Freeze frame

Etienne spotted this stoat, in its full winter colours, crossing a lane close to his home in Switzerland. It went into a snow-covered field at high speed and started jumping back and forth, presumably looking for signs of mice or rabbits. Etienne lay down in the snow and waited for it to reappear. When the stoat burst back into view about 10 metres away, Etienne had his camera ready. 'The stoat didn't seem to be spooked by me and continued jumping around,' he says. 'But it was a miracle that I managed to catch it in the air, at its highest point, and that I got it all in the frame, and in focus, too. I never expected to come home with such a picture.'

Photograph Details

Runner-up 2013

15-17 Years

Etienne Francey, Switzerland

Freeze frame

Etienne spotted this stoat, in its full winter colours, crossing a lane close to his home in Switzerland. It went into a snow-covered field at high speed and started jumping back and forth, presumably looking for signs of mice or rabbits. Etienne lay down in the snow and waited for it to reappear. When the stoat burst back into view about 10 metres away, Etienne had his camera ready. 'The stoat didn't seem to be spooked by me and continued jumping around,' he says. 'But it was a miracle that I managed to catch it in the air, at its highest point, and that I got it all in the frame, and in focus, too. I never expected to come home with such a picture.'

Technical specification

Nikon D7000 + 300mm f4 lens; 1/4000 sec at f4.5 (-0.7 e/v); ISO 400.

Cousset, Switzerland

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Etienne Francey, Switzerland

Etienne started taking pictures of wildlife at the age of 10, and was taught about photography technique by his grandfather. He photographs the nature around his home, and finds that this allows him to relax, observe and discover different species. He hopes to teach photography when he is older.