Create a list of articles to read later. You will be able to access your list from any article in Discover.
You don't have any saved articles.
Awe-inspiring portrait wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018
The winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition have been revealed during a glittering ceremony at the Natural History Museum, London, which runs the international competition.
Dutch photographer Marsel van Oosten has won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 title for his extraordinary image, The Golden Couple, which frames a pair of golden snub-nosed monkeys in the temperate forest of China’s Qinling Mountains, the only habitat for these endangered primates. The winning portrait captures the beauty and fragility of life on earth, and a glimpse of some of the extraordinary, yet relatable beings we share our planet with.
Chair of the judging panel, Roz Kidman Cox, says, ‘This image is in one sense traditional – a portrait. But what a striking one, and what magical animals. It is a symbolic reminder of the beauty of nature and how impoverished we are becoming as nature is diminished. It is an artwork worthy of hanging in any gallery in the world.’
Natural History Museum Director Sir Michael Dixon says, ‘In a world which is in thrall to special effects, this image celebrates the majestic and otherworldly presence of nature, and reminds us of our crucial role in protecting it.’
Sixteen-year-old Skye Meaker took the award for Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 with his charming portrait of a leopard waking from sleep in Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana. Skye has wanted to be a nature photographer since receiving his first pocket camera at the age of seven.
‘With precisely executed timing and composition, we get a coveted glimpse into the inner world of one of the most frequently photographed, yet rarely truly seen, animals,’ says competition judge and previous competition winner Alexander Badyaev.
The two images were selected from 19 category winners, depicting the incredible diversity of life on our planet, from displays of rarely seen animal behaviour to hidden underwater worlds. Images from professional and amateur photographers are selected by a panel of industry-recognised professionals for their originality, creativity and technical excellence.
Beating over 45,000 entries from 95 countries, Marsel and Skye’s images will be on show in stunning lightbox displays with 98 other spectacular photographs. The exhibition at the Natural History Museum opens on 19 October 2018 before touring across the UK and internationally to locations such as Canada, Spain, the USA, Australia and Germany.
New for 2018 is the Lifetime Achievement Award. This year acclaimed nature photographer Frans Lanting is being honoured for his outstanding contribution to wildlife conservation over more than three decades. A showcase of his timeless photography will feature in the exhibition.
Open to photographers of all ages and abilities, the next Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition opens for entries on Monday 22 October. Find out more.
Associate sponsors for the upcoming exhibition at the Natural History Museum are renewable energy company Ørsted and LUMIX, Panasonic’s brand of digital cameras.
Exhibition information
Dates and times: Friday 19 October 2018 - Summer 2019 10.00-17.50 (last admission 17.15)
Prices from: Adult £15.00*, child £9.00*, concession £12.00
Free for Members, Patrons and children under four
Visitor enquiries: 020 7942 5000
Nearest tube: South Kensington
Twitter: @NHM_WPY
Instagram: @nhm_wpy
Hashtag: #WPY54
* Prices including optional Gift Aid donation to the Museum.
South Kensington exhibition sponsors
The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and innovative waste-to-energy solutions and provides smart energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 5,600 people, including over 900 in the UK. Ørsted's shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2017, the group's revenue was DKK 59.5 billion (EUR 8.0 billion)
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the company has expanded globally and now operates 591 subsidiaries and 88 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of Euro 61.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2018. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic:
Since the first LUMIX digital single lens mirrorless camera, the LUMIX G1, was launched in 2008, Panasonic is the only manufacturer to have devoted 10 years to the development of this innovative camera system. Panasonic will continue to focus on developing high-end digital cameras that meet the stringent standards of professional photographers and video creators. To find out more about Panasonic’s line-up of cutting-edge digital cameras: