The best photos and runners up of the 2019 Nature Photographer Of The Year photo contest have recently been announced, and as always, the standards are incredibly high. The presentation of the award at the Nature Talks Photo Festival in the Netherlands marked the end of a photography contest at which over 14,000 stunning pictures were submitted by both amateur and professional photographers from 73 different countries.
Entries are divided into 11 nature photography categories including Birds, Mammals, Plants and mushrooms, Landscapes, Underwater, and Man and Nature. Category winners are then pitted against each other to decide the Grand Prize: the prestigious title of Nature Photographer Of The Year.
Scroll down below to see a comprehensive list of the beautiful photos from this year's competition, and let us know which ones you liked best in the comments below!
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Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Colorful Night' By Mohammad Murad (Kw)
This year's overall winner was Hungary's Csaba Daróczi, who scooped the prize with a beautifully-timed black and white capture of two rabbits leaping playfully through the air. Nature Talks explained that the jury chose this image because of the atmosphere, the timing, the beautiful light and the perfect sharpness and composition.
“This photo proves once again that you don't have to put rare or exotic animals in front of the lens to make a perfect nature photo. If you have a good idea and a vision of nature photography, you can also make a great album close to home," said Keith Wilson, chairman of the jury. "It is also remarkable that it is a black and white photo, but it is precisely because of this that the energy pops out of the photo."
Overall Winner And Black And White Category Winner: 'Jump' By Csaba Daroczi (Hungary)
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Climbing To The Sweet' By José Juan Hernández (Es)
The photographer himself explained that while he is not particularly passionate about rabbits, he found their lively, leaping behavior to be well worthy of capturing. “I took this photo in Kiskunsag, near my village of Bócsa,"he told Bored Panda.
"I found a colony of rabbits when I went out taking pictures. I was watching them for a while, and I found out where was the best spot to take photos of them. I gave them a little food to come closer to me and they got more and more confident. In 2018 I spent 72 mornings taking photos of them. I made a few good ones."
While watching the rabbits I realised that sometimes they jump at each other in the air. I knew in the moment, that I have to take a picture of this scene. So I gave them food, and the stronger rabbits were protecting their share from the others.That's what caused this scene.”
Category Birds Winner: 'Greeting The Sun' By Peter Cech (Cz)
Category Plants And Fungi Winner: 'The Fallen Idol III' By David Frutos Egea (Es)
Really love this shot- so very serene. Awesome symmetry and atmosphere as well.
Category Underwater Winner: ' Up In The Air' By Alexey Zozulya (Ru)
Category Youth Winner: 'Symphony N°5' By Giacomo Redaelli (It)
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Wolf Attack' By Martin Steenhaut (Be)
Category Birds Runner-Up: 'Golden Eagle Landing' By Audun Rikardsen (No)
Oh I remember seeing how they got this shot basically they created a perch that looked optimal for sitting on for the eagle and just waited until it sat on it (which I believe took a while-in the days range?) and put a camera on it. Anyways it sounds a lot less dramatic when I explain it but that’s what happened
Category Birds Highly Commended: 'Fjord Fight' By Bernt Østhus (No)
Category Underwater Runner-Up: 'Dancing In The Light' By Domenico Tripodi (It)
Category Man And Nature Highly Commended:' Sunsets' By Pedro Narra (Pt)
Category Black And White Highly Commended: 'Brothers' By Luke Massey (Es)
Category Landscape Winner: 'A Stormy Day' By Ales Krivec (Si)
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Deer On The Crest' By François Nowicki (Fr)
Is that really a deer? The antlers resemble those of an elk. I don't even know if the picture was taken in North America.
Category Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award Winner: 'Cuejdel My Lake' By Gheorghe Popa (Ro)
Category Underwater Highly Commended: 'Duck Photo Bomb' By Paul Colley (UK)
Category Plants And Fungi Highly Commended: 'Survivor III' By David Frutos Egea (Es)
Category Youth Highly Commended:'poplar Stars' By Carlos Perez Naval (Es)
Category Landscape Highly Commended: 'Flower Power' By Brandon Yoshizawa (Us)
Category Birds Highly Commended: 'La Dama Blanca' By Stanislao Basileo (It)
Category Other Animals Highly Commended: 'Hunting Ants' By Petr Bambousek (Cz)
Category Plants And Fungi Highly Commended: 'Frozen Spring' By Csaba Daroczi (Hu)
Category Other Animals Runner-Up: 'Gorgon' By Alena Shevtsova (Ru)
Category Other Animals Highly Commended: 'Hunt In Sun' By Wei Fu (Th)
Category Mammals Winner: 'Under The Snow…' By Stefano Quirini (It)
Category Mammals Runner-Up: 'Tapir Diver' By Marcio Esteves Cabral (Br)
Well how bout that, I had no idea that Tapir could swim especially underwater.
Category Other Animals Highly Commended: 'Fly' By Radomir Jakubowski (De)
Category Youth Highly Commended: 'Little Curious Learner' By John Peter Wewin Pandian (In)
Category Other Animals Winner: 'Golden Rain' By Norbert Kaszás (Hu)
Nature is sacred. Protect it like your life depends on it. Because it does...
A lot of these are beautiful and mesmerizing. Make me want to take up photography to see what I can capture.
BP, please listen up and block this idiot that posts "comments" as 'AlinaAnalina'. Because last time I looked, this was neither a porn site, nor a yellow pages of sorts for 'pink' ads...
I can't, because the "report" thingy only appears in the app. But please, those who can, report her! She's is so annoying. This is not the place for her stupid porno ads!
Load More Replies...Nature is sacred. Protect it like your life depends on it. Because it does...
A lot of these are beautiful and mesmerizing. Make me want to take up photography to see what I can capture.
BP, please listen up and block this idiot that posts "comments" as 'AlinaAnalina'. Because last time I looked, this was neither a porn site, nor a yellow pages of sorts for 'pink' ads...
I can't, because the "report" thingy only appears in the app. But please, those who can, report her! She's is so annoying. This is not the place for her stupid porno ads!
Load More Replies...