Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Type: Competition
Frequency: Annual (results announced October)
Location: Natural History Museum, London, UK
Founded: 1964
Organizer: Natural History Museum, London (formerly co-run with BBC Wildlife Magazine)

Overview

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY / WPOTY) is the world’s most prestigious nature photography competition. Launched in 1964 with just 500 entries, it now attracts over 45,000 entries from photographers in 95 countries (^[1]). The “Under Water” category (variously called “Underwater World,” “Underwater Species,” or simply “Under Water”) has become a premier showcase for underwater photographers worldwide, and WPY results are among the most consistently covered external competition events in Wetpixel’s history.

WPY was co-organized by the BBC Wildlife Magazine and the Natural History Museum for decades. Title sponsors have included Shell (2007) and Veolia Environnement (2009-2012). The competition is now run solely by the NHM. Winning images are displayed in an annual exhibition at the Natural History Museum, and the awards ceremony is held in the museum’s Hintze Hall (^[2]). In 2014, to celebrate its 50th year, WPY launched a People’s Choice Award, inviting the public to vote on 50 juror-selected images (^[3]). The competition has also offered portfolio reviews through the WPY Academy, with reviewers from National Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Nature Picture Library, and GEO (^[4]).

A 2020 book, How Wildlife Photography Became Art, curated images from 55 years of WPY history and was reviewed on Wetpixel Live by Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon (^[5], ^[6]).

Wetpixel Coverage History

Ongoing coverage pattern

From 2011 onward, Wetpixel regularly published call-for-entries announcements (typically January), final-call reminders (typically February-March), preview coverage of shortlisted or Highly Commended images (September), and full results articles (October). Starting in 2020, Adam Hanlon and Alex Mustard began discussing WPY results and previews on the Wetpixel Live YouTube channel, providing detailed reviews of underwater-related images and commentary on judging trends (^[7], ^[8], ^[9]).

Year-by-Year Results

2004 — Digital entries accepted for the first time

The 2004 competition was the first to accept digital images, requiring both the RAW file from the camera and the processed TIFF/JPEG. The rules initially prohibited “digital manipulation” without clarifying whether standard darkroom techniques (cropping, exposure correction, color correction) were included, sparking community debate about standard digital workflow. A Wetpixel commenter noted the rules suggested “a lack of understanding of standard digital workflow.” (^[10])

Doug Perrine won the overall WPY title with “Bronze whalers charging a baitball,” shot with a Canon D60 in a UK-Germany housing with a Sigma 14mm f2.8 lens (1/800s, f5.6, ISO 200) — the first digital winner in the competition’s history. Perrine noted that digital gave him the ability to shoot hundreds of frames in chaotic fast-moving conditions, something impossible with film’s 36-frame limit: “In the chaotic fast-moving situation in which I was working it was simply not possible to carefully compose an image, meter the light, etc. Instead I had to just keep shooting as fast as I could.” He also observed that the 2004 results “should be taken as a green light for digital photographers to submit to these competitions.” (^[11])

Other digital underwater winners included Charles Hood (Nikon D100, hammerhead shark) and Douglas David Seifert (Canon D60/Sea & Sea housing, white shark at Guadalupe). Eric Cheng noted he was with both Hood and Seifert when they captured their winning shots. (^[12])

2005 — Alex Mustard’s first win

Alex Mustard won the Animal Portraits category with a hamlet photograph and placed as runner-up in the Animal Behaviour: All Other Animals category. Eric Cheng reported the win, calling WPY “one of the world’s most prestigious photo competitions.” The winning images were exhibited at the Natural History Museum from October 2005 through April 2006. (^[13])

2006 — Underwater dominance

Underwater photographs won the overall prize and placed first in 4 of 12 categories. Goran Ehlme won the overall WPY with a walrus feeding image (Nikon D2X, Seacam housing). Michael Aw won the Underwater World category with a mimic octopus (Nikon D2X, Seacam). Tibor Dombovari won Animal Portraits with a barracuda (Nikon D70s, Subal). Wetpixel members Gavin Parsons, Jordi Chias, and Alex Mustard received Highly Commended awards. Alex Mustard wrote the Wetpixel report. (^[14])

Earlier in 2006, Eric Cheng promoted the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year entry deadline alongside the Nature’s Best competition, noting that WPY now accepted entry uploads and payment online but required RAW files for digital submissions (^[15]).

