have the biggest database in the world regarding big tusked Asian and African elephants.

One of the elephants who fascinated me the most was Raja the Great, featured in my book The World As It Once Was on page 260. He was from the tall, robustly built, high-domed, big-tusked genetic line of Asian elephants—the rarest and most impressive of their species. He passed away in 2013.

I first wrote to the Riga Zoo in 2018 and asked about Raja’s tusks and body measurements, as well as for access to personally measure his preserved skull and tusks. While I received partial measurements, I was not granted the permission to personally examine the specimen.

After a change in the management of the Riga Zoo, I re-submitted my request in 2022. It received a favorable answer, so I traveled and took comprehensive in-situ measurements of the skull and the tusks. On that occasion, I noted that the tusk measurements received in 2018 were erroneous, as they only concerned the part of the tusks outside of the huge skull (2.61 meters [8.56 feet] and 1.49 meters [4.89 feet], respectively). By examining cracks in the alveoli, I noticed that the tusks are in their anatomical position, and not only slightly inserted in the sockets, like in the case of most mammoths displayed in natural history museums.

Therefore, I could already note that the left tusk is the new all-time world record by length and I asked for permission to take the tusk out of the skull and properly measure it. The request was promptly granted and together with the team from the Riga Zoo I celebrated my birthday in 2023 by properly measuring this impressive tusk.

Raja’s left tusk is 3.26 meters [10.7 feet] on the outer curvature and it's the new all-time world record Asian elephant tusk by length, surpassing the former record, a tusk measuring 3.01 meters [9.88 feet], belonging to the Royal Thai elephant Chao Phraya Prapubkarn (which I also measured).

Half a year after this discovery, I went on a trip to India to examine some of the biggest tusked Asian elephants alive, held captive in various locations in Kerala. Amongst them is the magnificent Manissery Rajendran. His left tusk has a staggering circumference of 58 centimeters [22.83 inches] at the lip. This is the second new World Record that I discovered. For more than 100 years, the greatest recorded circumference was 56 centimeters, the Rowland Ward World Record Asian elephant tusk (by weight), which belonged to King George VI and was presented to him in 1911 by the Prime Minister of Nepal.

“58 cm World Record”

“Dusting Mammoth”

How does it feel to know you have a direct hand in preserving this sort of history?

My work in preserving these monuments of natural history has several dimensions.

First, visually documenting these giants as it has not been done before.

Second, creating the most extensive database of its kind in the world. It also comprises 3D scans of the top 10 biggest Asian elephant skulls, a project on which I work with a distinguished international team.

Third, I am helping create a genetic database with DNA samples from Asian big tuskers, both alive and who have already passed away. I am working on this project with Colossal, an initiative by Professor George Church from the Harvard genetics lab. By taking DNA samples and breaking the big ivory codes, it is hoped to create a genetic reserve for Asian large ivory carriers. This may also help gather the last pieces in the genetic puzzle of a cold-adapted elephant, a hybrid between Asian elephants and woolly mammoths, which could benefit from vast Arctic spaces in sparsely populated areas.

Fourth, I hope to help create new sanctuaries and protected areas where big tuskers could live and reproduce.

Finally, one day I would love to see my vision reflected in a museum designed by myself, which should also play an active role in saving the big tuskers that are still alive.

“Pecking Order 2”

“Window Into Africa”

What's the biggest issue right now for big tusked elephants and what can we do to help them?

The major challenge faced by African and Asian elephants today is the loss of genetic diversity by the elimination of big tuskers. In fact, only about 40 confirmed big tuskers are left from each species, with perhaps a hundred or so more possibly emerging.

Did you know that the longer the tusks, the healthier the elephant? By analyzing elephant dung in Southern India, Professor Raman Sukumar noted that bull elephants with longer tusks had fewer parasites (nematodes). These observations are confirmed by studies in other species where males possess secondary sexual traits such as long horns and antlers or dark manes.

Therefore, the biggest threats to big tuskers right now are trophy hunting (mostly for the Africans), isolation in captivity without reproductive opportunities (mostly for the Asians), poaching and habitat loss (for both species).

“Sketching a Mammoth”

“Mammoth Sunset”

What do you hope that people take away from your work?

Jacques -Yves Cousteau used to say, “People protect what they love.” I want to make people first aware of the existence of the big tuskers and then fall in love with these giants.

My portfolio of big tusked elephant images comprises more than 30 different images awarded in photography competitions around the world, usually multiple times. This is far more than any other photographer. I innovate a lot, offering fresh perspectives on new characters, and use all possible photographing techniques, including a plethora of remote and camera trap technologies. For instance, I am the first to photograph big tusked elephants from inside a baobab tree.

“Pecking Order”

What's next for you?

I have financed my megafauna-related research and photography by having other jobs. I spent a lot of money on my trips and helping local communities. I would love to make it self-financing, to be able to go full-time on researching and photographing megafauna, helping more local communities, creating at least one sanctuary and materializing a megafauna museum reflecting my vision. I hope to sell limited-edition fine art prints and books to help me in these endeavors. The award winning book The World As It Once Was can be ordered on Amazon and in various other places, and prints directly from me.

George Dian Balan: Instagram 

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by George Dian Balan.

