The 2023 Nature "inFocus" Photography Awards has just revealed its winners at a ceremony in Bangalore, India. These extraordinary talents were selected from 24,000 wildlife images, submitted by over 1,500 photographers from around the world. Among them, filmmaker and conservationist Srikanth Mannepuri earned the prestigious title of Photographer of the Year for his captivating portfolio, shedding light on the challenges confronting India's coastal mangrove forests.
From stunning animal portraits to vital conservation stories, these photographs capture the beauty and challenges of our natural world. Let's explore the award-winning images from this year's competition!
#1 Winner In Animal Portraits: "The Bonobo And His Pet" By Christian Ziegler
LuiKotale, Near Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo
"The last great ape to be described, the Bonobo, is one of our closest living relatives. Here, a wild Bonobo who caught a mongoose pup is looking after it like a pet. He later released the animal unharmed. This behavior has only been recorded once before by Prof Barbara Fruth at this site."
90points
Photographers were encouraged to submit their top-notch photos in seven different categories: Animal Behavior, Conservation Focus, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat, Creative Nature Photography, Animal Portraits, Young Photographer, and Photographer of the Year – Portfolio. While the contest initially started in India, this year's edition drew a higher number of entries from photographers worldwide.
#2 Special Mention In Animal Portraits: "Easy Like A Sunday" By Bharath Kumar V
Maasai Mara National Park, Kenya
"Live life king-size, they say. So if you are the king of the jungle, what do you do after a hearty meal but roll over and relax? Never mind the flies all around, trying to break your siesta."
82points
#3 Special Mention In Creative Nature Photography: "Come Rain, Come Shine" By Preeti And Prashant Chacko
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
"The photographers were observing a pride of lions and saw them respond to the rain in their own way. While some of the cubs continued their play with renewed vigor, others tried to seek shelter close to their mothers. The mothers, in turn, sought refuge where they could in the open savannah. But this lioness stood out from her pride, as she stayed put in the rain."
81points
One of the founders of Nature "inFocus", Rohit Varma, said that every year, they see pictures that show new things about our natural world and also highlight important global problems related to protecting nature.
“The Nature inFocus Photography Awards has grown to become a meeting place for national and international photographers. We are thrilled to see the growth in the number of participants and the geographical locations. It truly has become an international platform for wildlife photographers!”
#4 Special Mention In Wildscape & Animals In Their Habitat: "The Land Of Stripes" By Amit Vyas
Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India
"If the essence of Ranthambore could be captured in one frame, this would be it. Only once in a blue moon does the landscape become this misty at Ranthambore. And when a tiger chooses the opportune moment to mark its presence, it almost feels too good to be true. The historical architecture of the landscape, its iconic species and the cerulean backdrop–the image has magic written all over it."
78points
#5 Special Mention In Animal Behavior: "Lights Will Guide You Home" By Merche Llobera
Costa Rica
"A pod of Spinner Dolphins dives back into the beautifully lit waters of the Pacific Ocean, creating this stunning scene of a cetacean avalanche. One of the dolphins can be seen gazing into the camera lens, adding a touch of curiosity and connection to the frame."
69points
A group of six experts who specialize in wildlife, the environment, film, photography, and business, carefully chose the winning photos for each category. What are your thoughts about the images? Share them in the comments! Don't forget to upvote your favorite photographs.
#6 Winner In Animal Portraits: "Cat On The Roof" By Morup Namgail
Ladakh, India
"A sub-adult Snow Leopard frolics in the snow as he curiously gazes into the camera trap. While the backdrop captures the enchanting beauty of the Himalayas, the snow in the foreground is a testament to the boundless energy of the young cat. Be warned! Once you catch that piercing gaze, it is hard to look away."
68points
#7 Special Mention In Animal Behavior: "Lion, Marlin And The Sardine School" By Merche Llobera
Baja California Sur, Mexico
"A Marlin and a Sea Lion contest for a meal amidst a bait ball of sardines, showcasing the fierce competition that exists in the ocean."
67points
#8 Special Mention In Wildscape & Animals In Their Habitat: "The Rarest Of Them All" By Sergey Gorshkov
"One of the rarest cats in the world, the Amur Leopard certainly makes you earn your sighting. The critically endangered felid faces several threats, including poaching for its fur. While suitable habitats are present across Russia and China, these leopards are threatened by the scarcity of prey animals."
66points
#9 Special Mention In Conservation Focus: "Luck By Chance" By Joshua Barton
East Coast of Sri Lanka
"An Olive Ridley Sea Turtle attempts to swim away from its confines, the remnants of a ghost net. Fortunately, the turtle was still healthy when the photographer found it, and he successfully set it free. But for many, help doesn't come at all."