2007 — Shell WPY

Felipe Barrio (Spain) won the Underwater World category and Thomas Peschak (South Africa) won Nature in Black and White. Other UW award winners included Paul Nicklen, Graham Eaton, Jurgen Freund, Angel Fitor, Douglas David Seifert, and Alex Mustard. All award-winning underwater photos were shot digitally. (^[16])

2008 — Brian Skerry sweep

Brian Skerry took first, runner-up, and specially commended in the Underwater World category — a remarkable sweep of the entire category. Other commended UW photographers included Jordi Chias, Thomas Peschak, Laurent Piechegut, Amos Nachoum, and David Hall. (^[17])

2009 — Veolia WPY; controversy

Michel Loup won the Underwater World category with a pike image from the Jura Mountains. Other UW winners included Paul Nicklen, Doug Perrine, and Nano Cordovilla. The overall 2009 winner, Jose Luis Rodriguez, was later disqualified in January 2010 after the judging panel determined his winning image used a trained wolf, violating competition rules — a controversy that sparked forum discussion about its implications for underwater photography competitions. (^[18], ^[19])

2010 — Tony Wu’s sperm whales

Tony Wu won the Underwater World category with an image of four sperm whales from Dominica. Jordi Chias won the One Earth category with a turtle trapped in fishing net. Brian Skerry received Highly Commended for shark finning imagery. Adam Hanlon reported the results for Wetpixel. (^[20])

2011 — Paul Solder’s walruses

Paul Solder won the Underwater World category with “The grace of giants,” an image of walruses under water in Svalbard. He also won Runner Up with a bear swiping at a salmon. Highly Commended went to Alex Tattersall, Louis-Marie Preau, Thomas Peschak, and Nuno Sa. The competition was now in its 47th year and was described as “owned by two UK institutions”: the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine. (^[21], ^[22])

2012 — 48,000 entries shortlisted

The 2012 competition received over 48,000 entries. The Veolia Environnement WPOTY published a slideshow of 50 of its 100 shortlisted entries, narrated by judge Roz Kidman Cox on the BBC Nature website. Adam Hanlon noted “so many familiar names amongst the shortlist” and congratulated Wetpixel members in the running. (^[23])

2013 — Wetpixel at the ceremony

Brian Skerry won the Underwater Worlds category with “Feast of the Ancient Mariner.” Mike Veitch won the World in Our Hands category with “Fish Trap.” Alex Tattersall was runner-up in Underwater Worlds with “Lionfish Bait.” Julian Cohen was runner-up in Cold Blooded Animals Behavior with “Confusing Beauty.” Douglas Seifert had images commended in three categories. Alex Mustard’s “Giant with Sunbeams” was commended in Nature in Black & White. Wetpixel member Julian Cohen attended and photographed the ceremony. (^[24])

2014 — 50th Anniversary; Duchess of Cambridge presents

The competition celebrated its 50th year, having launched in 1964 (^[25]). The Duchess of Cambridge presented the prizes at the gala ceremony. She told Alex Mustard that she “loves nudibranchs and night diving.” The UW Species category was won by Indra Swart Wonowidjojo (Indonesia) with whale sharks from Cenderawasih Bay. Other UW finalists included Alex Mustard, Cristian Vizl, Brian Skerry, Fabien Michenet, Adriana Basques, Chris Gug, and Jordi Chias. The competition received over 41,000 entries. (^[26], ^[27])

2015 — Michael Aw’s sardine run

Michael Aw won the Under Water category with a Bryde’s whale feeding on sardines during the sardine run. Other finalists in the Under Water category included Cristobal Serrano, Fabien Michenet, Jordi Chias Pujol, and Thomas P. Peschak. In the Amphibians and Reptiles category, images by Edwin Giesbers, David Doubilet, David Herasimtschuk, and Mirko Zanni placed. Audun Rikardsen won the Portfolio Award with a stunning collection of marine-focused images from the Arctic. (^[28])

2016 — Tony Wu returns

Tony Wu won the Under Water category with an image of two-spot snappers mass spawning in Palau — a project he had returned to every year since 2012. Finalists included Geo Cloete (jellyfish tornado), Audun Rikardsen (humpback split shot), Ralph Pace, and Greg Lecoeur (sardine run). (^[29])

2017 — Multiple UW winners; later disqualification

Before results were announced, the competition released preview images that included underwater work by Qing Lin (tongue-biting isopod anemonefish), Audrey Narchuk (sea angels), and Laurent Ballesta (seals beneath Antarctic ice) (^[30]).

