Here Are The 15 Winning Images Of The Wildlife Photographer Of The Year Competition

We contacted Laurent Ballesta, who got the Adult Grand Title Winner of 2023 Photographer of the Year with his breathtaking portfolio “The Ancient Mariner”. Ballesta’s photographs beautifully capture the vibrant colors and textures of the horseshoe crab. We asked him to describe the technical aspects of how he achieved this stunning image. Laurent shared with us: “When horseshoe crabs dig and plow their muddy field, the largest and most active horseshoe crabs are escorted by opportunistic golden juvenal trevallies, always on the lookout for prey buried in the sediment and brutally exposed by the digging of horseshoe crabs.

The biggest challenge in capturing this image was to find the right speed and aperture. On the one hand, I wanted to freeze the horseshoe crab, as well as enhance its brightness. On the other hand, I wanted to avoid freezing the little fishes, to give the idea that they are speedy while the horseshoe crab is very calm. My goal was to show this contrast between them: one powerful and slow, the others speedy and fragile.”

Asked about the challenges the photographer faced while photographing these creatures in their natural habitat, Ballesta answered: “The islet of Pangatalan is at the end of a huge bay. Its waters are not transparent, but somewhat green: the color of waters rich in plankton and organic matter, everything you need to nourish and heal a wounded ecosystem, to accompany the convalescence of a reef. For most of the images, it was hard to find the right moment to take the shot. The water is muddy and makes it difficult to find horseshoe crabs. Also, for some shots I wanted to create a mud cloud in the foreground, but not too thick to hide everything. I had to do them again and again and again… because when it becomes too muddy, you have to be very patient and wait a very long time for the mud to come back down.”

We were curious in what ways Laurent Ballesta hopes his photograph will contribute to raising awareness about horseshoe crabs and their conservation. The photographer said: “I'm very cautious about affirming the idea that illustrating wildlife contributes to its preservation. That may have been true a few decades ago. Today, we're flooded by millions of images on social media and I'm not sure it works that well. The 'beauty of nature' has also become an object of consumption; worse, it can engender lust, even more than respect. At least, that's what I think today. So, over the last few years, I've tried to show neither the beauty of nature, nor the horrors we inflict on it. I've tried to show, as far as I've been able, the mysteries of nature that lie behind appearances in which aestheticism is merely a distraction. The real feeling that these images should provoke in us is confusion, a feeling of incomprehension, a mixture of fascination and questioning of what makes this harmonious assembly of differences that we call biodiversity. After all, this is what moves me to take diving risks, to push the limits of the discipline and I wonder if this is a third, less experienced way, of making an impression and gaining more awareness of the wild world: to open a small window, for a brief moment, on what is beyond us, on what we don’t understand.

I have the impression that this feeling of approaching the unknown can create more respect than the simple contemplation of aesthetic images... I believe that today we need knowledge much more than we need beauty. Images can bring knowledge, and that's what I'm trying to do, or at least I am trying to reflect the extent of our ignorance through images.”

We got in touch with Karine Aigner, the author of the series “The Unprotected“, and the winner of the Photojournalist Story Award in Wildlife Photographer Of The Year. We asked Aigner, what initially drew her to document the annual hunting competitions in Texas. The photographer shared with us: “In 2017, I had the opportunity to document a wild female bobcat, and over the years, several different litters of her kittens. That lead me to meeting two other bobcats, and between the three—who trusted me in their presence, I was let into a world that not many have ever seen. I learned so many things that debunked the negative narratives around this predator.

These animals were non aggressive towards me, they cared for their young, they played, they had communication between each other, and really, were not much different than your average house cat. In my research to learn all that I could about them, I quickly found that this species, along with coyotes, mountain lions, foxes and more, has no protections at all in the state of Texas. They are actually classified as vermin, and can be killed 24/7 365 days a year with no permission needed: and they are the target of predator contests, which I’d never heard about before. And as any good journalist does, I wanted to see what these events were all about.”

In her work, Karine Aigner documented various aspects of hunting competitions. We asked the photographer what role she believes photography plays in shedding light on such event. Aigner said: “These events are in rural areas that many people don’t live in. It’s one thing to hear about these endeavors. But unless you are there in person, it’s very difficult to understand and visualize what they are actually about. Photography is the tangible truth between the two worlds; it brings one world, to the other. It forces us to look at what we otherwise don’t see, or don’t want to see. Photography is the only way sometimes to shed light on a subject.”

We were wondering what responses the photographer received from viewers who saw her impactful series. Karine told us: “Reaction to the work has been overwhelming. Viewers are perplexed, saddened and horrified. Some have come to me with tears in their eyes. Because the Wildlife Photographer of the Year platform is International, a different set of eyes is now on these events. Very few people know these hunts/contests/carnivals happen and exist, despite the American belief that this is “common knowledge.” It's not.

The United States is often seen as a leader in conservation ideas, but yet, this is legal in over forty US states. The species targeted in these events are native, and some of them apex predators that help maintain a healthy ecosystem. Without them, the systems fall apart.”

We have also contacted Lennart Verheuvel, whose image “Last Gasp”, got him first place in the Oceans - The Bigger Picture category of the Wildlife Photographer Of The Year. An image captured by a photographer from the Netherlands speaks more than thousands of words. We wanted to know more about the circumstances surrounding the rescue efforts and the moments leading up to the orca's stranding on the beach. Verheuvel shared with us: “When I got the message I drove over to the place where the Orca was supposed to be stranded. When I arrived the Orca had been pushed back into the sea at first.

However, minutes later it turned out that the Orca had only washed back onto shore 2 kilometres further. There I lay in the surf and that's where I saw it. The Orca laid mostly on its side but did one time turn back on its belly. As the afternoon progressed the Orca got visibly weaker. The Orca was measured by rescue workers, but in the end it was judged to be impossible to get the Orca back into the sea and the Orca was also too large to take into a rehabilitation facility.”

Asked to tell us more about challenges or difficulties the photographer encountered while documenting this event, Lennart Verheuvel answered: “For the photography the main challenge was to get a sharp picture as light was fading fast and I did not have a tripod. So I balanced my camera on the sand and took many pictures.”

Lastly, we were wondering how Verheuve sees his role as a photographer in contributing to the understanding of marine conservation issues. Lennart explained: “I think photography can have a lot of positive impact on conservation because one picture can bring a particular animal challenge or devastation to the environment under attention and makes it possible for the viewers to get a personal connection to what is happening on the picture. In marine conservation, there is especially a responsibility for the photographer to show what is beneath the surface as not many people get to take a good look under water. However, the welfare of the marine environment is of enormous importance to the world's health and also to human welfare.

For me photography is something I do besides my job to relax and being able to watch amazing animals brings me a lot of joy. Usually my first objective is try to see an amazing animal and wherever I can I also try to take pictures that have a deeper meaning. Next year I hope to see whales under water which is something I am really looking forward to.”