A brand new photography competition has released its first ever batch of winners and finalists, and there are some truly stunning images in the mix. A portrait of a playful sea lion has taken the top gong in the inaugural Nature Photography Contest, which showcases animals, plants, landscapes and human impact on the environment.

The Nature Photography Contest was started in 2023 by an international team of nature photographers, aiming to highlight the beauty of our planet – and what we stand to lose. Entrants submit their images to 10 categories: Wildlife, Birds and Plant Life focus on the organisms we share Earth with. Landscapes capture large-scale scenery, while Macrophotography zooms in on the tiny. Underwater and Night World showcase nature through different lenses. Environmental Impact and Sharing the Planet highlight how humans co-exist with nature, both good and bad. And Funny Nature lightens the mood a bit with those once-in-a-lifetime snaps.

Glenn Ostle

Along with the categories, submissions have the chance for special recognition. The Photography of the Year Award goes to a single shot from any category that stands above the rest, while the Photographer of the Year is awarded to an exceptional person behind the camera, based on their entire submitted body of work.

The contest’s first-ever Photography of the Year Award went to Glenn Ostle for his image, Sea Lion in Los Islotes. Snapped in the waters near LaPaz, Mexico, the photo shows a sea lion looking coyly over its shoulder at the camera, before presumably plunging through the schools of fish in the background.

Alain Schroeder

The inaugural Photographer of the Year, meanwhile, was awarded to Belgian photojournalist Alain Schroeder. His work includes a sea turtle captured in the Maldives and a series on orangutans in Indonesia, one photo of which also won the Sharing the Planet category.

Browse through the other winners and a selection of finalists in our gallery, and for the full slate, check out the competition’s website.

Source: Nature Photography Contest