Anthony Berberian (France) won the Underwater category with a lobster larva riding a jellyfish, shot on a night dive in deep water off Tahiti (Nikon D810, Nauticam housing). Tony Wu won Behaviour: Mammals with a sperm whale aggregation off Sri Lanka. Justin Gilligan won Behaviour: Invertebrates with giant spider crabs in Tasmania. Brian Skerry won Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles with a leatherback turtle. Laurent Ballesta won Earth’s Environments with an Antarctic iceberg panorama (147 stitched images). Thomas Peschak won the Portfolio Award with underwater images from the Seychelles. (^[31])

Wetpixel published an extensive showcase of underwater imagery from the 2017 finalists with detailed photographer-submitted captions and technical data. Featured finalists included Rodrigo Friscione Wyssmann (American crocodile combat, Nikon D800/Nauticam), Qing Lin (anemonefish with parasitic isopods, Canon 5D III/Sea & Sea), Justin Hofman (“Sewage surfer” — a seahorse clinging to a plastic cotton bud, Sony A7R II/Nauticam), Jordi Chias Pujol (mackerel baitball, Nikon D800/Isotta), David Herasimtschuk (brook trout spawning, Sony A7RII/Nauticam), George Karbus (killer whale tactics, Nikon D5/Subal), and Alex Sher (whale shark with remora, Nikon D4/Nauticam). (^[32])

The NHM published a feature on how three underwater category winners — Tony Wu, Michel Roggo, and Laurent Ballesta — achieved their winning shots in environments ranging from sperm whales in Sri Lanka to water hyacinths in the Pantanal to an Antarctic iceberg (^[33]).

In April 2018, the Animals in their Environment category winner, Marcio Cabral, was disqualified after investigation determined his image of an anteater near a termite mound in Brazil’s Emas National Park appeared to use a taxidermically stuffed animal. RAW files before and after the winning shot did not show an animal. Cabral denied staging. This was the second WPY disqualification after the 2009 wolf controversy. (^[34])

2018 — Flying fish and macro

Before results were announced, the NHM previewed 14 Highly Commended images, including underwater work by Greg Lecoeur (“Life among litter”), Tony Wu (“Looking for love” — Asian sheepshead wrasse), and Wayne Jones (“Glass-house guard” — pygmy goby in glass bottle). The competition received over 45,000 entries from 95 countries. (^[35])

Michael Patrick O’Neill (USA) won the Under Water category with a flying fish shot using slow shutter motion blur (Nikon D4, Aquatica housing). Shane Gross received two Highly Commended awards — nurse shark mating and a Bahama cavefish. Wayne Jones won Highly Commended with a pygmy goby in a glass bottle (Canon 5D Mark IV, Nauticam housing). Tony Wu was Highly Commended in Animal Portraits with an Asian sheepshead wrasse. (^[36])

2019 — David Doubilet wins; full category showcase

David Doubilet won the Under Water category with a garden eel colony in Dauin, Philippines — his subject for his very first National Geographic story decades earlier. He designed an underwater remote camera system triggered via a 12-meter extension cord to avoid disturbing the shy eels (Nikon D3, 17-35mm f2.8 at 19mm, Seacam housing, Sea & Sea YS250 strobes). The setup required several days of patience as the eels gradually accepted the camera. Cruz Erdmann (New Zealand), age 11-14, won the Young Photographer category with a bigfin reef squid in Lembeh Strait (Canon 5D III, Ikelite DS161 strobe). The overall WPY title went to Yongqing Bao (China) for a marmot-fox confrontation. (^[37])

Wetpixel published a comprehensive showcase of the full Under Water category results with detailed captions and equipment data. Highly Commended went to Alex Mustard (“Circle of life” — bigeye trevally in the Red Sea, Nikon D850/Subal/Seacam strobes), Wayne Jones (“Night rider” — juvenile paper nautilus on jellyfish, Canon 5D IV/Nauticam/Retra strobes), Fabien Michenet (“Jelly baby” — juvenile jackfish inside jellyfish off Tahiti, Nikon D810/Nauticam), Angel Fitor (“The ethereal drifter” — comb jelly off Alicante, Nikon D800/Nexus/Retra strobes), Duncan Murrell (“A swirl of rays” — spinetail devil rays in Palawan, Canon 6D/Inon housing), and Songda Cai (“Blackwater light trails” — juvenile African pompano, Nikon D850/Seacam). (^[38])

2020 — Wetpixel Live coverage

Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon discussed all the underwater images among the placings on a special edition of Wetpixel Live, reviewing the images and offering thoughts about the contest. (^[39])

2021 — Laurent Ballesta wins overall

Laurent Ballesta won both the Under Water category and the overall Wildlife Photographer of the Year title with “Creation” — camouflage groupers spawning in Fakarava lagoon, French Polynesia (Nikon D5, 17-35mm f2.8 at 17mm, Seacam housing and strobes, ISO 1600). This was the culmination of five years of return visits, diving day and night with up to 20,000 fish gathering around the full moon in July, joined by reef sharks. (^[40])