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READ: Photographer and Scientist Shares Majestic Beauty of “Big Tuskers” [Interview]

Hira Punjabi, 1st Place
“This image was taken in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, in January 2024.
This is a bird sanctuary where many migratory birds comes here in winter and some residents birds breeds here, January is very cold month and many times there is a mist and fog, I has observed this behavior if birds attacking snake and lizards, as they feed on bird eggs, last 30 years I am going here, but this time I was lucky, for continues observing 4 days the same dry tree, one morning a pair of Parakeets along with some 10 or 12 birds started attacking the lizards, the whole drama lasted for an hour or so, I had managed to shoot many images, but this one is my favorite.”

A bold parakeet defending its territory from a hungry monitor lizard won Hira Punjabi the SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year 2024 competition. Now in its seventh year, the contest is run by the Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers and showcases an extraordinary array of avian beauty.

Punjabi took the image at Keoladeo National Park in the north Indian state of Rajasthan. The accomplished wildlife photographer has been frequenting the park for the last 30 years, making him quite familiar with the behavior of the birds. This includes attacking any lizards or snakes that may try to feed on their eggs. His shot of the parakeet nipping on a monitor lizard's tail was taken during such an event, which lasted more than an hour.

Stunning bird portraits were awarded second and third place. Thomas McDonnell's moody image of a red grouse in flight and Maggie Bullock's fascinating photo of a great grey owl touching down in the snow are worthy prize winners in a field of over 2,300 photos.

As always, the contest benefitted the UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, raising nearly $3,600 for the organization. Scroll down to see the winners and our favorites from the Very Highly Commended selection.

Here are the winners of the 2024 SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year contest.

Thomas McDonnell, 2nd Place
“The Photo of the Red Grouse was taken in the North Antrim Hills near the town of Ballycastle.
A friend of mine told me he had seen grouse in the area so I decided to use my free time to look for the grouse. Over a period of a few months of looking I eventually came across two males and a female. The males were calling at one another and flying across the road where I was parked, I watched them for an hour or so taking photos from the car, I decided to get out off the car as I was restricted in my movements, the birds seem to not care of my presence so I stood beside the car as one of the birds came right at me to go across the road to investigate the other bird, luckily I was able to to get the shot as it flew across the road.”

Maggie Bullock, 3rd Place
“This shot of a Great Grey Owl was taken in Finland, near Kuusamo. The bird flew down to take a dead mouse and I managed to take a few shots of it approaching and landing. It was wonderful to see this wild bird in its natural environment against a snowy background. Taken from a raised path, where a step to either side would have resulted in sinking into deep snow, the shot was handheld using a fast shutter speed to capture the action.”

Arne Bivrin, Judge's Choice Award

Thomas McDonnell, Judge's Choice Award

Sue Morris, Judge's Choice Award

Over 2,300 images were entered into the contest, which is now in its seventh year.

Mike Rowe, Very Highly Commended

Gary Neville. Very Highly Commended

Bruce Hargrave, Very Highly Commended

Louise Skelly, Very Highly Commended

John Ellingsen, Very Highly Commended

John Ellingsen, Very Highly Commended

The photo competition is also a fundraiser for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Beverley Thain, Very Highly Commended

Khalid Al-Wdaihi, Very Highly Commended

Mark Meth-Cohn, Very Highly Commended

Mike Rowe, Very Highly Commended

Beverley Thain, Very Highly Commended

Bjorn Stuedal, Very Highly Commended

Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers: Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by SINWP.

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READ: Bold Parakeet Biting a Lizard’s Tail Wins SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year Contest

The monarch butterfly isn’t just a pretty sight—it’s an essential pollinator that keeps our planet healthy. But in the last 40 years, their population has dropped by a staggering 90%, leaving them on the brink of extinction. Jaime Rojo, a photographer and National Geographic Explorer with a background in conservation, has been documenting monarch butterflies for the last 20 years. His series, Saving the Monarchs, delves into their captivating behavior, the challenges they face, and the ongoing efforts to protect them.

Rojo first encountered a monarch butterfly in 2004 after moving to Mexico from Spain, and he was instantly captivated by their beauty and resilience. The photographer recalls, “Since that day, I must have visited the wintering sanctuaries of the monarchs at least 20 times, but it wasn’t until relatively recently that I started to explore the whole migration route in North America, documenting the natural history of the monarchs, the environmental threats, and the people working to protect it.”

One standout image from the Saving the Monarchs series, Single Monarch, was featured on the cover of National Geographic in January 2024. It captures a single butterfly, wings outstretched, nestled among hundreds of others in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico.

“A single latecomer joins the others for the night, stretching its wings as it maneuvers to squeeze into the popular roosting spot,” Rojo explains. “The butterflies’ extreme closeness provides them with warmth and protection.”

In another image, titled Streaming Monarchs, Rojo captures hundreds of butterflies mid-flight. “Migrating monarchs winter in the same oyamel fir groves that sheltered earlier generations,” reveals Rojo. “I had to shoot 20,000 frames over the course of three weeks to get this image exactly as I wanted.”

Across North America, scientists, conservationists, farmers, and Indigenous communities are joining forces to protect the monarch’s habitat and secure their future. You can play a part in saving these incredible butterflies by purchasing museum-quality photography prints from Rojo’s Saving the Monarchs series. Sixty percent of all profits support Indigenous communities through Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA) and organizations dedicated to preserving and restoring the monarch population, including Monarch Watch and The Conservation Fund for the Neovolcanic Axis (FOCEN).

Explore the stunning Saving the Monarchs photo series below, and shop prints in varying sizes of your favorite shots on Vital Impacts’s website. Vital Impact is a women-led non-profit dedicated to sharing the challenges and solutions of local communities through art and environmental journalism.

