Firefly fiesta

Juergen Freund's Image

Returning to the Bicol Region of the Philippines, Jürgen set out to revisit the magical sight he had witnessed many years before.

He had spotted thousands of fireflies – winged beetles with light-emitting organs in their abdomens – lighting up almond trees as they sought out potential mates. At the time the riverbank was too muddy to set up a tripod for the long exposure needed, and it was impossible to photograph the spectacle from his boat. On his return, locals told Jürgen about another almond tree where fireflies gathered, this one along a much smaller river. Organising a boat, he set out after nightfall and found the fireflies swarming. This time there was solid ground beside the tree where he could just about stand and set up his tripod without falling into the river. The spectacle was electrifying. Fireflies were flashing in their thousands, some in synchrony, others appearing to respond to these blinks with their own. Finally, Jürgen was able to make the picture he had kept in his mind’s eye for such a long time, thankful that the Moon was at the right height to silhouette the tree.


Behind the lens

Juergen Freund

Juergen Freund

Germany/Australia

Juergen is a natural history and conservation photographer living in Tropical North Queensland, Australia. He is as much at home taking underwater photographs in the ocean as he is in freshwater, rainforests, deserts and up in the air. He is a Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers. For more than 20 years, his images have been used for marine conservation by WWF.

Image details

  • Nikon D3
  • 24–85mm f2.8–4 lens at 85mm
  • 149 sec at f4.5  •   ISO 800
  • Bicol, Philippines
Copyright in WPY competition photographs remains the property of the respective photographers. You may not copy, share, reproduce or republish the photographs except as expressly permitted by copyright law. For media image usage enquiries, please contact us.

More images from Juergen Freund

View all
Mushroom magic
The snake tree

Support our important work


Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.

Donate now

Discover more

Sign up to our newsletter

Receive email updates about Wildlife Photographer of the Year news, events, science, products, services and fundraising activities. We may occasionally include third-party content from our corporate partners and other museums. We will not share your personal details with these third parties. You must be over the age of 13. Privacy notice.