2020 WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

THOMAS VIJAYAN, Canada | “The World Is Turning Upside Down”, Borneo

THOMAS VIJAYAN, Canada | “The World Is Turning Upside Down”, Borneo

Congratulations to Thomas Vijayan of Canada for becoming The Wild Lens Magazine’s 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year with this stunning image. Mr. Vijayan won a safari to Nairobi, Kenya, hosted by Sunworld Safaris and Mara Bush Camp.

With hundreds of entrants from five continents and 27 countries, we were impressed and gratified by the quality of every entry. It was truly an international contest.

Thank you to our judges Kurt Bertels, Julio Hirsch-Hardy, John Isaac, Michelle Liles, Ranjan Ramchandani and Roy Toft.

We greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors Sunworld Safaris, Mara Bush Camp and Bay Photo.

 
 

Category Winners

Mammals

1ST Place – BEN CRANKE, United Kingdom | “The Battle”, Botswana, Africa

1ST Place – BEN CRANKE, United Kingdom | “The Battle”, Botswana, Africa

2nd Place – TRIKANSH SHARMA, India | “Dust Bath”, Uttarakhand, India

2nd Place – TRIKANSH SHARMA, India | “Dust Bath”, Uttarakhand, India

3rd Place – AVANKA FERNANDO, Sri Lanka | “My Home”, Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

3rd Place – AVANKA FERNANDO, Sri Lanka | “My Home”, Yala National Park, Sri Lanka


Birds

1ST Place – BENCE MATE, Hungary | “Eye to Eye”, Monte Verde, Costa Rica

1ST Place – BENCE MATE, Hungary | “Eye to Eye”, Monte Verde, Costa Rica

2nd Place – TIBOR KERCZ, Hungary | “Rainy Night”, Opusztaszer, Hungary

2nd Place – TIBOR KERCZ, Hungary | “Rainy Night”, Opusztaszer, Hungary

3rd Place – BEN CRANKE, United Kingdom | “Whiteout”, South Georgia Island

3rd Place – BEN CRANKE, United Kingdom | “Whiteout”, South Georgia Island


Underwater

1ST Place – AMOS NACHOUM, USA/Israel | “Facing Reality”, Plano Island, Antarctica

1ST Place – AMOS NACHOUM, USA/Israel | “Facing Reality”, Plano Island, Antarctica

2nd Place – JODI FREDIANI, USA | “Curious Calf”, Vava’u, Tonga

2nd Place – JODI FREDIANI, USA | “Curious Calf”, Vava’u, Tonga

3rd Place – AMOS NACHOUM, USA/Israel | “Family of Polar Bears Over My Head”, Hudson Bay, Canada

3rd Place – AMOS NACHOUM, USA/Israel | “Family of Polar Bears Over My Head”, Hudson Bay, Canada


Landscape

1ST Place – BARRY FELDMAN, Australia | “Early Morning Mob”, Victoria, Australia

1ST Place – BARRY FELDMAN, Australia | “Early Morning Mob”, Victoria, Australia

2nd Place – CHRISTINE GARNER, USA/St. Maarten | “Shallows at 35,000 Feet”, Exumas, Bahamas

2nd Place – CHRISTINE GARNER, USA/St. Maarten | “Shallows at 35,000 Feet”, Exumas, Bahamas

3rd Place – JASON SPETH, USA | “Son Doong Cave”, Son Doong, Vietnam

3rd Place – JASON SPETH, USA | “Son Doong Cave”, Son Doong, Vietnam


Macro

1ST Place – ANIRBAN DUTTA, India | “Drenched In Dew”, West Bengal, India

1ST Place – ANIRBAN DUTTA, India | “Drenched In Dew”, West Bengal, India

2nd Place – REYNANTE MARTINEZ, Philippines | “The Sniper”, Zambales, Philippines

2nd Place – REYNANTE MARTINEZ, Philippines | “The Sniper”, Zambales, Philippines

3rd Place – ARINDAM SAHA, India | “Big Eyes”, West Bengal, India

3rd Place – ARINDAM SAHA, India | “Big Eyes”, West Bengal, India


Reptiles

1ST Place – BRAD GRAF, USA | “Senior Year Portrait”, Galapagos, Ecuador

1ST Place – BRAD GRAF, USA | “Senior Year Portrait”, Galapagos, Ecuador

2nd Place – DR. S. S. SURESH, India | “Forest Green Lizard”, Trichur, India

2nd Place – DR. S. S. SURESH, India | “Forest Green Lizard”, Trichur, India

3rd Place – SUMAN PAUL, India | “Mr. Poser”, Pune, India

3rd Place – SUMAN PAUL, India | “Mr. Poser”, Pune, India


Honorees

JUDGES’ CHOICE

Cathy Hart - Mammals, “The One That Got Away”
Ben Cranke - Birds, “Confrontation”
Anirban Dutta - Macro, “Tug Of War”

HONORABLE MENTION

Donald Bruschera - Mammals, “Defence”
Ben Cranke - Mammals, “Leap Of Faith”
Ben Cranke - Mammals, “The Forest Cat”
David Roberts - Mammals, “Family Tree”
Nilesh Shah - Mammals, “Spa Time”

Oleg Bogdanov - Birds, “Pelican Bathing”
Ben Cranke - Birds, “Rock Jumper”
Jay Dickman - Birds, “Puffin Lunch”
Graeme Guy - Birds, “Romancing The Female Bowerbird”
Johan Siggesson - Birds, “Dalmations On Ice”
Lawrence Worcester - Birds, “Bird And Cacti”

Brent Barnes - Underwater, “Eye Of The Playful Sea Lion”
Brent Barnes - Underwater, “Ocean White Tip" Shark”
Brent Barnes - Underwater, “Open Wide”
Brent Barnes - Underwater, “Spotlight on Moray Eel”
Jodi Frediani - Underwater, “Heading North”
Cathy Hart - Underwater, “Humpback”
Victoria Walker - Underwater, “Swimming Lizard”

Brian Brunetti - Landscape, “First Light At Sea”
Donald Bruschera - Landscape, “Drama And Sunbeams”
Enrico Pescantini - Landscape, “Earth’s Rainbow”
Jeff Schwab - Landscape, “Starry Starry Night”
Katerina Wallace - Landscape, “Ice Lagoon”

Anirban Dutta - Macro, “Galaxy”
Anirban Dutta - Macro, “Pathetic Death”

Arindam Saha - Macro, “GoldenDeath”
Sahaj Kohli - Macro, “Spider Weaving Web”
Arindam Saha - Macro, “Mirror Image”
Trikansh Sharma - Macro, “Translucence”

Chris Garner - Reptiles, “Camo”
Brad Graf - Reptiles, “I Like Long Walks On The Beach”
Christian Passeri - Reptiles, “Stereoscopic Vision”
Caroline Peppiatt - Reptiles, “Beast And Beauty”
Lawrence Worcester - Reptiles, “Green Snake with Red Ants”