Discover Breathtaking Shots from the Nature Photographer of the Year Competition! » Explorersweb

The judges have selected the winning photographs in the Nature Photographer of the Year competition, now celebrating its ninth anniversary. 

Italian photographer Paolo Della Rocca secured the overall award for his shot of two snow leopard siblings engaged in playful combat in the Spita Valley of northern India. Della Rocca had aspired to photograph the elusive felines for many years. They have been his beloved animal since he was a child.

Della Rocca shared details about the day he captured the remarkable photograph.

Acquiring this image was far from straightforward. I spent more than six hours waiting at the brink of a canyon while the two siblings relaxed in a cave. The frigid conditions—plummeting to -25˚C, aggravated by a snowstorm—penetrated my very bones. When tranquility finally prevailed, the snow leopards started to move, frolicking up the snowy inclines, and playing before my wide-eyed astonishment. I recall thinking, ‘This isn’t occurring; it can’t be genuine!’ Then, I captured this moment. Even in my most vivid dreams, I never expected to photograph such a scene.

This year, the competition experienced a record number of submissions: 22,851 from 96 nations. Twelve category victors were chosen. Della Rocca clinched the Mammals category and subsequently the overall award.

Explore other winning photographs below. 

Animal Portraits – Champion: ‘Besties’

 

Underwater – Champion: ‘Giant Octopus Dolfleini’

 

Birds – Champion: ‘Golden Eye’

 

Humans and Nature – Champion: ‘My Pet Tiger’

 

Other Animals – Champion: ‘Disturbing Shadow’

 

Nature of ‘De Lage Landen’ – Champion: ‘Colourful Seagull’

 

Nature Art – Champion: ‘Amino Acids Mimicking Nature’

 

Landscapes – Champion: ‘Black Lava Beach’

 

Black and White – Champion: ‘Cross to Bear‘