Wildlife
piet flour

Wildlife

March 2018

Entry 1639347
29th
1061
Entry 1641826
33rd
657
Entry 1645909
317th
63
Entry 1646128
131st
5
1473

What we love about this shot is that it's well thought out. The photographer has recognised that the vultures come back to roost at the same place each night and so has framed one roosting point in front of the setting sun. The clear backdrop means the purple and orange hues warm the background for a strong silhouette from the birds and the tree.

Entry 1659958
1378th
14
Entry 1662748
11th
285
Entry 1663433
124th
82
Entry 1663555
924th
15
Expert
winner
Entry 1663583
82nd
89

The timing of this shot is fantastic. The crab has emerged from the anemone which provides a soft, velvety backdrop. The frame is filled and all of the crab easily visible. A great mixture of warm, red tones in the crab’s shell are complemented by the cool blues and greens in the anemone itself.

Entry 1638243
259th
36

Wildebeest migrations offer huge vistas, with wide open expanses filled with mammalian bodies. This dusty scene shows the commotion caused by so many individuals, and the inclusion of the water in the bottom right of the frame informs us why they have gathered in such large numbers in one area.

Entry 1639913
218th
314

This striking image works due to its simplicity. The darkest part of the image is the subject itself. The high contrast blacks in the stripes of the zebra make it stand out against a high-key background. Some might be tempted to process the image and darken the blue sky behind the animal, but the fact this hasn't been done is key to its beauty.

At first glance this is a classic "you missed it" shot. The Egret's wings are in the forward position and cover the face. However, the strong backlight projects the Egret's head on its closest wing, which lines up with where we'd expect to see it if the wing wasn't there. The even black background is also a stark contrast to the bright white feathers of the bird.

This photo of camels walking through the sand is a new take on an old subject. We love the way the shadows, accentuated by the dust kicked up by the camels, elongate the already long legs. The shafts of light peeping through create warm, ethereal tones in an otherwise dark frame.

Entry 1670388
17th
422
Entry 1672192
302nd
84
Entry 1715239
70th
448
Entry 1715240
44th
92
Entry 1726884
67th
26
Entry 1747879
48th
19
Entry 1763607
53rd
9

Meet the expert judge

1,698 Images entered

A frame within a frame, as demonstrated by this hole in a leaf, is a strong compositional tool to improve a photograph. The frog's bright yellow feet stand out against the green leaf, and it almost seems as if it's pulling itself through the opening just to pose for the photo.

1,178 Photographers

145,146 Ratings

Aside from primates, bears are arguably the most anthropomorphic large mammals on earth. Here a black bear cub slumps back against the tree in a posture we can all associate with. The eye contact, and golden light on the snout highlights the cub's face and draws the viewer into the photograph.

Entry 1663488
241st
25
Entry 1679224
152nd
136
Entry 1687917
3rd
67
Entry 1722239
153rd
82

Brief

See more contest details

In this Nikon-only contest – brought to you by N-Photo magazine – we're asking for images on the theme of wildlife! So submit your very best images of all creatures great and small! ***Don't forget, all entries MUST be taken with a NIKON camera, and you must also include a title and shooting information (camera, lens and exposure info), either in the info section or in the image's own exif data. Images without shooting information will not be considered. Please also ensure that images are submitted at full resolution suitable for print – low-resolution images will be disqualified!***