Crystal precision

Mario Cea's Image

Knowing bats would emerge from a nearby derelict house, Mario positioned his camera for a head-on shot of their window exit. The hard part was lighting both a bat and the glass shards in a single exposure. His perseverance paid off, capturing this individual in stunning detail as it set off on its nightly foray.

As tree and cave roosts have become scarce, many bats live in cracks in buildings or derelict spaces. Hunting at night, they rely more on their hearing than sight, which is actually as good as ours. They echolocate – bouncing high-pitched sounds around to map their location and find their prey.


Behind the lens

Mario Cea

Mario Cea

Spain

Mario's passion for nature started at a young age. His images have been published in national and international media as well as books, and he has received several awards in photography competitions. For Mario, nature photography is a way to understand, preserve, respect and love nature in all its aspects.

Image details

  • Canon EOS 7D
  • 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens at 160mm
  • 1/250 sec at f9  •   ISO 200  •   Godox V860 flashes  •   Pixel King Pro remote release
  • Salamanca, Spain
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 Mario Cea

View all

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.