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Man casting a net in from a boat.
Dance in the Sea Fisherman in Hon Yen, Phu Yen, Vietnam. First place in the People in Nature category for our 2019 Photo Contest. © Vinh Le van/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Photo Contest

2021 Global Photo Contest Winners

September 26, 2021

The Nature Conservancy is proud to announce the winners by category of our 2021 contest. Check out the images that amazed our judges the most—and the winner of this year’s People’s Choice Award, selected by you!

Australian Grand Prize Winner

Hannah Le Leu, SA
@hannahmitchell_photography

Hatchling swimming to the surface of the water.
Against All Odds A Green Sea Turtle hatchling cautiously surfaces for air to a sky full of hungry birds. © Hannah Le Leu/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Wow that is incredible! I really can’t believe I am the overall Australian winner! I am so honoured!

Hannah Le Leu

Australian Grand Prize Winner

Global Grand Prize Winner

Anup Shah, United Kingdom

Western lowland gorilla female 'Malui' walking through a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed in a bai. Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic. December 2011.
Malui Western lowland gorilla female 'Malui' walking through a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed in a bai. Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Republic. December 2011. © Anup Shah/TNC Photo Contest 2021

I like photos that keep dragging you in. The face. Tolerance or bliss. It’s really hard to tell and the insects draw you there.

Ben Folds

Celebrity Guest Judge

Global People’s Choice Winner

Prathamesh Ghadekar, India
@prathamesh.ghadekar

Just before Monsoon, these fireflies congregate in certain regions of India and on a few special trees like this one, they are in crazy quantity which can range in millions.
Fireflies Just before Monsoon, these fireflies congregate in certain regions of India and on a few special trees like this one, they are in crazy quantity which can range in millions. © Prathamesh Ghadekar/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Australian, Landscape Winner 

Global Honorable Mention, Landscape

Scott Portelli, NSW
@scott.portelli

Aerial view of the Gulf of Carpentaria
Life colour During the wet season the Gulf of Carpentaria in tropical north Queensland © Scott Portelli/TNC Photo Contest 2021

I loved this aerial photograph as it captures the amazingly complex tidal river systems typical of the north of the country. I love the way nature is able to thrive closer to the water source and how it struggles further from it.

Christian Fletcher

Australian Landscape Judge

Global First Place, Landscape

Daniel De Granville Manço, Brazil
@danieldegranville

Carcass of a Pantanal alligator (Caiman yacare) in the dry soil on the banks of the Transpantaneira highway, municipality of Poconé (Mato Grosso).
Drought Carcass of a Pantanal alligator (Caiman yacare) in the dry soil on the banks of the Transpantaneira highway, municipality of Poconé (Mato Grosso). © Daniel De Granville Manço/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Second Place, Landscape

Denis Ferreira Netto, Brazil
@denisfotos

In a helicopter flight through the sea mountain range, I came across this white cloud cover, which resulted in this magnificent image that resembles the head of a dinosaur.
Serra do Mar In a helicopter flight through the sea mountain range, I came across this white cloud cover, which resulted in this magnificent image that resembles the head of a dinosaur. © Denis Ferreira Netto/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Third Place, Landscape

Jassen Todorov, United States
@jassensf

If you have flown into San Francisco International Airport, you may have seen these colorful salt ponds over the bay. This aerial image was taken while flying my plane.
Salt Ponds If you have flown into San Francisco International Airport, you may have seen these colorful salt ponds over the bay. This aerial image was taken while flying my plane. © Jassen Todorov/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, Landscape

Kim-pan Dennis Wong, Hong Kong

At Hung Hom, the rising of full moon could be found every month thanks to its facing the east.
Hong Kong At Hung Hom, the rising of full moon could be found every month thanks to its facing the east. © Kim-pan Dennis Wong/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Australian, People and Nature Winner

Scott Portelli, NSW
@scott.portelli

giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama)
Mating season Giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) gather to mate in shallow waters of South Australia. © Scott Portelli/TNC Photo Contest 2021

I think all the elements flow so beautifully in this photograph, from the seaweed into the cuttlefish and the streams of light flowing down through the top of the water. A wonderfully composed image.

Adrian Alford

Australian People and Nature Judge

Global First Place, People and Nature

Alain Schroeder, Belgium
@alainschroeder

The whole SOCP team works together to prepare Brenda, an estimated 3-month-old female orangutan (she has no teeth yet), for surgery.
Saving Orangutans The whole SOCP team works together to prepare Brenda, an estimated 3-month-old female orangutan (she has no teeth yet), for surgery. © Alain Schroeder/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Second Place, People and Nature

Tom Overall, Australia
@tom.overallphotos

A guide in the Sahara Desert enduring a sand storm.
Sand Storm A guide in the Sahara Desert enduring a sand storm. © Tom Overall/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Third Place, People and Nature

