A mind-bending orangutan image, a lone peregrine falcon swooping at a straling murmuration, a particularly grumpy looking Pallas's cat – the winning images in this year's Nature TTL Photographer of the Year contest range from the head-scratching to the awe-inspiring. Over 8,000 photos were entered into the competition from photographers across the globe.
The top prize was awarded to Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan for his unique and intimate portrait of an orangutan in Borneo.
© Nature TTL/Thomas Vijayan
“Thomas’ image is really unique, and immediately stood out to the judging panel,” said Will Nicholls, Founder of Nature TTL. “It’s one of those photos where you can’t skim past it. The unique perspective and composition means you are immediately trying to figure out what exactly you are looking at.”
Vijayan explains how he was able to get this shot: "I selected a tree that was in the water so that I could get a good reflection of the sky and its leaves on the tree. The water formed a mirror, making the image look upside-down. Then I climbed up on the tree and waited for hours. This is a regular path for the orangutans to use, so patience would surely pay off."
“This image means a lot to me because presently the orangutan population is reducing at an alarming rate,” says Vijayan of his winning image. “Deforestation and humans are the key cause behind this. Trees over 1,000 years old - which are a major asset to our planet - are being cut down for palm oil plantation. As humans we have a lot of alternative choices to replace the oil, but the orangutans don’t have any options other than losing their home. I am very happy to see this image be successful, as it gives me an opportunity to spread the issue to the wider world.”
Also on the awards list was 13-year-old Thomas Easterbrook who claimed the title of Young Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 for his image of a peregrine falcon preying on starlings.
© Nature TTL/Thomas Easterbrook
Take a look at a selection of the winning and highly commended images:
© Nature TTL/Bence Máté
© Nature TTL/Mousam Ray
© Nature TTL/John Formstone
© Nature TTL/Vladimir Cech Jr.
© Nature TTL/Jay Roode
© Nature TTL/James Gifford
© Nature TTL/Christian Brockes
© Nature TTL/Yevhen Samuchenko
© Nature TTL/Grant Thomas
© Nature TTL/Celia Kujala
The Door – Highly commended in the Urban Wildlife category
© Nature TTL/Jose Luis Ruiz Jimenez
© Nature TTL/Yevhen Samuchenko
© Nature TTL/Dennis Stogsdill
© Nature TTL/James Gifford
© Nature TTL/Amit Eshel
© Nature TTL/Charl Stols
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