The winners have been announced for the second annual Nature Photography Contest – and among them are a dazzling image of a polar bear among vibrant fireweed blooms and a penguin behind the camera.
The Photography of the Year Award, along with a €1000 prize, has been presented to Christopher Paetkau for his photograph, Polar Bear Amid Fireweed Blooms, which features a polar bear lying in a field of vibrant fireweed flowers.
"With its colours, composition, and underlying message, Christopher Paetkau's photograph represents the very essence of nature and photography," the jury writes. "It serves as a reminder of the countless reasons why we must cherish and protect our planet."
We followed a similar story earlier this year, in which fellow cinematographer Martin Gregus captured similar scenes of a polar bear in bright purple fireweed.
The other main honour, the Photographer of the Year Award, has gone to Thomas Vijayan. As part of his prize, he will be able to select the location where nearly 500 trees will be planted, a collaboration with the charity One Tree Planted.
The third iteration of the Nature Photography Contest is expected to launch in May 2025.
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Nature Photography Contest 2024 winners
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Main image: Polar Bear Amid Fireweed Blooms by Christopher Paetkau (The Nature Photography Contest 2024 | Photography of the Year 2024)
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