Sebnem Coskun, Turkey

New danger to underwater life as medical waste used during the pandemic reaches the seas.
Covid-19 Waste New danger to underwater life as medical waste used during the pandemic reaches the seas. © Sebnem Coskun/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, People and Nature

Minqiang Lu, China

In Yunnan, China. May 2021.
The Way Home In Yunnan, China. May 2021. © Minqiang Lu/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, People and Nature

Wax Leung, Hong Kong
@waxismine

Hong Kong.
Space of HK Hong Kong. © Wax Leung/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Australian, Water Winner

Lewis Burnett, WA
@huntingforparadise

A manta ray gliding on the ocean floor
Manta Entourage Manta rays gliding across the sandy flats on the inside of the Ningaloo reef © Lewis Burnett/TNC Photo Contest 2021

I loved this image as the balance and composition was perfect. Using natural light and capturing the Manta Ray in perfect shape with the Remora and beautiful small fish just added that extra depth in both colour and contrast.

Sean Scott

Australian Water Judge

Global First Place, Water

Kazi Arifujjaman, Bangledesh
@kazi_arifujjaman_

Water and people.
Water Water and people. © Kazi Arifujjaman/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Second Place, Water

Joram Mennes, Mexico
@jorammennesphotography

Three levels of leisure: swimmers, freedivers and divers enjoy their respective sport/recreational activities in a Fresh Water mass know locally as the Cenotes.
Swimming Three levels of leisure: swimmers, freedivers and divers enjoy their respective sport/recreational activities in a Fresh Water mass know locally as the Cenotes. © Joram Mennes/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Third Place, Water

Man Wai Wong, Hong Kong

Iceland, 2019.
Winter Iceland, 2019. © Man Wai Wong/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, Water

Jorge Andrés Miraglia, Argentina
@yosoytato

As temperatures rise and glacial ice melts, air is released and caught inside. This air bubbles were caught by a frozen layer on top.
Glacial Bubbles As temperatures rise and glacial ice melts, air is released and caught inside. This air bubbles were caught by a frozen layer on top. © Jorge Andrés Miraglia/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, Water

Manh Cuong Vu, Vietnam

The lotus ponds across Vietnam are entering the growing season, flourishing.
Summer on the Lotus Pond The lotus ponds across Vietnam are entering the growing season, flourishing. © Manh Cuong Vu/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Australian, Wildlife Winner

Harrison Warne, QLD
@harrisonwarnephotography

dragon and hopper on a rock
The Dragon and the Hopper Eyrean earless dragon joined by a hopper on a rock in Western Queensland. © Harrison Warne/TNC Photo Contest 2021

The simplicity of this photo was the first thing that stood out to me. The soft pastel colours and the abundance of negative space makes it so easy on the eye. The pose of the lizard and its soon to be prey is perfect.

Ben Goode

Australian Wildlife Judge

Global First Place, Wildlife

Buddhilini de Soyza, Australia
@captures_by_buddhilini

Five male cheetahs, were looking to cross this river in powerful currents. It seemed a task doomed to failure and we were delighted when they made it to the other side.
A turbulent swim Five male cheetahs, were looking to cross this river in powerful currents. It seemed a task doomed to failure and we were delighted when they made it to the other side. © Buddhilini de Soyza/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Second Place, Wildlife

Mateusz Piesiak, Poland
@mpwildlife

This year due to a high water level a giant field of sunflowers could not been mown. In winter it attracted thousands of different species of birds.
Sunflowers This year due to a high water level a giant field of sunflowers could not been mown. In winter it attracted thousands of different species of birds. © Mateusz Piesiak/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Third Place, Wildlife

Viktor Vrbovsky, Czech Republic

Pike has caught a large perch. How did it end up? I don’t know. The situation hasn’t changed much in an hour. I had to emerge because I was running out of air.
Fishing Pike has caught a large perch. How did it end up? I don’t know. The situation hasn’t changed much in an hour. I had to emerge because I was running out of air. © Viktor Vrbovsky/TNC Photo Contest

Global Honorable Mention, Wildlife

Kristhian Castro, Colombia
@kristhiancastro

Galapagos sea lion calf (Zalophus wollebaeki), waiting for its mother in the sand on the beach, San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Waiting Galapagos sea lion calf (Zalophus wollebaeki), waiting for its mother in the sand on the beach, San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. © Kristhian Castro/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, Wildlife

Thomas Vijayan, Canada
@thomasvijayan

Orangutans are accustomed to live on trees and feed on wild fruits like lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and slurp water from holes in trees.
Searching Orangutans are accustomed to live on trees and feed on wild fruits like lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and slurp water from holes in trees. © Thomas Vijayan/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Global Honorable Mention, Wildlife

Anup Shah, United Kingdom

Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. During the frenzy of crossing the Mara River, the wildebeests were leaping, kicking, scampering and bucking.
Wildebeest herd on the move Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. During the frenzy of crossing the Mara River, the wildebeests were leaping, kicking, scampering and bucking. © Anup Shah/TNC Photo Contest 2021

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