2006: Urban Wildlife - Winner
Igor Shpilenok (Russia)
Still life and bear
While working early one morning in his cabin on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, Igor heard a noise in his porch. 'Thinking it was my colleague who lived next door,' says Igor, 'I invited her in, saying the door was open'. Receiving no response, he got up and pushed the door open with his foot. When the door bumped against something, he stuck his head through to apologise. It wasn't a person but a bear, which had prised open the outside door and was having a good nose around. 'It looked up at me in a seemingly friendly manner,' says Igor, 'but nevertheless, I quickly closed the door'. The bear turned around to leave, knocking things over as it left. As Igor went back inside to get his camera, there was the bear, peeping at him through the window by standing on the snowdrift. 'This was the only photo I had time to take before the bear left. I had put out the lemons on the window sill to ripen, never imagining they would add the final touch to such a surreal still life.'
Nikon D2x with AFS Nikkor 12-24mm f1.4G lens; 1/60 sec at f4; 100 ISO.
View other winners in this category
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Adult awards Fur seal playground Fanus Weldhagen
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Adult awards Ermine at home Peter Lilja
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