15 Mesmerizing Images That Captured Nature’s Beauty And Diversity, Selected By NBP Awards 2024

Nature’s Best Photography (NBP) International Awards recently announced the winning and highly honored captivating photos. Over 25 thousand photographers had entered to compete in 11 categories, all celebrating animals and nature.

The Grand Prize winner this year is Mangesh Ratnakar Desai from Pune, Maharashtra, India, with a photo of two Bengal tigers fighting over territory. Another important mention is Alberto Román Gómez from Cádiz, Spain, who was recognized as the Youth Photographer of the Year.

In the list below, we showcased all the winners of single-submitted photos and some of the Highly Honored photos that captured our eyes the most. But if you want to see other photos alongside the video category winners, make sure to check out NBP's website.

More info: Instagram | Facebook | naturesbestphotography.org

15 PHOTOS

#1 Polar Passion: Highly Honored - Emperor Penguin Chick By Stefan Christmann

We at Pictolic were particularly fascinated with, might I say, the cutest photo of this whole list - an emperor penguin chick by Stefan Christmann.

To learn more about Stefan and his photo, we reached out to the photographer. Stefan shared more about himself.

“I am a German photographer and filmmaker who has wintered twice in Antarctica and hence specialized in photographing the emperor penguins of Atka Bay. I have had film assignments for the BBC and Netflix and also lived in Antarctica as a scientist since I have a physics background.”

#2 Grand Prize Winner: Bengal Tigers By Mangesh Ratnakar Desai

“Over the years, I have witnessed this young tiger on his path toward independence, starting with lessons from his mother teaching him to defend his territory.”

#3 Animal Antics: Highly Honored - Emperor Penguin By Thomas Vijayan

We were wondering what initially drew Stefan to the world of photography.

He wrote: “When I was still in high school, I joined a student exchange with a high school in Billings, Montana, USA. We visited Yellowstone NP and I only had a small digital point-and-shoot camera with me. I was not able to capture the raw beauty of this wilderness, so I decided to dive deeper into photography. My father gave me his old Minolta SLR and I learned to photograph and have been photographing ever since. A little more than 20 years now.”

#4 Polar Passion: Winner - Beluga Whale By Brett Freliche

#5 Polar Passion: Highly Honored - King Penguins Under Full Moon By Levi Fitze

We just had to know more about the main guy, the emperor penguin chick. We asked Stefan to share how he managed to capture this shot.

Stefan shared: “It was quite easy. It was a warm spring day in Atka Bay and it was snowing (which is rare in Antarctica, funnily). This little fellow was just standing around, likely waiting for his/her parents and I was simply laying flat on my stomach observing. Taking the shot with a tele lens was straightforward. No tripod or any special equipment is needed. Just some patience and slow movements, not to disturb his slumber.”

#6 Landscapes: Highly Honored - Dancing The Sumba By Cyndy B. Waters

#7 Birds: Highly Honored - Bald Eagle Fight By Michael Despines

Though Stefan’s picture was not selected among the winners of this year’s competition, he still was recognized and Highly Honored in the category Polar Passion. Stefan wrote how it felt to be seen and acknowledged by NBP.

“It is always a big honor to be recognized by a big photo competition. But I am not in it for fame. I know that these competitions have a large reach and I was inspired by Nature's Best when I was starting in nature photography. I want to inspire others as well, and best case, help to create more advocates for our planet, our flora and fauna, and especially the emperor penguins,” wrote Stefan.

Stefan added: “The polar regions are beautiful, but fragile at the same time. Just like a soft emperor penguin chick.”

#8 Wildlife: Highly Honored - Bengal Tiger By Krishna Daga

#9 Wildlife: Highly Honored - African Lion Cubs By Keith Bannerman

Lastly, Stefan shared: “Emperor penguins are the coolest birds on the planet, and we can learn so much from them. They are the ultimate team workers, and they achieve the impossible with it: living in an uninhabitable surroundings. If teamwork can help them to achieve this, imagine what humankind could achieve if we all worked together. We could make the world a better place - for humans AND for animals and nature. This thought keeps me hopeful for the future. I hope that our species will one day fully comprehend the strength that lies in collaboration.”

#10 Wildlife: Highly Honored - Masai Giraffe And Calf By Thomas Nicholson

#11 Wildlife: Highly Honored - American Bison And Calf By Lara Ferraro

#12 Animal Antics: Winner - Kit Fox Pair By Brian Clopp

"The genuine tenderness between these wild animals made me smile and serves as a poignant reminder that each living creature has a unique value within our universe.”

#13 Ocean Views: Highly Honored - Green Sea Turtles In Cave By Leighton Lum

#14 Birds: Winner - Egret And Ladyfish By Xiaoping Lin

"I caught the fleeting moment as two fish leaped out of the water and passed by an egret."

#15 Birds: Highly Honored - Northern Hawk Owl By Liron Gertsman