© Ross Hoddinott: Damselfly silhouette.
The British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) is proud to announce the winners for this brand new competition. Established in 2009, these Awards were created to celebrate the talents of both amateur and professional photographers, while simultaneously highlighting the great wealth and diversity of British natural history.
The competition has captured the imagination of thousands of UK and international photographers who, collectively, have created a stunning and innovative series of images which showcase British wildlife at its best.
The winners are:
1. British Wildlife Photographer (cash prize of £5,000)
Ross Hoddinott, for his image entitled: “Damselfly silhouette”.
Sue Herdman, Judge and Editor of the National Trust Magazine, said:
“We were looking for a winning image that stood out as the most memorable and striking. Almost monochrome in tone, this beautiful silhouette is both intriguing and haunting, with a delicate composition and admirable clarity. Droplets of water shimmer on the wings; a fuzz of hairs’ bristle from the body and, perhaps most fascinating of all, the photographer has caught the ‘face’ of our fly which holds, in profile, a curiously human look. No-one viewing this photograph, we concluded, could fail to find it anything other than compelling”.
2. Young British Wildlife Photographer Under 18 (cash prize of £500)
Will Nicholls, age 14, for his image of a red squirrel taken in Kielder forest, Northumberland.
© Ben Hall: Fallow Buck at Dawn.
3. The Category winners are:
a) ANIMAL PORTRAITS - Ben Hall, “Gannet portrait” - (5181)
b) URBAN WILDLIFE - Lorne Gill, “The ultimate flock” - (3556)
c) HABITAT - Ben Hall, “Fallow buck at dawn” - (5202)
d) HIDDEN BRITAIN - Ross Hoddinott, “Damselfly silhouette” - (1261)
e) COAST AND MARINE - Alex Mustard, “Grey seal” - (2402)
f) WILDLIFE BEHAVIOUR - David Slater, “Blackbirds fighting” - (5142)
g) WILDLIFE IN MY LOCALITY Noel Bennett, “Tranquillity, mute swan on canal” (1453)
4. School Youth and Community Group Award (cash prize £1,000)
Dalmally Primary School, Glenview, Dalmally, Scotland, for a series of studies.
The photographers are: Katrina Dow, Shannon Donald (age 7) James Gemmell (age 8) Des Halewood (age 8) and Robert McLaughlin (age 7).
© Noel Bennett: Tranquillity, mute swan on canal.
Exhibition Venues
There will be a year-long nationwide tour of the exhibition throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
- 7 November to 12 December 2009 (weekends only): Nunnington Hall, Yorkshire
- January & February 2010: Wicken Fen Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire
- March 2010: Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
- April 26 to 28 May Belfast Waterfront, Northern Ireland
- April and May 2010: Penryhn Castle, North Wales
- June and July 2010: Trelissick, Cornwall
- August and September 2010: Glencoe, Scotland
The British Wildlife Photography Awards are being supported by Natural England, WWF-UK, The Wildlife Trusts, The National Trust, The National Trust for Scotland and Outdoor Photography Magazine.
Dr Helen Phillips, Natural England’s Chief Executive, said: “Natural England is delighted to be involved in this year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards, which have so successfully engaged people of all ages with the wonders of our natural environment. I’d like to congratulate all of the entrants for the exceptionally high quality of their images – they are spectacular, and together they provide a stunning visual testimony to the importance of protecting and enhancing our amazing wildlife.”
With this level and breadth of commitment from supporters, it is hoped that the BWPA will set the standard for British wildlife photography for many years to come.
2010 Competition
Dates for the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2010 competition: details of next year’s competition (opening in January 2010) will be announced on the BWPA web site later this autumn. Sign up to the BWPA mailing list to be kept informed. http://www.bwpawards.co.uk/