This year I entered some photos in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, sponsored by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine. While I’ve only entered a few photo contests throughout my career, this is a popular one, and many are familiar with it. For that reason, I thought some might be interested in the results feedback. This year, they made available the stages of progress the images made in the selection process. I’m not sure how many entries there are in this contest, but there are a lot, I would not the responsibility of judging it. While none of my entries earned any awards, one did make it into the finalist rounds, and a few others in the semi-finals–per their category. Most of these have appeared in past blog posts but for the curious minds, here are the results. The winners will be announced later.
Click on photo to see it larger
Cow moose defends her newly born calf from the Grant Creek wolf pack in Denali National Park. In the end, the wolves got the baby moose.
Stage reached: Finalist
Category: Behaviour: Mammals
Image title: A mother’s furry
Bull caribou travel across a mountain ridge in the Alaska range mountains, Denali National Park, interior, Alaska.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Animals in their Environment
Bull muskox on the snow covered tundra of the arctic north slope, Alaska
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Animals in their Environment
Hammond River Canyon, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Brooks range mountains, Alaska.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Wild Places
Aerial of the Brooks Range mountains, arctic Alaska. Confluence of Easter Creek and Kilik River, Gates of the Arctic National Park.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Wild Places
Aurora borealis over snow covered spruce trees, interior, Alaska.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Wild Places
Arctic fox in white winter coat rests in a snowdrift along a lake in Alaska's arctic north slope.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Animal Portraits
Black-browed albatross has a 79-94" wingspan and a natural lifespan exceeding 70 years. Westpoint Island, Falkland Islands
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Animal Portraits
Polar bear cub of the year sits in the snow watching snowflakes fall, arctic, Alaska
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Animal Portraits
Female polar bear rubs her neck in the snow on an island in the Beaufort Sea on Alaska's arctic coast.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Behaviour: Mammals
Polar bear cubs play fight on a snow covered island in the Beaufort Sea, arctic, Alaska.
Stage reached: Semi-Finalist
Category: Behaviour: Mammals
Rearticulated whale skeleton at Jugla Point, near Port Lockroy, western Antarctic Peninsula.
Stage reached: First Round
Category: One Earth Award
Image title: Re-articulated whale skeleton
Large tabular iceberg near Paulet Island, Antarctic Peninsula.
Stage reached: First Round
Category: Creative Visions of Nature
Aerial of the wild and scenic Wind River, Brooks range, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Stage reached: First Round
Category: Creative Visions of Nature
Lizard on the stone wall of Machu Picchu, the ancient "lost city of the Incas", 1400 CA, 2400 meters. Discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. One of Peru's top tourist destinations.
Stage reached: First Round
Category: Animals in their Environment
Early snowfall in the boreal forest in the hills surrounding Fairbanks, Alaska.
Stage reached: First Round
Category: In Praise of Plants and Fungi
Wow, it’s hard to believe (even with all the entries) that judges passed up moving some of these incredible photos on to subsequent rounds. It further verifies the practically arbitrary nature in which “winners” are chosen in the realm of art.
There must be some incredible competition in this contest. I would certainly not want to be the judge either. Would be interesting to know what specific criteria the judges are using in these categories.
Justine and Kent,
Yes indeed, there are some amazing photographs in this competition, I cant wait to see the winners. It would be tough to judge and it is inevitable that the terms arbitrary and subjective come into view at some point, but I know they look for creative and original representation of the natural world.
I figured the wolf/moose attack would make it to the finals as it is both a Excellent image but to capture that scene as clearly as you did is remarkable! I’ve entered my photos in contest over the years as well as photo club weekly competitions and judging there can be BRUTAL on your ego! Congrats Patrick
Thanks Chuck
Hi Patrick Just got back from a trip away. Great selection and a major achievement in a competition like that. It’s really the World Cup of Wildlife Photography, well done.
Thanks Emlyn
Beautiful and unique, especially the wolves/moose shot and the Arctic Fox’s tongue!
This too was my first year entering the competition, and I’m eager to see the winning shots, esp. Animals in their environment. I also managed to find out a little more about the number of submissions – see http://mvsneary.blogspot.com/2011/07/bbc-wildlife-photographer-of-year.html?spref=tw for more details.
Martin, thanks for that link and info.