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The best photos and runners up of the 2019 Nature Photographer Of The Year photo contest have recently been announced, and as always, the standards are incredibly high. The presentation of the award at the Nature Talks Photo Festival in the Netherlands marked the end of a photography contest at which over 14,000 stunning pictures were submitted by both amateur and professional photographers from 73 different countries.
Entries are divided into 11 nature photography categories including Birds, Mammals, Plants and mushrooms, Landscapes, Underwater, and Man and Nature. Category winners are then pitted against each other to decide the Grand Prize: the prestigious title of Nature Photographer Of The Year.
Scroll down below to see a comprehensive list of the beautiful photos from this year's competition, and let us know which ones you liked best in the comments below!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Colorful Night' By Mohammad Murad (Kw)
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago
Really amazing capture! Love the colours, composition, and the bokeh in the background.
TheExtremeSmell 6 years ago
Just some wolves out on the prowl in Vegas looking for hookers and cocaine
This year's overall winner was Hungary's Csaba Daróczi, who scooped the prize with a beautifully-timed black and white capture of two rabbits leaping playfully through the air. Nature Talks explained that the jury chose this image because of the atmosphere, the timing, the beautiful light and the perfect sharpness and composition.
“This photo proves once again that you don't have to put rare or exotic animals in front of the lens to make a perfect nature photo. If you have a good idea and a vision of nature photography, you can also make a great album close to home," said Keith Wilson, chairman of the jury. "It is also remarkable that it is a black and white photo, but it is precisely because of this that the energy pops out of the photo."
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#2
Overall Winner And Black And White Category Winner: 'Jump' By Csaba Daroczi (Hungary)
#3
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Climbing To The Sweet' By José Juan Hernández (Es)
The photographer himself explained that while he is not particularly passionate about rabbits, he found their lively, leaping behavior to be well worthy of capturing. “I took this photo in Kiskunsag, near my village of Bócsa,"he told Bored Panda.
"I found a colony of rabbits when I went out taking pictures. I was watching them for a while, and I found out where was the best spot to take photos of them. I gave them a little food to come closer to me and they got more and more confident. In 2018 I spent 72 mornings taking photos of them. I made a few good ones."
While watching the rabbits I realised that sometimes they jump at each other in the air. I knew in the moment, that I have to take a picture of this scene. So I gave them food, and the stronger rabbits were protecting their share from the others.That's what caused this scene.”
#4
Category Birds Winner: 'Greeting The Sun' By Peter Cech (Cz)
Pamela24 6 years ago (edited)
Oooh! This is one of my favourite places in Prague (my hometown), I'm so touched to see it here! Definitely my favourite bridge, I have so many great memories sitting on it with my friends, legs hanging above water slipped through the railing, sipping cider and enjoying the beautiful view (on both sides). Congratulations, Peter, on such a gorgeous picture!
Blass Werden 6 years ago
This isn't photography, it's digital "art" - they should belong to different categories when holding a contest.
Full Name 5 years ago
It's half and half. I'm sure nothing has been added to the photo, but the dodging/burning/saturation/sharpening etc is WAY over the top.
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Theory Buchannon 6 years ago
the bird with the open wings reminds me of titanic. download-5...7c301.jpeg 
#5
Category Plants And Fungi Winner: 'The Fallen Idol III' By David Frutos Egea (Es)
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago
Really love this shot- so very serene. Awesome symmetry and atmosphere as well.
Jacob/Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 6 years ago
I love trees. I love it when the leaves all fall off and it's cold outside. I call them cemetery trees. I love it at night when you can see the moon through the cemetery trees
David Frutos Egea 6 years ago
That’s right!!! This is the idea! A romantic paint!!!
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TheExtremeSmell 6 years ago
Crazy how god planted them all in a row like that in a lake. #jesus
#6
Category Underwater Winner: ' Up In The Air' By Alexey Zozulya (Ru)
Karl Peisker 6 years ago
This is not a jump. The picture is turnt upside down. Does the jury didn't see that?
Full Name 5 years ago
The whole wildlife photo jury would never have known the winning photo in the underwater category was actually taken underwater. It's a good thing Inspector Karl is on the case. Case closed!
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#7
Category Youth Winner: 'Symphony N°5' By Giacomo Redaelli (It)
Full Name 5 years ago
Maybe it's the moron of the bunch who can never get the choreography right.
Load More Replies... Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago
Wow, and this is from the youth category!? Really great and humorous photo.
#8
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Wolf Attack' By Martin Steenhaut (Be)
CADENCE RATCLIFF 5 years ago
they aint attacking 😂 the crows are allied with them. They alert them of possible prey and in turn they get the wolves leftovers
Kai Wendorf 6 years ago
"beware of the wolf young ones. he stalks at night and sometimes you can hear his lonely cry into the night sky..."
#9
Category Birds Runner-Up: 'Golden Eagle Landing' By Audun Rikardsen (No)
SirPatTheCat 6 years ago
Oh I remember seeing how they got this shot basically they created a perch that looked optimal for sitting on for the eagle and just waited until it sat on it (which I believe took a while-in the days range?) and put a camera on it. Anyways it sounds a lot less dramatic when I explain it but that’s what happened
Kasey Earls 6 years ago
Thanks for the explanation! I was scratching my head trying to figure it out but that makes sense!