Photographer Jaime Rojo has been documenting monarch butterflies for the last 20 years.

His series, Saving the Monarchs, delves into their captivating behavior, the challenges they face, and the ongoing efforts to protect them.

You can play a part in saving these incredible butterflies by purchasing museum-quality photography prints from Rojo’s series.

Jaime Rojo: Instagram | X

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Jaime Rojo.

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A post shared by Yves Adams (@yves_adams)

As one of the most remote destinations on Earth, South Georgia Island is best known for its rugged landscape, freezing climate, and extraordinary wildlife. Belgian photographer Yves Adams has visited the island countless times; however, during a recent expedition, he discovered something unexpected.

This past November, Adams arrived at the island’s St. Andrew’s Bay when a fellow photographer pointed out a strange bird waddling across the beach. It soon became clear that the bird was an incredibly rare all-black penguin.

Adams managed to capture images of the unique penguin in isolation before it returned to its colony. It lacked the distinctive yellow markings and white belly typical of its species, with its black feathers covering the entirety of its body. Against the background of the gray beach and when juxtaposed with the rest of its colony, this all-black penguin boasted a striking silhouette.

The penguin’s plumage is the result of melanism, a phenomenon that occurs very rarely within bird and mammal species. With an increase of melanin, a natural substance responsible for coloration, an animal’s skin or feathers dips into darker shades.

“It was completely accepted by the other birds and his size wasn’t different in any way,” Adams told PetaPixel.

Though striking on a photograph, the penguin’s coloration isn’t necessarily advantageous in the wild. A penguin’s white belly serves as camouflage from below when swimming through water, while its black overside shields it from above. This technique is known as countershading, where upper surfaces of the body are more darkly pigmented than lower areas.

This all-black penguin nevertheless astounds with its rarity and beauty. It’s also the second time Adams has encountered a strangely colored penguin. In 2021, he photographed an all-yellow penguin.

To discover more of his stunning wildlife photography, you can follow Yves Adams on Instagram and visit his website.

Penguins are typically known for their distinctive yellow, white, and black markings.

A king penguin at Fortuna Bay on South Georgia Island. (Photo: Andrew Shiva, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Wildlife photographer Yves Adams, however, managed to photograph an exceptionally rare all-black penguin while on an expedition in November.

This isn't the first unusual penguin Adams has found. He's also photographed an all-yellow penguin!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Yves Adams (@yves_adams)

Yves Adams: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Source: Wildlife Photographer Captures Ultra-Rare All-Black Penguin

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Funny Winners of the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

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“Stuck squirrel” by Milko Marchetti. Overall Winners & Mammals Winner.
“The photo was taken on April 23, 2022, in the “Podere Pantaleone” park in Bagnacavallo, Ravenna, Italy. It is a park open to the public and schools, but from October to March, it is closed to visitors. I am allowed (in exchange for photographs for educational and promotional purposes) to use a fixed photographic hide to photograph passerines, woodpeckers, hawks, and even 3-4 squirrels that come to visit the photographic set consisting of a small lake and the surrounding vegetation. Generally, in Italy, especially in the area where I live, in the Po Delta Regional Park, it is very difficult to see and photograph squirrels (they are very rare), but here in the park, they are quite confident. A few meters from the hide, an old cut tree has a hole (an old woodpecker's nest), and here, the squirrels (two years ago, there were 4 specimens) sometimes come out of curiosity to check out the old hollow tree. I have taken several photos of squirrels in many situations, but the shot I chose to participate in the Nikon Comedy Wildlife immediately struck me for the strange position assumed by the squirrel that seems to be stuck halfway in the hole in the tree, but in reality it is the moment in which it is detaching the support on its hind legs and enters the hole. This photo had an effect on me and made me smile a lot in that moment that I clicked the button, and during my evenings of slideshows and nature videos that I often hold at photography clubs and theaters, the audience always explodes in energetic laughter when I show this photo. I knew I had to enter it into the competition.”

A wily squirrel entering a hollow tree has won the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. The image, taken by Milko Marchetti, beat out a record number of entries in the tenth edition of the contest. Over 9,000 delightful wildlife photos were entered into the fiercely competitive contest, with only a few points separating the top five entries.

The Italian photographer was thrilled about his win, as the photo made him smile from the moment he clicked the shutter. “Nature photography has been my passion, ever since I was a boy, and I’ve always put all my free time and energy into it,” he shares. “I think that nature offers so much beauty and variety, and with a camera, the photographer has this ability, this superpower to freeze a moment and make it last forever in the form of a photograph.”

Thanks to his win, Marchetti will now experience a once-in-a-lifetime safari at Kenya's Masai Mara, where he'll surely put his photography skills to good work.  In addition to the overall winner, nine other category awards were handed out. Standouts include Jose Miguel Gallego‘s “dancing” Flemish mantis, which won the Insect category, and Tapani Linnanmäki‘s amusing image of an eagle shaking out its feathers, which was awarded the People's Choice prize.

Scroll down to see all of the winners and highly commended images, and be prepared to be amused.

Here are the winners of the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

“Mantis Flamenca” by Jose Miguel Gallego Molina. Insect Winner.
“On my way back from my photo walk in a swamp near my town (Pantano el Sitjar), I suddenly stopped my car on the road when I saw someone ordering me to stop. This was when I saw my friend the Flemish Mantis for the first time. You can imagine the faces of the other cars passing by, seeing a car with the indicators on and the door open, stopped on the roadside and a madman lying on the ground with his camera in his hand.”

