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Frozen lake Italy

Frozen moment in time wins Wildlife People's Choice photo competition

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Published: 09th February, 2022 at 00:01
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Tribute to a lost friend wins the vote at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice award.

A wintery scene of willow branches reflected in an icy Italian lake has won the public vote for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award 2021.

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Italian photographer Cristiano Vendramin gained the most votes for his breath-taking landscape, from a shortlist of 25 images. The shortlist was chosen by the Natural History Museum London, from a huge amount of entries from around the world.

Vendramin was visiting Santa Croce Lake in northern Italy in 2019, when he noticed the water was unusually high. The willow plants were partially submerged, creating a play of light and reflections on the surface of the water. He was reminded of a dear friend, who had loved that special place but sadly had passed away.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum. The latest competition is currently being judged by a panel of experts, and the winners will be revealed in October 2022.

Lake of ice - Winner

Lake of ice
Santa Croce Lake is a natural lake located in the province of Belluno, Italy. This image shows the water at an unusually high level during the winter of 2019, resulting in willow plants being partially submerged and producing a wonderful mirrored image. Photo by Cristiano Vendramin/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Shelter from the rain - Highly Commended

Photo by Ashleigh McCord
During a visit to the Maasai Mara, Kenya, the photographer captured this tender moment between a pair of male lions. At first, she had been taking pictures of only one of the lions, and the rain was just a light sprinkle, although the second had briefly approached and greeted his companion before choosing to walk away. But as the rain turned into a heavy downpour, the second male returned and sat, positioning his body as if to shelter the other. Shortly after, they rubbed faces and continued to sit nuzzling for some time. Photo by Ashleigh McCord/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Hope in a burned plantation - Highly Commended

An Eastern grey kangaroo and her joey who survived the forest fires in Mallacoota. Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
In early 2020, thousands of animals were affected by devastating bushfires that swept through the states of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. Working exhaustively alongside Animals Australia (an animal protection organisation) the photographer was given access to burn sites, rescues and veterinary missions. This Eastern grey kangaroo and her joey, pictured near Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, were among the lucky ones to survive the destructive fires. Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The eagle and the bear - Highly Commended

Black bear cubs often climb trees, safely waiting for mom to catch some salmon. This little guy decided to take an afternoon nap, right next to a very surprised eagle, that had been sitting in this three for hours. I could position myself on a hill to get on the same level and took this shot. Taken in Anan, Alaska (US). Photo by Jeroen Hoekendijk/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Black bear cubs often climb trees in order to protect themselves while their parents hunt. This bear cub decided to take an afternoon nap, right next to a very surprised eagle on a nearby branch. Photographed in Anan, Alaska, USA. Photo by Jeroen Hoekendijk/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Take a look at more images on BBC Science Focus:

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Dancing in the snow - Highly Commended

Photo by Qian Guo/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
In the Lishan Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province, China, two male golden pheasants are pictured as they continuously swap places on a trunk. The birds are native to China, where they inhabit dense forests in mountainous regions. Although brightly coloured, they are shy and difficult to spot, spending most of their time foraging for food on the dark forest floor. They only fly to evade predators or to roost in very high trees during the night. Photo by Qian Guo/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Authors

James CutmorePicture Editor, BBC Science Focus

James Cutmore is the picture editor of BBC Science Focus Magazine, researching striking images for the magazine and on the website. He is also has a passion for taking his own photographs

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