The winners of the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 have been announced, with a 'mind-bending' orangutan image by Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan taking out the grand prize.
Over 8,000 images were entered into the competition, with nature photographers from all over the world competing for the £1,500 ($2,700 AUD) cash prize.
Vijayan's image The World is Going Upside Down, gives an intimate look into the world of an orangutan. The image appears to be looking at the sky, but on closer inspection is seen to be a reflection in the water below the tree.
“Thomas’ image is really unique, and immediately stood out to the judging panel,” said Will Nicholls, Founder of Nature TTL. “It’s one of those photos where you can’t skim past it. The unique perspective and composition means you are immediately trying to figure out what exactly you are looking at.”
“This image means a lot to me because presently the orangutan population is reducing at an alarming rate,” says Vijayan of his winning image.
“Deforestation and humans are the key cause behind this. Trees over 1,000 years old - which are a major asset to our planet - are being cut down for palm oil plantation. As humans we have a lot of alternative choices to replace the oil, but the orangutans don’t have any options other than losing their home. I am very happy to see this image be successful, as it gives me an opportunity to spread the issue to the wider world.”
13-year-old Thomas Easterbrook, from the United Kingdom, was crowned the Young Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 with his image of a peregrine falcon tackling a starling murmuration.
In total, photographers competed amongst 8 different competition categories celebrating the natural world: Animal Behaviour, Camera Traps, Landscapes, Small World, The Night Sky, Underwater, Urban Wildlife, and Wild Portraits. You can see the category winners and runners-up below.
Under 16 Runner-up, Fight in the Mountains, Raphael Schenker. I took this picture whilst on a long hike in Switzerland. I saw how the father of these two mountain goats was teaching them how to fight. Canon 5D Mark IV with Canon 100-400mm lens. 1/8,000th, f/5, ISO 1,250.
