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Enjoy the Best Wildlife Images of 2021: Nature Photographer of the Year Winners Announced

Judges sifted through more than 20,000 images this year to award Nature Talks’ annual Nature Photographer of the Year.

agave nature photography of the year(Photo/Juan Ahumada; NPOTY 2021
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Judges sifted through more than 20,000 images this year to award Nature Talks’ annual Nature Photographer of the Year (NPOTY). Learn more about each of the images here at the NPOTY awards page — and be sure to enter the 2022 contest now. Plus, everyone can vote for their favorite during the NPOTY People’s Choice Award, from January 18 to March 18, 2022.

Overall Winner

ducks flying photo of the year 2021

Winter Migration, by Terje Kolaas (Norway). Category: Birds (winner).

Winner: Mammals

silverback gorilla nature photography of the year

Silverbach Chimanuka, by Josef Friedhuber (Austria).

Winner: Other Animals

caterpillar nature photography of the year 2021

Walking among fennels, by Ruben Perez Novo (Spain).

Winner: Plants and Fungi

snow trees nature photography of the year 2021

Heat of Hoar, by Rupert Kogler (Austria).

Winner: Landscape

volcano nature photography of the year 2021

Dragon’s Lair, by Denis Budkov (Russia).

Winner: Underwater

seahorse nature photography of the year 2021

Red in red, by Georg Nies (Germany).

Winner: Nature Art

ice cell nature photography of the year 2021

Ice cell, by Gheorghe Popa (Romania).

Winner: Human and Nature

swordfish nature photography of the year 2021

The king of the ocean, by Javier Murcia (Spain).

Winner: Black and White

polar bears nature photography of the year 2021

White Wedding, by Roie Galitz (Israel).

Winner: Animals Portraits

black leopard nature photography of the year 2021

Black leopard, by William Burrard-Lucas (UK).

Winner: Nature of De Lage landen

fox crossing bridge nature photography of the year 2021

Fox crossing the bridge, by Andius Teijgeler (The Netherlands).

Winner: Youth

fawn nature photography of the year 2021

Beautiful world, by Levi Fitze (Switzerland).

Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award

Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award

EMOTIONAL RANGE, by Lea Lee Inoue (USA).

Runner-up: Birds

penguins on the beach nature photography of the year 2021

Fishing trip at sunrise, by Miquel Angel Artús Illana (Spain).

Runner-up: Mammals

canis lupus nature photography of the year 2021

Young Wolf (Canis Lupus), by Aare Udras (Estonia).

Runner-up: Other Animals

snail nature photography of the year 2021

Slow but safe, by Ruben Perez Novo (Spain).

Runner-up: Plants and Fungi

cloudberry plants nature photography of the year 2021

Natures eatable Arctic gould, by Audun Rikardsen (Norway).

Runner-up: Landscape

puna desert nature photography of the year 2021

The prow, by Andrea Pozzi (Italy).

Runner-up: Underwater

dolphins nature photography of the year 2021

Dolphins home, by Dmitry Kokh (Russia).

Runner-up: Nature Art

agave nature photography of the year

Hero, by Juan Ahumada (Spain).

Runner-up: Human and Nature

bear in dumpster nature photography of the year

Unusual visitor, by David Hup (The Netherlands).

Runner-up: Black and White

trees in lake and snow from above nature photography of the year 2021

Yin and Yang, by Gheorghe Popa (Romania).

Runner-up: Animal Portraits

lion eating elephant nature photography of the year 2021

Last Embrace, by Roie Galitz (Israel).

Runner-up: Nature of De Lage Landen

bird flying nature photography of the year 2021

Flying Over a Pastel “Rainbow”, by Ronald Zimmerman (The Netherlands).

Runner-up: Youth

beetle nature photography of the year 2021

Contemplation, by Gergő Kártyás  (Hungary).

Highly Commended: Birds

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Ostrich kindergarten, by Tomasz Szpila (Poland); Middle: Drowned Forest, by Jolanda Vlastuin (The Netherlands); Bottom: SUNDANCE, by Christian Spencer (Brazil).

Highly Commended: Mammals

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Twilight hunters, by Norbert Kovács (Hungary); Middle: Song dog in the snow, by Pam Dorner (USA); Bottom: Storm Warning, by Paul Goldstein (UK).

Highly Commended: Other Animals

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: The night watchman, by Prathamesh Ghadekar (India); Middle: We are hanging on the web, by Csaba Daróczi (Hungary); Bottom: Circle dance, by Csaba Daróczi (Hungary).

Highly Commended: Plants and Fungi

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: City of Angels, by Silvano Paiola (Italy); Middle: Inside a sequoia, by Uge Fuertes (Spain); Bottom: Zombified, by Ripan Biswas (India).

 

Highly Commended: Landscape

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: The frozen land, by Michal Krause (Czech Republic); Middle: Legendary towers in the Dolomites, by Georg Kantioler (Italy); Bottom: Islanda, by Stanislao Basileo (Italy).

Highly Commended: Underwater

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Icebreaker, by Tobias Friedrich (Germany); Middle: Seahorse sanctuary, by Peter McGee (Australia); Bottom: Water lilies marvelous world, by Gaël Modrak (Russia).

Highly Commended: Nature Art

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Fractal Patterned Lake, by Kovács Norbert (Hungary); Middle: Dolphin Design, by Jodi Frediani (USA); Egg universe, by Imre Potyó (Hungary).

Highly Commended: Human and Nature

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Escape, by Földi László (Hungary); Middle: At a price, by Tom Svensson (Sweden); Bottom: The Hand That Feeds, by Andrew Upton (USA).

Highly Commended: Black and White

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Shortness of breath, by Csaba Daróczi (Hungary); Middle: Cloud of dust, by Clement Kiragu (Kenya); Bottom: Schooling Jacks, by Wayne Lai (China).

Highly Commended: Animal Portraits

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Great Crested Grebe Among Buttercups, by Ignacio Medem (Spain); Middle: Leafy Night, by Scott Portelli (Australia); Bottom: Nightfall, by Flurin Leugger (Switzerland).

Highly Commended: Nature of De Lage landen

highly commended photos nature photography of the year 2021

Top: Bluebells and beeches, by Richard Verroen (The Netherlands); Middle: River Abstract, by Sam Mannaerts (Belgium); Bottom: Weevil on pink flower, by Amanda Blom (The Netherlands).

Highly Commended: Youth

Top: Self Reflection, by D’Artagnan Sprengel (New Zealand); Middle: Is there still space left?, by Anton Trexler (Germany); Bottom: The lagoon lovers, by Emelin Dupieux (France).

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