Alex Mustard won Natural Artistry with “Bedazzled” — a juvenile ghost pipefish on a feather star, shot with a Nikon D850 and Trioplan 100mm f2.8 lens with a Subal housing and Retra strobes. Jennifer Hayes won Oceans: The Bigger Picture with harp seal birthing on melting ice. Angel Fitor won the Portfolio Award with Lake Tanganyika cichlids. Justin Gilligan won Plants and Fungi with a marine ranger reflection among seaweed (Nikon D850/Nauticam/Ikelite strobes). Joao Rodrigues won Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles with sharp-ribbed salamanders (Canon 5D IV/Aquatica/Inon strobes). Martin Gregus won the Rising Star Portfolio Award with polar bear images. The results announcement was also livestreamed. (^[41], ^[42])

Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon discussed the marine and underwater winners on Wetpixel Live, noting the exceptional number of underwater and marine-related images in the 2021 results (^[43]).

2022 — Tony Wu’s third UW win; 58th year

The competition was in its 58th year. Tony Wu won the Underwater category with a spawning sea star image — his third UW category win (after 2010 and 2016). Laurent Ballesta won the Portfolio category. Richard Robinson won Oceans: The Bigger Picture. Highly Commended in the Underwater category included Ellen Cuylaerts, Tina Tormanen, Thomas Kline, and Thomas Peschak. In Animal Portraits, Richard Robinson and Scott Portelli were Highly Commended with marine images. Angel Fitor was Highly Commended in Animal Portraits. Alex Mustard was Highly Commended in Plants and Fungi. Juergen Freund was Highly Commended in Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles. Katanyou Wuttichaitanakorn won the Young Grand Title. (^[44])

Wetpixel’s coverage of the 2022 competition was the most extensive of any year, with four separate articles: a Wetpixel Live preview of Highly Commended images (^[45]), a Wetpixel Live discussion of the preview (^[46]), results coverage (^[47]), and a Wetpixel Live critical review of the underwater images by Alex Mustard and Adam Hanlon (^[48]).

Notable UW Category Winners

Controversies and Disqualifications

Two images have been disqualified in WPY history during the period covered by Wetpixel:

1. 2009: Overall winner Jose Luis Rodriguez was stripped of the title in January 2010 after judges determined his winning wolf image used a trained animal (^[49]).

2. 2017: Animals in their Environment winner Marcio Cabral was disqualified in April 2018 after investigation found his anteater image appeared to use a taxidermied specimen. RAW files taken before and after the winning shot did not show an animal (^[50]).

Both incidents prompted community discussion about authenticity in nature photography competitions.

Most Decorated UW Photographers in WPY

Based on Wetpixel coverage (2004-2022):

• Tony Wu: Three UW category wins (2010, 2016, 2022), plus Highly Commended and wins in other categories (2017 Behaviour: Mammals, 2018 Animal Portraits HC)
• Brian Skerry: Two UW category wins (2008 category sweep, 2013), plus wins in other categories (2017 Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles) and Highly Commended (2010)
• Alex Mustard: Category win in Animal Portraits (2005), Natural Artistry (2021), plus Highly Commended across multiple years (2006, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2022). Also served as Wetpixel’s primary WPY analyst on Wetpixel Live
• Laurent Ballesta: Overall WPY title and UW category win (2021), Earth’s Environments win (2017), Portfolio Award win (2022)
• David Doubilet: UW category win (2019)
• Thomas Peschak: Multiple Highly Commended across years (2007, 2011, 2015, 2022) and Portfolio Award (2017)
• Angel Fitor: Highly Commended across multiple years (2007, 2019, 2022), Portfolio Award (2021)
• Jordi Chias: Highly Commended across multiple years (2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015), category win One Earth (2010)

Significance

WPY has been the most consistently covered external competition in Wetpixel’s history, with articles spanning call-for-entries announcements, shortlist previews, results, People’s Choice awards, disqualification coverage, portfolio review promotions, book reviews, and detailed Wetpixel Live video discussions. Wetpixel published WPY-related articles in every year from 2004 through 2022.

The competition’s acceptance of digital entries in 2004 — and Doug Perrine’s immediate digital victory — was a watershed moment for the film-to-digital transition. By 2007, all award-winning underwater photographs were shot digitally.

The growing depth of Wetpixel’s WPY coverage over time reflects the competition’s centrality to the underwater photography community: early coverage was brief results announcements, but by 2017-2022 it had expanded to multi-article packages with technical showcases, finalist profiles, and critical video analysis on Wetpixel Live.

References