“Shake ruffle rattle and roll” by Tapani Linnanmäki. People's Choice Winner.
“In the picture, a white-tailed eagle is ruffling its feathers. The picture was taken with the Nikon Z9's autocapture feature. The camera is placed on top of the sea ice on top of a bag of nuts at the level of the ice. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this picture. There were more than ten funny poses and expressions in the photo series.”

“Awkward smiley frog” by Kingston Tam. Nikon Young Photographer Winner (25 and Under).
“I’ve always been interested in photography since I was about 10. And I started out just taking snapshots of little things like flowers and pretty skies on my cousin’s point-and-shoot, just like any other 10-year-old would. When I was about 16, I got super interested in star trail photography and started doing it on the Nikon p900 since it has a star trail mode for dummies. Slowly, it evolved to proper wide-angle landscape and astrophotography (Milky Way and deep sky), and that’s when I invested in a bit of gear and really dived into learning about the technical and creative side of photography, trying to do better every time I go out shooting. I also decided to pick up photography for my high school art class and dabbled in some street photography. In 2022 I moved to Australia from Hong Kong to study wildlife science and my friends got me into ‘herping’ (looking for reptiles and amphibians in the wild) and through that, I met a bunch of amazing photographers who specialise in taking photos of these critters and I started doing it as well. And that’s how I ended up photographing critters. My goal for my images is to bring attention to our scaly or moist friends, showing that not only fluffy animals can be cute and beautiful. Ultimately, I wish my work could bring more conservation awareness to these amazing reptiles and amphibians, and that’s been my motivation to keep doing what I’m doing.”

“Unexpected role swap” by Przemyslaw Jakubczyk. Aquatic Animals Winner.
“Every annoyed and overtired fish needs to de-stress by hunting for a bald eagle.”

“Whiskered Tern crash on landing” by Damyan Petkov. Bird Winner.
“A whiskered tern head hit the rock when try to land.”

“Frog in a balloon” by Eberhard Ehmke. Reptile Winner.
“During a photo shoot at the pond I discovered this frog with its head in a bubble. This resembles a tree bell.”

“Smooching owlets” by Sarthak Ranganadhan. Nikon Junior (16 and Under) Winner.
“Our parents always find a way to embarrass us, I guess that's also true in the case of spotted owlets. It was truly a funny sight to see two owlets trying to get some privacy as their little offspring stood next to them with a grin shut eyes.”

“The Rock Star” by Sanjay Patil. Highly Commended.
“Fan-throated lizards are found only in the Indian subcontinent, where they have evolved under the influence of changing climates. These lizards are colorful and belong to the category of reptiles. Female Lizards do not display fan as they do not have. Male lizards inflates its attractive neck pouch to attract the female in hot summer season. Here is the female lizard standing upright to escape the summer heat.”

“You're not my mother” by Randy Herman. Highly Commended.
“This female Red-bellied Woodpecker had been investigating this Screech Owl nest for a couple of days; perhaps it was her nest last year? This little owlet was definitely startled, and didn't seem to know what to make of this intruder. The woodpecker moved on, and the owlet fledged with its two siblings about an hour late.”

A record number of funny wildlife photos were entered into this 10th edition of the contest.

“Alright Mate Back off- this is my bird” by Andy Rouse. Highly Commended.
“This image was taken in South Georgia, it really does show a male king penguin trying to make a move on a female who has already paired up with her male. The body position and wing posture make the message clear—”back off!””

“I'm too sexy for my love” by Artur Stankiewicz. Highly Commended.
“One of the ‘lazy' mornings we have decided to stop by the pool with hippos while in Mana Pools NP. My idea was to try and catch fighting hippos, yet, they all were quite peaceful. I have positioned on the bank, safely from the potential charge and waited. Some of them raised their heads in curiosity or when proximity to the other individuals was too close. Then I got this idea to catch the portrait with water plants decorating he head, It looked like the guy just got our of the hairdresser with a big smile on his face.”

“I'll tell you a secret” by Jan Piecha. Highly Commended.
” A tiny raccoon is telling a secret to its mum while whispering in her ear.”

“Hide and seek” by Leslie McLeod. Highly Commended.
“We were on safari in Kenya and happened upon this beautiful female who was looking for a mate. A group of topi were also keeping a pretty close eye her as she left messages for a potential partner on various trees. This shot makes me think that the cheetah is just about to shout out, “ready or not, here I come!””

“Are you kidding” by Marti Phillips. Highly Commended.
“Two Cape Fur seals having a laugh.”

“Mafia Boss” by Takashi Kubo. Highly Commended.
“It looked like he was sucking a cigar, and he looked like a mafia boss.”

“Gang of four” by Ralph Robinson. Highly Commended.
“On the penguin highway, these rockhoppers are moving into town, and this town ain't big enough for all of them! I set up my camera a good distance from this ridge, where rockhopper penguins were returning from feeding in the southern Atlantic ocean in the Falkland Islands. The long lens pulled them into the frame without disturbing their return to nests on the hill. I love photographing penguins after they've been in the water as they are cleaner! These birds look like they are ready to kick some penguin ass!”

“The Contemplative Chimpanzee” by Arvind Mohandas. Highly Commended.
“Shot in the jungles of Uganda, following a group of around 50 chimpanzees. This one was obviously comtemplating an important issue, on a day of realization and reaffirmation of how close chimpanzees are to humans!”

Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

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READ: Funny Winners of the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

“Wolf Pack” by Arvind Ramamurthy (India) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Members of an Indian wolf pack pause briefly as they play in fields in Bhigwan, India. Indian wolves were once found all across India. Now, their number has dwindled to as few as 3,000. Living so close to humans poses many risks. Farming has fragmented their rolling grassland habitat, and feeding on cattle carcasses puts them at risk of disease. But Indian wolves are hardy animals. With better grassland management and protection, they could make a strong comeback. Arvind was photographing this pack playing in the grassy fields. One of them came and sat down at the edge of the agricultural crop, and one by one four others joined it. They paused for a few seconds before they ran off again, playing and chasing one another.

After announcing its winners last month, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year has opened voting for its People's Choice Award. From the nearly 60,000 photos entered and 100 finalists, 25 exceptional images were placed in the running for this honor.

The public can vote online or via digital screens at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London for their favorite photo. The winner will then be announced in early February.

“The People’s Choice Award allows members of the public from across the globe to join the jury and vote for their winning image, inspiring everyone to connect with the natural world,” says Dr. Douglas Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum. “As always, this year's selection of images for the competition’s 60th anniversary is truly exceptional, and we can't wait to see which one will be chosen as the public's favorite!”

Standouts include Arvind Ramamurthy’s memorable image of an Indian wolf pack pausing briefly as they play in a field,
Piotr Naskrecki's rare portrait of a four-toed sengi foraging for food in Mozambique, and Jess Findlay's powerful photo of a barn owl flying out of a derelict barn in Vancouver.

Scroll down to see the finalists, and then head over to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year website to cast your vote. Voting will remain open until January 29, 2025.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest has announced the 25 finalists of its People's Choice Award.

“Icy Repose” by Sue Flood (UK) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A dramatic blue-grey sky highlights the soft greys of a Weddell seal as it rests on an ice floe. Sue watched this Weddell seal from aboard a rigid inflatable boat in Neko Harbour of the Antarctic Peninsula. So as not to disturb its peaceful slumber, Sue used a long lens to record this serene portrait. Weddell seals’ large bodies are covered in a thick layer of blubber. This keeps them warm above and below the icy waters of the Southern Ocean.

“Edge of Night” by Jess Findlay (Canada) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A ghostly barn owl exits the hayloft window of a derelict barn to hunt in fields outside Vancouver, Canada. Jess quietly watched the owl for several nights to understand its habits. He set up an invisible beam so that his camera flash would trigger when the owl flew out of the barn. His camera took a series of long-exposure shots, capturing ambient light cast on the clouds and barn. It was a complicated setup but, to Jess’s amazement, it worked the first time.

“Togetherness” by Ivan Ivanek (Czech Republic) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A striking pair of red-shanked douc langurs are seen mating in the forests of the Sơn Trà peninsula in Vietnam. Known for their bright red ‘stockings’, these primates are found only in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The species is critically endangered because of habitat loss, hunting and the illegal pet trade. After days observing the area looking for evidence of the monkeys, Ivan managed to find a small group. Late one evening, he saw these two mating. Compared to other species of monkey he’d seen mating, it was an unexpectedly gradual and graceful affair!

“Spiked” by David Northall (UK) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A bloodied yet determined honey badger returns to finish off a Cape porcupine, which earlier had tried to defend itself. Found throughout Botswana, honey badgers are famously ferocious. They often chase animals many times their own size. This honey badger got an unpleasant surprise when it attacked the normally nocturnal Cape porcupine. The badger grabbed the porcupine’s right leg. In defense, the porcupine repeatedly backed into its attacker, piercing it with many quills. During a lull in the attack, the porcupine managed to shuffle away, its leg badly damaged. After a short retreat, the bloodied badger returned. It finished off the porcupine under a bush close to the original attack then dragged it into its underground den.

“Sneak Attack” by Erlend Haarberg (Norway) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A polar bear cub attempts an underwater surprise attack on a northern fulmar. In the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, a walrus carcass had attracted a female polar bear and her two cubs. But one of the cubs was more interested in playing in the water than eating. The cub was having fun diving under the water and resurfacing, playing with the seaweed and kelp. The northern fulmar resting on the surface of the water awakened the cub’s desire to hunt. Erlend watched as it attempted several underwater surprise attacks on the bird, only to fail each time. Play hunting like this is essential learning for a young bear. Eventually, it will have to survive in the Arctic without its mother.

The public is invited to cast their vote online until January 29, 2025.

“Annoying Neighbour” by Bence Máté (Hungary) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A European roller defends its territory from a bemused-looking little owl in Kiskunság National Park, Hungary. The little owl and the European roller are very different birds, but their nests and feeding requirements are similar. This means they sometimes breed near each other. The male roller makes a sport of annoying other birds that stray into its breeding area during the short mating season. It makes a surprise ambush, flying at full speed behind them. To catch such a fleeting scene, Bence spent 27 days watching from a hide. The little owl seemed nonplussed by the spectacle.

“The Brave Gecko” by Willie Burger van Schalkwyk (South Africa) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A giant ground gecko stands fast against a pale chanting goshawk in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa. One hunting strategy of the southern pale chanting goshawk is to walk or run on the ground in pursuit of prey. Willie watched as the little lizard put up a brave fight against its large attacker. Unfortunately, there was no hope of survival, but Willie was impressed by the gecko’s bravery.

