People’s Choice – Winning Image:

Winner: Tyler DeVane

‘Wings of Fire‘

While searching for hummingbirds in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, I stumbled upon a beautiful female Brazilian ruby. Within seconds, she had vanished, but not before I managed to capture this shot. Brazil is home to an extraordinary diversity of hummingbirds, many of which play a vital role in pollinating native flowering plants. Their remarkable wings can beat dozens of times per second, allowing them to hover effortlessly while feeding on nectar from flowers.

Image Location: Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Camera: Sony A7V + Sony 400-800mm lens

Highly Commended: Santiago Arias Figueroa

‘Sunrise over the Bison‘

Enjoying the beautiful clear skies of Grand Teton National Park, one of my dreams was to photograph wildlife against the backdrop of this iconic mountain range. After almost 10 years, that dream finally came true. Home to towering peaks, sweeping valleys and incredible wildlife, Grand Teton provides a spectacular refuge for American bison. These magnificent animals are North America’s largest land mammals and once roamed the continent in vast herds, shaping the grassland ecosystems they inhabit.

Image Location: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
Camera: Nikon Z6ii and 70-200mm F2.8 lens

Finalist: Jamie Smart

‘Snow Adorable‘

It was my first time visiting Scotland and seeing its amazing wildlife. On our last day, in dark, snowy conditions, I spotted a red squirrel. I put on warm waterproof clothes and waited in the snow and freezing rain, giving him time to feel comfortable before capturing images. Scotland holds approximately 80% of Britain’s remaining native red squirrels, threatened by habitat loss and grey squirrels. These tufted-eared, bushy-tailed creatures are treasured symbols of Scotland’s woodlands.

Image Location: Scotland, United Kingdom
Camera: Nikon Z9, 400mm F2.8 lens

Finalist: Spencer Hitchen

‘Rare Wallaby‘

We had only just arrived at Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, when I spotted an extraordinary sight – a Bennett’s wallaby mother with her joey peeking curiously out at me! I had never encountered such remarkable colouration in this species before. Against a lush carpet of moss, the pair appeared almost frozen in time, allowing me to capture this special moment before they lowered their heads to graze once more. I had a feeling there was something unusual about these beautiful wallabies, and further research confirmed my suspicions. Their striking appearance is a rare colour variation associated with the Cradle Mountain region, making this encounter all the more memorable.

Image Location: Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
Camera: Sony A7r3 with Sony 200mm GM lens

Finalist: Jeremiah Winden

‘Malaysia’s Master of Camouflage‘

The Malaysian horned frog (Pelobatrachus nasutus) was the very reason I travelled all the way from North America to Malaysia. This extraordinary amphibian had long been a dream species to photograph. A master of camouflage, its pointed snout, angular features and leaf-like colouration allow it to disappear almost completely into the forest floor. While photographing this remarkable frog, it suddenly leapt into the leaf litter, landing so quietly that it took me another ten minutes to find it! An ambush predator, this fascinating species relies on its incredible camouflage to remain concealed while waiting for unsuspecting prey to wander within striking distance.

Image Location: Kelantan State, Malaysia
Camera: OM-1 mkII, lens OM 8-25mm f4 lens