65points
#10 Winner In Animal Portraits: "Inspector Booby" By Suliman Alatiqi
Isla San Benedicto, Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico
"Brown Boobys spend a significant portion of their lives in the open ocean. Their clumsy nature on land earned them their namesake, derived from the Spanish word bobo, which means stupid or daft. They are excellent foragers of the sea and plunge-dive to feed on anything from anchovies and sardines to squid and shrimp. The photographer watched this individual dipping its head underwater at short intervals and got in position to capture a close-up portrait of the bird from the perspective of its fated prey."
64points
#11 Special Mention In Animal Portraits: "A Face In The Crowd" By Tom Shlesinger
Near Palm Beach, Florida, USA
"Atlantic Goliath Groupers are massive fish that can live for dozens of years. They can grow up to 2.5m long and weigh up to 360kg. During one of his dives, the photographer found the groupers surrounded by silvery schools of Bigeye Scads, who were being ignored in favour of larger prey. Like when Gulliver arrived at Lilliput and was careful not to step on the tiny Lilliputians, the groupers swam through the swirling tunnel of smaller fish, creating this unique portrait."
58points
#12 Winner In Animal Behavior : "Shell I Eat You?" By Sankhesh Dedhia
Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan, India
"This stunning action shot captures a rarely-seen natural history moment, where the legendary Arrowhead of Ranthambhore fishes out an Indian Softshell Turtle from the lake for lunch. A tiger’s diet in the wild can be very varied as the felid can prey on pretty much everything on its turf, even a turtle, hence proved!"
55points
#13 Special Mention In Animal Portraits: "Bear Your Claws" By Sergey Gorshkov
"The streams of water from the sharp claws show a new facet of the bear, one that is not documented often. Among the largest bears in the world, the Brown Bears of Kamchatka are often seen in water, trying to catch their share of salmon. But rarely do you see this side of the animal."
51points
#14 Winner In Young Photographer: "The Secret Lives Of Geckos" By Jomtup Charoenlapnumchai
Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi, Thailand
"A pair of bejeweled Tokay Geckos peer out from between the rafters of a gazebo. These geckos are named after the sound they produce–the word “gecko” itself comes from the Javanese name for this species. One of the largest species of geckos on the planet, they are quite shy and can camouflage their otherwise bright colors when they need to blend in."
49points
#15 Special Mention In Animal Portraits: "Here Comes The Rain" By Sergey Gorshkov
Londolozi Game Reserve, South Africa
"The pitter-patter of rain never looked so sharp, and amid the deluge, the furry outline of a hyena leaves one with more questions than answers."
48points
#16 Winner In Creative Nature Photography: "Symmetry In Mimicry" By Arkaprava Ghosh
Phen Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh, India
"Mimicry is the highest form of flattery, they say. But in the animal world, it is among the best defense mechanisms. Here, Line-forest Skimmers position themselves aptly on the perennial Phanera vahlii creeper to resemble an inflorescence. Notice how the dragonflies have raised their abdomens in unison? Fooling a predator never looked this intricate."
47points
#17 Winner In Animal Behavior: "A Sappy Alliance" By Avinash PC
Kannur, Kerala, India
"Symbiotic relationships are plenty in the natural world! But none as sappy and sugary as the mutualistic relationship between ants and aphids. Aphids are tiny, sap-sucking insects that are serious plant pests. They secrete a sugar-rich liquid called honeydew, a favorite food of ants! So much so that the ants protect these insects from other predators and even shepherd them to the healthiest parts of the plant to maintain a steady stream of sweet honeydew!"
46points
#18 Special Mention In Wildscape & Animals In Their Habitat: "Top Of The Morning" By Souvik Kundu
Kartik Swami Trek, Uttarakhand, India
"A male Cheer Pheasant basks in the warm sunlight as dawn breaks over the mighty Himalayas. Alas, Cheer Pheasants actually don't have much to cheer for! Habitat loss and hunting are the main threats to this pheasant species."
46points
#19 Special Mention In Conservation Focus: "Taking On The Grey Ghost" By Liton Paul
Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India
"After a successful hunt, the Snow Leopard was feasting on its catch when a pack of feral dogs tried to steal its meal. The image captures the moment when the felid stepped towards one of the dogs during the standoff. Feral dogs have become a common sight in the Spiti Valley, where they often attack animals like Blue Sheep, Himalayan Ibex and Red Fox. But the fact that they are now also confronting apex predators like the Snow Leopards is alarming to say the least. Feral dogs reduce the prey base for Snow Leopards and can spread fatal diseases like canine distemper among wild animals."
45points
#20 Special Mention In Animal Behavior: "What’s For Dinner?" By Arijit Das
Hooghly, West Bengal, India
"Rural areas in West Bengal are where you can still find hurricane lanterns in use during power outages. The sole source of light in the pitch dark attracts insects in large numbers along with other nocturnal denizens like this Common Palm Civet, looking for an easy dinner!"
44points