“Evening Song” by Christian Brinkmann (Germany) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A singing Eurasian songbird is silhouetted against a backdrop of colorful fairground lights in Münster, Germany. During a popular fair in Münster called the Send, an interesting atmosphere arose behind the castle. The evening mood was gentle, and Christian had singing birds on one side and party music on the other. In front of the fairground lights, this Eurasian blackbird posed for its song. Although blackbirds are a common sight, Christian likes to photograph them in distinctive ways. Here, the silhouette of the bird set against a colorful backdrop gives the image an artistic flair.

“Drifting Dinner” by Noam Kortler (Israel) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A decorator crab perches on top of a sea squirt to comb the water for drifting plankton. Noam took this photograph during a night dive off Komodo island, Indonesia. The sea squirt provided the crab with the perfect stage to feed on drifting plankton. The crab had camouflaged and armed itself with tiny hydroids known as Tubularia. These can sting other animals and so helped protect the crab from predators. Noam watched the crab gracefully search for food, illuminated by the camera flash as if in a spotlight center stage.

“No Access” by Ian Wood (UK) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
An ambling Eurasian badger appears to glance up at badger graffiti on a quiet road in St Leonards-on-Sea, England, UK. Residents had been leaving food scraps on the pavement for foxes. But Ian noticed that badgers from a nearby sett were also coming to forage. After seeing a badger walking along the pavement by this wall late one night, he decided to photograph it. He set up a small hide on the edge of the road to take his picture. Only the light from a lamppost illuminated the creature as it ambled along, seemingly glancing up at the badger graffiti just in front of it.

“Meeting in the Marsh” by Michael Forsberg (USA) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A disguised biologist approaches an endangered whooping crane in Louisiana, USA. Michael has been chronicling the lives of endangered whooping cranes since early 2019. The biologist acted with cat-like quickness to check the bird’s health and change a transmitter that was no longer working. The transmitter helps biologists track these non-migratory birds and learn more about them. This experimental population was reintroduced in Bayou Country in 2011. In the 1940s, roughly 20 whooping cranes were in the region. Since then, numbers have climbed to over 800.

“Whiteout” by Michel d’Oultremont (Belgium) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A stoat sits up and observes its territory as it blends perfectly into a snowy landscape in Belgium. Michel had been looking for stoats in the snow for many years.
The magic of snowfall fascinates Michel every winter. He wanted to take a photograph that showed how the stoats blend in with the whiteness of the landscape. He’d seen a few in Switzerland but never in his native Belgium. Then, finally his dream came true. He lay in the snow with a white camouflage net covering all but his lens. This curious stoat came out of its snowy hole and sat up from time to time, observing its territory just before setting off to hunt.

“A Good Scratch” by Mark Williams (UK/Canada) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A beluga whale rubs its underside on a shallow river bottom to exfoliate its skin. Mark took this image in a remote inlet along the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. Hundreds of beluga whales come here to socialize and exfoliate in the shallow water. The passage is also a safe haven, away from the predatory orcas. Belugas are extremely sociable mammals. They live, hunt, and migrate together in pods that can range from quite small to the hundreds. Nicknamed ‘the canaries of the sea’, they produce a series of chirps, clicks, whistles and squeals that Mark found otherworldly.

“The Arrival” by Brad Leue (Australia) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Floodwaters that have traveled for months surge towards an enormous salt lake in South Australia. Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is Australia’s largest inland lake and one of the world’s largest salt lakes. Photographing from a helicopter in strong winds was quite a challenge for Brad. As well as the floodwaters, a dust storm was blowing and rain was falling on the horizon. Floodwaters had travelled more than 1,000 kilometers (1,600 miles). They’d surged steadily from Queensland towards South Australia. Timing was imperative to photograph this once-in-a-decade natural event. Brad’s image shows the water channeling steadily down Warburton Groove. This is the final stretch before entering the mighty lake. On their journey, the waters bring new life to this remarkable desert system and its rare and threatened wildlife.

“Concert in the Forest” by Vincent Premel (France) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A Surinam golden-eyed tree frog puffs out its cheeks as it prepares to call for a mate. The first rains come in French Guiana after a long dry spell. They’re a release for all wildlife, but especially for amphibians. When it rains, the ponds fill with water. Dozens of species descend from the canopy or come out of the ground. They’re here to lay their eggs in the water, in an event called ‘explosive breeding’. The density of individuals is hard to imagine. It made for a special night for Vincent, who is both a herpetologist and a photographer. The call of the Surinam golden-eyed tree frog is so powerful it can be heard hundreds of meters away.

“Slap Shot” by Savannah Rose (USA) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A beaver cocks its tail before slapping it down on the water to alert its family to a newcomer. Savannah enjoys photographing North American beavers in this pond in Jackson, Wyoming, USA. As she approached the shoreline, a beaver cruised cautiously by after emerging from its lodge. It cocked its tail up and brought it down with a resounding crack. Savannah had been trying to document this dramatic beaver behavior for years. Beavers use tail smacks to alert their family group to a newcomer. Despite the theatrics, beavers usually relax quickly after discovering the newcomer doesn’t pose a threat.

“Fallen from the Sky” by Carlo D’Aurizio (Italy) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A collage of dead butterflies and moths trapped by the surface tension of the water floats in a stream in Italy. It was a summer morning in the San Bartolomeo valley, in the Majella National Park, Italy. Carlo had visited this small stream many times. He expected to see the graceful flight of butterflies and dragonflies along it. He never thought he would find such a still life, a sad collage of dead insects calmly floating in the water. It hadn’t been particularly hot and there hadn’t been any storms in the previous days. To this day Carlo has no explanation of why the insects died.

