# Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2015



## Tyroop (Oct 14, 2015)

Canon EOS-1D X + 200-400mm f4 lens + 1.4x extender at 784mm; 1/1000 sec at f8; ISO 640

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/13/wildlife-photographer-of-_n_8284056.html


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## Click (Oct 14, 2015)

Great shots.

Thanks for sharing.


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## benperrin (Oct 14, 2015)

That whale image is extraordinary!


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## Tyroop (Oct 14, 2015)

I think the winner - the foxes - is extraordinary. As the photographer said on another site, the symmetry is amazing. The way the tails of both animals are curled, the heads, and even the expressions on the faces.
That, and the contrast between life and death and also the contrast between the colour of the two animals.
Granted, he had the best equipment available for the shot, but it must have taken an awful lot of hard work and patience and also some luck to be in the right place at the right time. The composition and also the exposure, with so much white in the scene, are perfect.
Quite inspirational. A worthy winner.


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## MrFotoFool (Oct 14, 2015)

That link was taking too long to open, so here is another one that opens quickly: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2015/oct/13/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2015-winners-in-pictures

I think the urban category is new (maybe not, but I do not remember it).

I have been fortunate enough to see the exhibition in person twice, fall of 2009 and winter of 2015 (2014 exhibition). If you ever get the chance it is amazing. The entire exhibition hall in the Natural History Museum (London) has the walls and ceilings blackened and the lighting is dim. The photos are displayed as large format backlit transparencies. The effect is so overwhelming you almost fall over backwards when you walk in. Although admission to the museum itself is free, there is a fee for the photo exhibition but it is well worth it. (Also helps to control crowds so you can enjoy it).


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## Jack Douglas (Oct 14, 2015)

Tyroop said:


> I think the winner - the foxes - is extraordinary. As the photographer said on another site, the symmetry is amazing. The way the tails of both animals are curled, the heads, and even the expressions on the faces.
> That, and the contrast between life and death and also the contrast between the colour of the two animals.
> Granted, he had the best equipment available for the shot, but it must have taken an awful lot of hard work and patience and also some luck to be in the right place at the right time. The composition and also the exposure, with so much white in the scene, are perfect.
> Quite inspirational. A worthy winner.



You're right. Thanks for sharing!

Jack


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## Eldar (Oct 14, 2015)

Best portfolio went to Audun Rikardson, but is not shown. You can check him out here. 
http://www.audunrikardsen.com/gallery.html


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## Valvebounce (Oct 14, 2015)

Hi Tyroop. 
Thanks for sharing, as many have said the winner is stunning, a worthy winner, the newt is cool and the whale is totally impressive, kudos to the photographer. If he's already been thrown out of the water once it took great determination to go back, I'd have taken that as a warning! ;D 
However for me the most emotional and disturbing photo is the Broken cats, how can anyone do that to such splendid creatures any creature. 

Cheers, Graham.


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## Stu_bert (Oct 14, 2015)

benperrin said:


> That whale image is extraordinary!



+1


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## Stu_bert (Oct 14, 2015)

Eldar said:


> Best portfolio went to Audun Rikardson, but is not shown. You can check him out here.
> http://www.audunrikardsen.com/gallery.html



Inspiring portfolio, thanks for posting...


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## Stu_bert (Oct 14, 2015)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Tyroop.
> Thanks for sharing, as many have said the winner is stunning, a worthy winner, the newt is cool and the whale is totally impressive, kudos to the photographer. If he's already been thrown out of the water once it took great determination to go back, I'd have taken that as a warning! ;D
> However for me the most emotional and disturbing photo is the Broken cats, how can anyone do that to such splendid creatures any creature.
> 
> Cheers, Graham.



And how can anyone support such actions by paying money to be "entertained" by them is equally sad. Supply and demand, just like elephant tusks, animal hides etc... if there was no demand, if people would not be selfish, then there would be no supply and the cruelty would cease.


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## Tyroop (Oct 14, 2015)

> However for me the most emotional and disturbing photo is the Broken cats, how can anyone do that to such splendid creatures any creature.


Graham, I quite agree with you and my reaction was the same when I looked at that particular photo.
I have lived in Asia for 12 years (Thailand, not China) and although many people here love animals there is a different kind of mentality.
I took my kids to the local zoo last week and the locals really love the various animal shows, the kind of shows that have seals balancing balls on their snouts, parrots pulling along mini bicycles and tigers being made to jump in the air for their lunch. There are a number of tourist attractions in Thailand, including one infamous temple, where the main draw is captive tigers.
These shows do nothing for me and actually I find them a little disturbing. Some of the animal enclosures at the zoo are actually quite natural and I just enjoy watching the animals' natural behaviour, but this seems to bore a lot of people here and they want the animals to entertain them as they would do in a circus.
When Stu_bert talks about demand, yes there is demand in certain parts of the world for this kind of entertainment.
I think that attitudes will change eventually. Social media is powerful and the fact that a photographer took such a compelling photo lets a lot of people know what is going on. With enough pressure it may stop.


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## Tyroop (Oct 14, 2015)

Stu_bert said:


> Eldar said:
> 
> 
> > Best portfolio went to Audun Rikardson, but is not shown. You can check him out here.
> ...



+1 The half in/half out water shots are very clever.


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## Maximilian (Oct 16, 2015)

Thanks for sharing Tyroop!

Original link from the Natural History Museum, London, is here:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/gallery/2015/index.html

Great pictures, very inspiring.


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