New Scientist spoke to the winning photographers, alongside broadcaster Chris Packham, about the stories behind the images and how they hope their work will inspire change. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.
Nature Photographer of the Year is a Nature Photography contest that celebrates the beauty of nature photography.
A group of polar bears exploring an abandoned Soviet village in the Arctic has won Nature Photographer of the Year 2022.
Sascha Fonseca won the Mammals category with a fabulous photo of the endangered snow leopard.
Leighton Lum from ‘Aiea, O‘ahu
“I took this shot during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. This shot was only made possible because there were very few people going outside during the lockdowns, and bait balls were coming into beaches along Waikīkī. With the bait balls so close to shore and with so few people around, these sandbar sharks were able to come in and snag an easy meal.
I was lucky enough to be flying my drone that day and had a few great views of this interesting hunting behavior that is not often seen in heavily populated areas such as Waikīkī.”
Semaj Thomas from Honolulu, O‘ahu
“I went out for sunrise at Kualoa Regional Park. It was a cloud covered morning—which generally are my favorite times to shoot because there is always potential for light leaks. I sent up the drone, set the composition and Mother Nature did the rest. This image to me is indicative of the stories I’ve learned about historic Hawai‘i, and I hope it stands the test of time.”
Peter Tang from Honolulu, O‘ahu
“A high surf advisory ushered a procession of waves to O‘ahu’s Waimea Bay. The wind blew water off the lip and the morning sun illuminated the spray to create a rainbow in its wake.”
Lisa Titimacco from Wahiawā, O‘ahu
“I remember this day well—I got out a little before sunset during a decent winter south swell on O‘ahu. After a set rolled through, I saw my friend Nancy (@nancxyx) sitting on the nose of her longboard, taking a break and watching the other surfers. She was so relaxed and the golden hour light was hitting her face perfectly so I took a couple shots. They turned out pretty good.”
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