From a lioness racing after her prey, to a pack of wild dogs herding a bear, this year's Nature inFocus Photography Contest delivers a spectacular assortment of wonderful wildlife imagery celebrating the best of the nature photography in 2021.
Initially started in 2014 as a platform to create a community of photographers in India, Nature inFocus has grown to include a festival and an annual nature photography contest. The Nature inFocus Photography Contest has now grown into an international photo competition, this year gathering around 18,000 submissions from photographers spanning 40 countries.
“The Nature InFocus Photography & Film Contest is more than just a competition,” explains Rohit Varma, one of the contest’s founders. “It is about inspiring people to do more with their cameras. To think beyond the ordinary, to make images and films that stand out and can drive action.”
The competition spans five simple categories: Animal Portraits, Animal Behavior, Conservation Issues, Creative Nature Photography, and Wildlife & Animals in Habitat. Alongside winners in those five categories an additional Young Photographer of the Year award is offered.
“I am a great fan of India and its exceptional biodiversity and was genuinely honored when asked to judge this competition,” says wildlife photographer Andy Rouse, a judge in this year’s contest. “And wow, what a great collection of images! It was so good to see the true breadth of the diversity of India's wildlife and the incredible skill with which photographers have executed their photographs.”
A highlight in this year’s contest is Mohammad Murad’s stunningly composed shot of a Red Fox in Kuwait. Winning the Animal Portrait category, Murad’s shot is the culmination of spending several months getting the foxes comfortable with his presence.
Karamjeet Singh’s unique look at feral dogs herding a Himalayan Brown Bear took a runner-up spot in Conservation Issues. The extraordinary image illustrates how local villagers in Ladakh have trained the dogs to keep wild bears out of town.
Other top shots in this year’s contest include a tiger warning a crocodile to keep off its territory, a lioness hunting a tiny piglet, and a gorgeous shot of an African Bush Elephant sheltering behind an elephant-shaped shrub.
Take a look through our gallery at more highlights from this impressive nature photography contest.
Source: Nature inFocus