“Aspen Shadows” by Devon Pradhuman (USA) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Four gray wolves cross a minimalist landscape of naked aspens and snow in Yellowstone National Park, USA. It was early spring in the Lamar Valley, and this pack was in search of its next meal. Watching from a distance, Devon saw them heading towards this patch of aspens and thought it would make a compelling image. The wolves walked right past these trees and then continued to follow the tree line, eventually disappearing over the hillside.

“Scanning the Realm” by Aaron Baggenstos (USA) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A puma stands on a windswept outcrop in the rugged mountain terrain of Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. It is a symbol of hope. A successful conservation movement led to the creation of the national park and a rise in ecotourism in the region. This has also helped to reduce conflict between pumas and local gauchos (sheep farmers). The gauchos view pumas more positively because they’re attracting tourists, which is good for income. The introduction of sheepdogs has also helped. The dogs confront any approaching pumas and stop them attacking the sheep. In turn, the pumas hunt their natural prey, and the gauchos are less likely to shoot them. The change has been gradual but has gained momentum over the past 20 to 30 years. There is hope that humans and pumas can live alongside one another.

“Snuffling Sengi” by Piotr Naskrecki (Poland) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A rarely seen four-toed sengi forages for food among the leaf litter in Mozambique. Sengis mainly eat insects and look for their prey at dusk and dawn. They rely on a combination of good vision and excellent sense of smell to find food. Piotr watched this sengi over several weeks in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. It followed the same network of trails every day, looking for beetles and other tasty morsels among the leaf litter. Sengis are extremely shy and skittish, so Piotr set up a remote camera to photograph the little creature sniffing for food.

“Forest of Dreams” by Samuel Bloch (France) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A northern giant petrel sits on its nest at the edge of a rātā tree forest on Enderby Island, New Zealand. Northern giant petrels are large seabirds. They’re used to flying above the waves for weeks without encountering land. Samuel was surprised to find this one in such a woody environment. Like many other seabirds, it breeds on islands where there are fewer predators. Samuel took this image from a distance and left quickly to avoid disturbing the bird.

“Curious Connection” by Nora Milligan (USA) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A chimpanzee pauses and looks down as its family moves across the forest floor of Loango National Park, Gabon. On a trek through the forest, Nora’s guide signaled for the group to stop near the bank of a swamp. They heard the call of a chimp first, then the leaves around them started to rustle and a group of chimpanzees appeared. This family is called the Rekambo group. A group of researchers from the Ozouga Chimpanzee Project is studying them. Nora couldn’t believe her luck when they started to climb the nearby trees. As she peered through her viewfinder, a large male paused and looked down at them. The chimp craned its neck forward and its eyes seemed to widen, as if to get a better look.

“Unsold” by Jose Fragozo (Portugal) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A young cheetah cub hisses while waiting to be sold in Ethiopia. Captured from her home plains in the Somali Region, she was transported for several days on the back of a camel to the northern coast of Somaliland. Illegal wildlife trafficking is a problem in the Somali Region. Farmers catch and sell cheetah cubs to traffickers, claiming that the cheetahs attack their livestock. Sometimes the farmers and traffickers cannot sell the cubs immediately. The bigger the cheetahs get, the harder it is to find buyers. Some end up being killed and their parts sold, their bones shipped to Yemen and then to other Asian markets. They are then sold as tiger bones and used to make Chinese bone wine. After hissing at the camera, the cub started chirping, calling out for its mother.

“Earth and Sky” by Francisco Negroni (Chile) / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A double lenticular cloud is illuminated at nightfall by the lava emitted from the Villarrica volcano, Chile. Villarica is in the town of Pucón in the south of Chile. It’s one of the country’s most active volcanoes and last erupted in 2015. Francisco takes regular trips to Villarrica to monitor its activity. On this visit, he stayed nearby for 10 nights. He says every trip is “quite an adventure – never knowing what the volcano might surprise you with”. Some nights are calm, others furious as in this photograph, where the brightness of the crater illuminates the night sky.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Natural History Museum – Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

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Photographer Drew Doggett is known for his incredible horse photography, which captures the power, mystery, and majesty of these creatures. His newest series of images, Icons, explores horses in ethereal and ancient settings through a black-and-white lens.

The monochromatic images have a timeless quality that only enhances the narrative. Whether standing on salt flats or walking into ancient architecture, Doggett places the horses in situations that are almost surreal. In doing so, he builds on the allure of the animals that inspire him creatively.

“Horses represent a mythological and symbolic ideology that doesn’t exist in other animals, from their strength to their resilience, courage, and enduring beauty,” he tells My Modern Met. “Subjects that transcend time, place, and boundaries are just the kind I seek in my photography. No other animals inspire the same sense of devotion and appreciation.”

Some images conjure up the fantasy of the American West, while others transport us to a fairy tale world. This choice is purposeful in presenting a well-rounded view of how horses uniquely capture our imagination. The photographs also incorporate Doggett's use of tone, texture, and detail to bring this timeless story to life.

“Icons illuminates the beauty of horses in scenes that exist somewhere between reality and fiction. Each image borders on the surreal and holds a sense of magic, revealing the heart and soul of these beloved animals at the tenuous edge of fact and fable.”

Scroll down to see some of our favorite images from the 28-photograph series, and then head over to Doggett's online shop, where limited prints are available for purchase.

Icons is a new series of equine photography by acclaimed photographer Drew Doggett.

