As with 2020, this 2021 has not been a good year for photography, with the large number of movement restrictions both nationally and internationally in all countries.
Most snapshots across the planet have been limited to selfies and the living room window for many months, but some brave souls managed to get out far enough to take some impressive shots.
The Nature TTL Photographer Of The Year Awards have featured more than 8,000 images competing for the grand prize of £ 1,500 (about 1,800 euros) in this edition, in categories ranging from animal portraits to submarines and landscapes.
Photographers from all over the world competed for the title and, finally, this year’s winner was Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan with his incredible image of an orangutan, titled ‘The World Turns Upside Down’ . At first glance, the image appears to be looking up at the sky. However, the photograph is actually a reflection in the water under the tree that the orangutan is climbing. It was made in Borneo, where the photographer selected a tree that was in the water so that he could get a good reflection of the sky and create that upside-down effect. It belongs to the category of Animal behavior.
“Thomas’s image is truly unique, and it immediately stood out to the judging panel,” said Will Nicholls, founder of Nature TTL. “It’s one of those photos where you can’t miss it. The unique perspective and composition mean that you’re immediately trying to figure out what exactly you’re looking at.”
Thomas Easterbrook , a 13-year-old photographer from the UK, was crowned TTL Young Nature Photographer of the Year 2021. His image shows a peregrine falcon stalking starlings.
The eight contest categories celebrate the natural world: animal behavior, camera traps, landscapes, small world, night sky, underwater, urban wildlife, and wild portraits. There is also a category for photographers under 16 years of age.
Here are the winning images from all categories of the Nature TTL Photographer Of The Year Awards.
