This year's Big Picture winners traveled across the globe to photograph stunning moments that are rarely witnessed by human eyes. Read their insights and learn about the seconds leading up to the capture of this year's winning images.
The Luckiest Penguin
Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) and leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)
Location: Cuverville Island, Antarctica
Photographer: Paul Souders (Seattle, Washington)
A leopard seal narrowly misses a leaping gentoo penguin along the rocky shore of the Antarctic Peninsula. Leopard seals are brutally efficient killers in these icy waters, often trying to ambush penguins as they enter or leave the water. "I love photographing in the Antarctic," says Souders. "The wildlife there are quite comfortable with [human] presence. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see the world in a near pristine state."
Souders has journeyed to every continent, creating images that appear in major U.S., French, and German publications. His recent work in the Arctic has drawn wide acclaim, including National Geographic Photo of the Year.
Beast in the Garden
Mountain lion (Puma concolor)
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Photographer: Morgan Heim (Boulder, Colorado)
Boulder, Colorado records about 70 mountain lion sightings within city limits each year—likely just a fraction of the cats’ actual activity. This camera-trap image pulls back the curtain on the secret world of urban wildlife and prompts us to consider what it means to live with a beast in the garden.
Heim brings a background in zoology and environmental journalism to her photography and film projects. She co-founded OK, Possum! Productions, a collective that produces media about living with wildlife.
Curvy King
Alpine ibex (Capra ibex)
Location: Gran Paradiso National Park, Valsavarenche, Italy
Photographer: Emanuele Biggi (Genova, Italy)
A herd of female ibex effortlessly darted up steep cliffs and over rugged terrain. A large male brought up the rear. For just a moment, he paused on a crag and glanced down, blending in to the ice-covered cliffs of his winter home.
An environmental scientist, Biggi works to raise awareness about lesser-known species and their roles in ecosystem health.
Snow Mountain
Location: Wollongong, Australia
Photographer: Ray Collins (Thirroul, Australia)
Collins seeks to document the ocean’s many moods. With his camera safely tucked in water-housing, he floated in its waves. Fish swam underneath him and birds crisscrossed the sky above. A swell began to form on the horizon—driven by wind and rising with the morning Sun.
In 2007, Collins purchased his first camera to take photos of waves near his hometown. Now, his work can be seen in international museums, galleries, and advertising campaigns.
The Ice Bear
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
Location: Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada
Photographer: Paul Souders (Seattle, Washington)
This female polar bear peers from beneath a hole in the melting sea ice in Canada’s Hudson Bay. "I was sitting in a tiny boat… The winter’s sea ice was melting almost before my eyes as a heat wave had arrived all across northern Canada. As the bear looked up at me through the ice, the image encapsulated the intelligence, mystery, and beauty of the polar bear, and the many threats they face in a changing world."
Souders has journeyed to every continent, creating images that appear in major U.S., French, and German publications. His recent work in the Arctic has drawn wide acclaim, including National Geographic Photo of the Year.
Attack
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) and Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Location: Telemark, Norway
Photographer: Pål Hermansen (Oslo, Norway)
Sparrowhawks hunt using the element of surprise, darting out from a concealed perch or rapidly changing direction and seizing prey in their powerful talons. Hermansen shot more than 20,000 exposures to capture this swift "decisive moment" of attack—life and death in nature.
A childhood spent outdoors fostered Hermansen’s love of nature, conservation, and exploration. He has written and illustrated 25 books about the natural environment and exhibited his photography worldwide.
Our annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition seeks to inspire environmental stewardship through the power of imagery. Professional-level photographers are encouraged to submit work that celebrates and illustrates the diversity of life on Earth.