The Finalists Of The 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Have Been Announced, And They Might Crack You Up

The winners of all the competition’s categories, and the Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year, will all be announced on December 8. And while an esteemed panel of judges will decide who stands out the most, each and every single one of our votes count as well.

We can register and vote for who we think is worth winning the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award (and there’s a chance for anyone to win a £500 prize, too). Voting closes on November 27, so be sure to have your voice heard by then.

The overall top image will win the photographer a wonderful one-week safari with Alex Walker's Serian in the Masai Mara, Kenya. What’s more, they’ll also receive a unique handmade trophy from the Art Garage in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Bored Panda reached out to the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards team to have a chat about how we should interact with the animals we photograph, and how we can help our local wildlife without even picking up a camera.

"The wildlife and surrounding habitat must remain as undisturbed as possible," Michelle Wood told us. "The ideal [situation] is that the animal should not even know you are there. Usually, this is when they are the most natural and you might get the best shots. We should be observers only."

You can start off by researching the species that you're photographing. That way, you'll know a bit about how they live. "Be mindful of light/flashes, noise, disturbing vegetation, anything that could cause stress to the animal," she warned.

"The whole point of the competition is to have fun and appreciate the wildlife around us," Michelle said that it's all about spreading smiles and awareness about conservation.

Everyone enjoys winning, but humor is such a personal thing that you can't second-guess the judges' decisions. For anyone taking part in the competition, it's important to make sure the image is in focus and that it makes you laugh. That's it! Michelle noted that they'll be opening the 2023 Awards next spring, so if you want to take part, Pandas, keep that in mind. You can check the website for the newest details and updates.

Meanwhile, Michelle shared how we can help our local wildlife. "As well as the little individual things we can all do, like planting a window box for the bees, a really worthwhile thing is to find out about your local wildlife charity and see how you can help," she urged people to see what organizations are active in their local area.

"It might be that they need volunteers to help continue the work they do and a couple of hours of your time would really help, especially at this time."

Since 2015, the contest has evolved immensely. Michelle joined Paul and Tom’s team a couple of years later and the trio has been working as a great team ever since. The scope of the contest has increased a lot, and is now a genuine, globally-renowned competition, adored by millions of people every year.

At the heart of the competition, you can find an enduring passion for wildlife and sustainability—these two things lie behind every single aspect of the contest.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are completely open to absolutely everyone. First off, the contest is free, and invites everyone, no matter their skill level, to participate. That means wildlife photography amateurs and novices, too, not just professionals.

The contest “celebrates the hilarity of our natural world and highlights what we need to do to protect it.” What’s more, the photos “transcend cultures and ages to bring a smile to everyone’s face.” And that’s the beauty of it: it’s a chance for everyone to find common ground not just with other people, but also nature and wildlife.

“This year’s final shortlist of 40 standalone photographs and 10 Portfolio entries includes a charming little raccoon waving to the camera, a pretty cool fox tipping us the wink, a squirrel superhero flying through the air and a galloping, farting zebra, really giving it some welly,” the organizers of the contest write about the finalists.

“These images have been whittled down from thousands of entries submitted from professional and amateur photographers from all around the world presenting us with a wonderful eclectic mix of hilarious wildlife.”

Professional photographer Tom, the co-founder of the Awards, had this to say about this year: “With so much going on in the world, we could all use a bumper dose of fun and laughter and this year’s finalists have definitely delivered that! When you see these amazing photographs like the one of an elephant seal, trying to use his neighbor’s head as a pillow (and we’ve all been there) or a wallaby at sunset, seemingly about to launch another wallaby into space, it makes you smile and wonder at the incredible animals that are on this earth with us, and we love that about the competition.”

One of the things that makes the contest great is that it supports a sustainable conservation organization each year. In 2022, Comedy Wildlife is working together with the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN). The WFN is a UK charity that supports conservation leaders working in their home countries across the Global South. Over the past 29 years, the Fund has channeled a whopping £20 million to more than 200 conservationists in 80 countries.

This year’s judges include award-winning comedian Russell Kane, underwater film and diving aficionado Luke Inma, TV presenter Kate Humble; actor and comedian Hugh Dennis. They’ll be joined by world-renowned wildlife photographers Daisy Gilardini, Will Burrard-Lucas and Tim Laman, wildlife expert and co-founder of The Born Free Foundation Will Travers OBE, Ashley Hewson, the Managing Director of Serif, makers of Affinity Photo, Celina Dunlop, picture editor extraordinaire, as well as Bella Lack, a super young passionate conservationist.