Here, he uses black-and-white imagery to capture the power, mystery, and majesty of horses.

Whether standing on salt flats or walking into ancient architecture, Doggett places the horses in almost surreal situations.

“Horses represent a mythological and symbolic ideology that doesn’t exist in other animals, from their strength to their resilience, courage, and enduring beauty.”

Drew Doggett: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Drew Doggett.

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READ: Surreal Black & White Photos Explore the Beauty and Mystery of Horses

 

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Wildlife photographer Takashi Okashi explores Japan’s forests, islands, and mountains to capture some of the most endearing animals in their natural habitats. His photos feature adorable baby foxes, playful chipmunks, and even flying squirrels in their sweetest, most candid moments. In one of his latest shots, he managed to capture a Japanese pika with its tiny tongue sticking out.

The pika was photographed in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands. The tiny creature—with an average body length of 12.5-18.5 centimeters (4.9-7.3 inches)—is known for busily gathering plants, grasses, leaves, and flowers which they then store under rocks and eventually feed on during winter. Okashi captured an absolutely adorable moment of the little pika poking its tongue out to clean its fur, perhaps after a tasty meal of wildflowers.

Pikas are believed to have been living in Hokkaido’s mountainous areas since the end of the Ice Age and are often referred to as “Ice Age survivors” or “living fossils.” Pikas prefer cool climates, but as temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, their habitat is unfortunately under threat. The Ministry of the Environment has even classified the Northern Pika as a “near-threatened” species.

Okashi’s photos play a vital role in documenting this resilient species and highlighting the importance of protecting its habitat. Explore more photos of the pika below, along with other adorable snapshots of Japan’s wildlife. If you love these photos, you can follow Takashi Okashi on Instagram for more.

Wildlife photographer Takashi Okashi recently captured several images of the adorable pika, a rabbit-like creature native to Hokkaido, Japan.

 

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The furry creature is known for busily gathering plants, grasses, leaves, and flowers which they then store under rocks and eventually feed on during winter.

 

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Okashi's portfolio also features images of adorable baby foxes, inquisitive ermines, flying squirrels, and more in their sweetest, most candid moments.

 

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To Johanna Turner, camera trap photography can be frustrating, but when it works, it really works wonders. The Southern California-based photographer shoots striking wildlife images using this clever technique, finding a bridge between natural habitats and man-made environments. The message rings particularly true in her nighttime shots showing the local fauna against the gleaming backdrop of the LA city lights.

Turner, who has long been passionate about hiking, first learned about camera traps during a program at a state park.  After browsing through pictures with her group, she was struck by a realization. “Animals I knew lived in the places I liked to hike, but that I never got to see with my own eyes,” she tells My Modern Met. “I bought my first trail camera that night.”

The photographer has been working on improving the quality of her images ever since, transitioning to DSLR camera traps instead of regular “trailcams,” which offer better quality and allow the viewer to feel as if they are in front of the animal.

To the photographer, camera trapping involves three very different skill sets. “Understanding the animal you want to capture by learning about their behavior, developing tracking skills to find where they are traveling, and how these things change with the seasons is the first,” Turner explains.

“Basic photography principles are needed, of course, but also a willingness to experiment with settings. This is especially important in long exposure shots like cityscapes. The third element is artistry. A beautiful close portrait of a wild animal is wonderful, but I have always been drawn to environmental scenes showing the animal's life and what they see in their world.”

One of her most striking images is of a mountain lion in the Verdugo Hills with downtown Los Angeles sparking behind it. “I had been working on this shot for over a year,” she recalls. The camera site is so remote that it took Turner a whole day of hiking to get there. “Because of this I would only get out to the site every four to six weeks, and a lot can happen to the equipment during that time that can ruin a shot. I was not expecting much the day I went out to check it this time, but I started to scroll through quickly, then stopped dead when I saw this frame.”

The artist also finds beauty in what she calls “lucky accidents.” One of her favorite images also stars a mountain lion that showed an unusual behavior. “I had set up to capture not a cityscape but a starry sky behind a mountain lion,” Turner says. “Despite all the things I said earlier about knowing animal behavior, this lion decided to be active in daylight that day. It would have been terribly overexposed had there not been a storm coming in that created dark clouds. His intense expression as he looked toward the camera makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It's a connection to another, primal world.”

For Turner, camera trap photography is not only full of lessons but also of emotion and reflections about the environment. “When I moved to Southern California for work, I was depressed that I would be living in a dense city where I thought there would be no wildlife. Camera trapping showed me that is absolutely not true! Animals adapt–they have no choice but to try. Sometimes, people feel sadness when they see my photos of animals with a vast city around them. Some find it beautiful. And many feel a mix of emotions. It isn't a simple situation, so all of those reactions are valid.”

Johanna Turner shoots striking wildlife images around LA with the help of a camera trap.

Her images depict the local fauna against the gleaming backdrop of the cityscape.

One of her favorite images also stars a mountain lion that was unusually active during the day.

To the photographer, camera trapping involves three very different skill sets—understanding the animal, photography principles, and artistry.

“A beautiful close portrait of a wild animal is wonderful, but I have always been drawn to environmental scenes showing the animal's life and what they see in their world,” Turner says.

For Turner, camera trap photography is not only full of lessons but also of emotion and reflections about the environment.

“When I moved to Southern California for work, I was depressed that I would be living in a dense city where I thought there would be no wildlife. Camera trapping showed me that is absolutely not true!”

Johanna Turner: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Johanna Turner. Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

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