Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Luca Fantoni & Danilo Porta (Italy)

Beech in the mist

Monte Barro is in the Lombardy Prealps in northern Italy, not so far from where Luca and Danilo live. In summer, it's a hotspot for flowers and insects. But at any time of year, it's a wonderful place to visit, with woodland containing majestic, centuries-old beeches. One particular foggy grey November morning, they discovered this individual, 'resembling a wise old patriarch who had gathered his subjects around in order to let them know something important.' Looking skyward, the branches and twigs appeared root-like, as though delving upwards to gain nourishment from the heavens.

Nikon F90x with Nikkor 20mm lens; 1/60 sec at f8; Ilford FP4.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.