Veolia Environement Wildlife Photographer of the Year called on photographers of all ages to enter images that reveal the natural world as it has never been seen before.
Some photographers wait for weeks in order to catch that one great action shot, some set up elaborate timing systems, others have simply seen an opportunity, grabbed a camera and produced a unique picture of the natural world. Each holds a magical story, and each and every image captured me like never before...
After spending almost 3 hours memorized by the 100 plus photographs, I almost fell in love with them all, however below is a snapshot of my utter favourites, along with their stories...
Sharp reflection:
Jochen went to the mountains of Aiguilles Rouges in the French Alps specifically to take photographs of ibex. These wild goats are high-altitude grazers, well adapted to the steep, rocky terrain of the Mont Blanc region. Having spent all afternoon taking photographs of ibex, Jochen set up his tripod to photograph the pin-sharp reflection of the jagged mountains in the smooth surface of the Lac des Chéserys. 'There were interesting cloud formations, and with no wind, the reflections were perfect,' says Jochen. 'Then a lone ibex walked by in the distance, completing the image.'
Turtle in Trouble:
It's an image that communicates in one emotive hit the damage being done to the world's oceans. Jordi came across this desperate scene when sailing between Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, hoping to photograph dolphins. 'I spotted the abandoned net drifting along the surface,' says Jordi. As he dived down to investigate, he could see the loggerhead turtle tangled up in the netting. 'The poor creature must have been trapped for some days, it was so badly knotted up.' Though it could just reach the surface to breathe by extending its neck, it was still sentenced to a long, cruel death. 'I felt as though it were looking at me for help as it tried to bite through the netting.' Jordi released it, allowing one individual a second chance. Given that all species of sea turtles are endangered, they need all the help they can get.
The Moment:
'Today, as it's Christmas Day, we'll photograph a cheetah kill,' Bridgena announced to her family. They promptly fell about laughing. They had, after all, spent five days watching a trio of cheetahs in South Africa's Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park without seeing any activity. But Bridgena had discovered that the cheetah brothers had a favourite watch-out dune and a routine. By driving out at dawn to the spot, she hoped to be in position before rather than after any hunt. It was a good call. The cheetahs were positioned up on the dune, only the tops of their heads visible. When a trail of springbok passed by below, the brothers ignored the adults. But the moment a young springbok appeared, they sprinted after it, one heading it off, one tripping it up and the third making the kill. Within ten seconds it was over. The cheetahs had their meal and Bridgena had a phenomenal shot.
Fire on the Pantanal:
Walking back one evening from his hide to the farm where he was staying, Bence first smelt the fire. Turning off the trail, he came to 'the awe-inspiring sight' of a curtain of fire stretching across the Pantanal. It may have been started naturally or by cattle farmers clearing the land to stimulate grass growth. 'The tallest flames must have been nearly 5 metres [16 feet] high,' says Bence. 'With such intense firelight, it was a challenge to work out how to photograph the scene. I used a long-exposure and stretched out my arm to cover the flames with my hands to expose the stars. Then, for the last second or so, I took away my hands to expose the flames.' With the crackling noise and the intensity of the heat, it was a memorable event. 'At times, the smoke was terrible. But at least it kept the mosquitoes away.'
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