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The golden horseshoe: Laurent Ballesta wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 for the second time
Selected from 49,957 entries from 95 countries, the winners of the Natural History Museum's prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition were revealed at an awards ceremony in South Kensington today.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023
French underwater photographer and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 for ‘The golden horseshoe’, an otherworldly image of a tri-spine horseshoe crab accompanied by a trio of golden trevallies.
The tri-spine horseshoe crab has survived for more than 100 million years but now faces habitat destruction and overfishing for food and for its blue blood, used in the development of vaccines. But, in the protected waters of Pangatalan Island in the Philippines, there is hope for its survival.
Chair of the jury and editor, Kathy Moran says, ‘To see a horseshoe crab so vibrantly alive in its natural habitat, in such a hauntingly beautiful way, was astonishing. We are looking at an ancient species, highly endangered, and also critical to human health. This photo is luminescent.’
Laurent is only the second photographer in the competition’s fifty-nine-year history to be awarded the Grand Title award twice. He was first awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2021 for his intriguing image of camouflage groupers exiting a milky cloud of eggs and sperm in Fakarava, French Polynesia.
©Carmel Bechler, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023
Seventeen-year-old Carmel Bechler from Israel was awarded Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 for his ‘Owls’ road house’, a dynamic frame of barn owls in an abandoned roadside building. Using the family car as hide, Carmel made the most of natural light and long exposure times to capture the light trails of passing traffic.
Carmel was just 11 years old when he began wildlife photography, and this is his first award in the annual competition. ‘I hope to share with my photography that the beauty of the natural world is all around us, even in places where we least expect it to be, we just need to open our eyes and our minds,’ says Carmel.
‘This photograph has so many layers in terms of content and composition. It simultaneously screams “habitat destruction” and “adaptation”, begging the question: If wildlife can adapt to our environment, why can’t we respect theirs?,’ says Kathy Moran.
Catalyst for change
The two Grand Title winners were selected from 19 astounding category winners that showcase the rich diversity of life on Earth. In an intensive process, each entry was judged anonymously by an international panel of experts on its originality, narrative, technical excellence, and ethical practice.
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum comments, ‘Whilst inspiring absolute awe and wonder, this year’s winning images present compelling evidence of our impact on nature – both positive and negative. Global promises must shift to action to turn the tide on nature’s decline.’
The newly redesigned exhibition also features videos showing the impact wildlife photography can have, and insights from jury members, photographers and Museum scientists to invite visitors to advocate for the natural world. The journey continues online with planet-positive actions audiences can take. The exhibition will tour across the UK and internationally to venues in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, and more.
Sixtieth anniversary
The sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition will open for entries from photographers of all ages, nationalities, and experience levels on Monday 16 October 2023. Ahead of the momentous anniversary, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has announced the international jury of industry experts, an entry fee waiver for over 100 countries, changes to the competition’s rules, and a new prize to further encourage hopeful stories of the natural world.
Notes to editors
Exhibition at Natural History Museum, London
Opens Friday 13 October 2023 and closes Sunday 30 June 2024.
The exhibition is open Monday – Sunday, 10.00-17.50 (last admission at 16.30), and weekends sell out quickly.
Adult tickets from £17.50*, concession tickets £14.00*, and child £10.50*. Off-peak Ault tickets from £15.00, off-peak concession ticket £12.00, and off-peak child ticket £9.00 (*Prices excluding optional Gift Aid donation to the Museum.)
Get behind the lens of some of the world's best wildlife photographers with a new Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition tour: www.nhm.ac.uk/events/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-tour
Book your tickets: www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year
#WPY59
Sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
Opens for entries on Monday 16 October 2023.
Closing for entries at 11.30am GMT on Thursday 7 December 2023.
Entrants to the adult competition may enter up to 25 images for a £30 fee, which increases to £35 in the final week of the entry period from 11.30am GMT 30 November to 11.30am GMT 7 December 2023.
An entry fee waiver has been introduced for photographers entering the adult competition who live in Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America.
Entrants aged 17 and under may enter up to 10 images for free.
Find out how to enter: www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/competition
Media contact
For access to high-resolution images or to arrange interviews with photographers, jury members, or Museum spokespeople, please contact Josephine Higgins at the Natural History Museum Press Office.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5106
Mobile: +44 (0) 7799 690151
Email: wildpress@nhm.ac.uk
About Wildlife Photographer of the Year:
Wildlife Photographer of the Year was founded in 1965 by BBC Wildlife Magazine, then called Animals. The Natural History Museum joined forces in 1984 to create the competition as it is known today. The annual competition and touring exhibition is now run and owned by the Natural History Museum, London.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio 33, edited by Rosamund Kidman Cox and with a foreword by Kathy Moran, is now available on pre-sale and will be published on 11 October 2023, RRP £28.
Touring venues in the UK currently include Bristol Museum and Art Gallery; The Base, Greenham; Dorset Museum and Art Gallery; Herbert Art Gallery and Museum; Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery; National Museums Scotland, Seaton Tramway; Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery; Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens; Sewerby Hall and Gardens.
International touring venues currently include Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and National Wool Museum in Australia; Zwin Natuur Park, Belgium; Royal BC Museum and Royal Ontario Museum in Canada; The Natural History Museum of Denmark, Denmark; Museum d'histoire naturelle de Bourges, France; Westfaelisches Pferdemuseum Munster in Germany; Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand; and Science Centre Singapore.
About the Natural History Museum:
The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science centre and one of the most visited attractions in the UK. A global source of curiosity, inspiration and joy.
Our vision is to build a future in which both people and the planet thrive.
We aim to be a catalyst for change, engaging advocates for the planet in everything that we do. Our 350 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency in all aspects of life.
Visit, join and support the Natural History Museum today. Protecting the planet. It's in our nature.