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Valter Bernardeschi's Image
Extending his camera ahead of him using two monopod poles and a float, Valter slipped into the icy water to photograph the walruses he had spotted from his dinghy. This caught the attention of some curious youngsters who began to swim towards him. Exhilarated by this peaceful encounter, Valter captured this intimate portrait from a pole’s length away.
These walruses are likely to live for up to 40 years, spending their days trawling the seafloor, using their whiskers and muzzles to find and extract food. Their thick skin protects them from the cold as they forage mainly for molluscs, such as clams. In the Arctic water, blood flow to the surface of their skin is reduced to retain heat.
Behind the lens
Valter Bernardeschi
Italy
Valter began to take photographs in the 1970s, first of landscapes and then of animals around the world. His work has been published in National Geographic Magazine and other well-known Italian and international magazines. He is a long-time expert guide for Photo Natural adventures.
Image details
- Sony ILCE-7RM2
- 28mm f2.8 lens
- 1/800 sec at f8 • ISO 1250 • Nimar II housing • Nikonos remote control • Feisol monopod
- Svalbard, Norway
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.
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