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#10
Category Birds Highly Commended: 'Fjord Fight' By Bernt Østhus (No)
#11
Category Underwater Runner-Up: 'Dancing In The Light' By Domenico Tripodi (It)
Seabeast 6 years ago
It's all fun and games until some photographer gets stung in the face.
Load More Replies... #12
Category Man And Nature Highly Commended:' Sunsets' By Pedro Narra (Pt)
Daria B 6 years ago
First sight: "awwwww...." Second thought: "wait? Isn't it chlorinated water?" It's such a powerful image, really.
MN Free Spirit 6 years ago
Actually we have a couple of friends who use salt chlorination for keeping their pools clean and they are incredibly crystal clear without smelling like a pool when you get out.
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#13
Category Black And White Highly Commended: 'Brothers' By Luke Massey (Es)
Ed Martin 6 years ago
They have Jake's Bedroom eyes. Love the picture and I love Jake a sweet, kind guy. Ed
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#14
Category Landscape Winner: 'A Stormy Day' By Ales Krivec (Si)
#15
Category Mammals Highly Commended: 'Deer On The Crest' By François Nowicki (Fr)
Alatheia Eunomia 6 years ago (edited)
Is that really a deer? The antlers resemble those of an elk. I don't even know if the picture was taken in North America.
#16
Category Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award Winner: 'Cuejdel My Lake' By Gheorghe Popa (Ro)
Kris Sh 6 years ago
Cuejdel is a lake in Romania, you should had search on google maxresdefa...32ee0c.jpg 
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago
Amazing! It looks just like a watercolour painting. Really neat contrast in colours as well.
#17
Category Underwater Highly Commended: 'Duck Photo Bomb' By Paul Colley (UK)
#18
Category Plants And Fungi Highly Commended: 'Survivor III' By David Frutos Egea (Es)
Adrienne Early 6 years ago
This looks like the same place as the symmetrical trees in an above pic, but in a different season.
David Frutos Egea 6 years ago
It is true what you say. It is the same place in a different season of the year.
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David Frutos Egea 6 years ago (edited)
If you are really interested in buying a printed copy of this photograph, you can do it on my website. There you will find all the information.
Load More Replies... #19
Category Youth Highly Commended:'poplar Stars' By Carlos Perez Naval (Es)
Marlene Ricker 6 years ago
You forgot to mention the mountain goat. He just makes this picture.
Load More Replies... #20
Category Landscape Highly Commended: 'Flower Power' By Brandon Yoshizawa (Us)
Miguel Avila 6 years ago
There are many photographers dedicated to capturing SpaceX rockets as they blast-off, but few try to capture the rockets’ plumes. Brandon Yoshizawa’s image ‘Flower Power’, taken from Aspendell, California, does just that, including the exhaust plume from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launch just after launch. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2019/09/12/astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-32-cosmic-images-that-will-send-shivers-down-your-spine/#1d1f73761674
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
Thank you so much for the explanation. I was wondering what on earth (hrmmm, rather 'in the sky') am I seeing here.)
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#21
Category Birds Highly Commended: 'La Dama Blanca' By Stanislao Basileo (It)
Rocco Windover 6 years ago
More likely a longer exposure in taking the picture.
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#22
Category Other Animals Highly Commended: 'Hunting Ants' By Petr Bambousek (Cz)
#23
Category Plants And Fungi Highly Commended: 'Frozen Spring' By Csaba Daroczi (Hu)
#24
Category Other Animals Runner-Up: 'Gorgon' By Alena Shevtsova (Ru)
#25
Category Other Animals Highly Commended: 'Hunt In Sun' By Wei Fu (Th)
Iggy 6 years ago
You win the prize for the best use of that joke. Gave me a good chuckle. :-D
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#26
Category Mammals Winner: 'Under The Snow…' By Stefano Quirini (It)
Foxxy’s #1 fan 6 years ago
It does and with the texture it’s like it has been painted on a rock wall.
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#27
Category Mammals Runner-Up: 'Tapir Diver' By Marcio Esteves Cabral (Br)
Foxxy’s #1 fan 6 years ago
Well how bout that, I had no idea that Tapir could swim especially underwater.
#28
Category Other Animals Highly Commended: 'Fly' By Radomir Jakubowski (De)
glorytherainwing 6 years ago
im sorry but where is the fly? i see it in the shadow but.....is that a ghost fly?
#29
Category Youth Highly Commended: 'Little Curious Learner' By John Peter Wewin Pandian (In)
#30
Category Other Animals Winner: 'Golden Rain' By Norbert Kaszás (Hu)
xXKittensweetXx 6 years ago
aw poor dragonfly!!! it could kill the poor guy! once an insects wings are wet and damaged, it leaves them vulnerable for quite a while as they wait for their wings to dry :(
Monika Rhodes 6 years ago
It's a damselfly, not dragonfly and they are a bit weaker looking than dragonflies. It seems to be holding ok there to be honest and wings safely folded. If it was a dragonfly- it would have much more problem with keeping safe as they can't fold their wings together like that.
Load More Replies... Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago
Really beautiful textures in this photo with the rain. Looks like a traditional ink painting.
#31
Category Landscape Highly Commended: ' Under Aurora Bridge' By Yevhen Samuchenko (Ua)
#33
Category Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award Winner: 'Cuejdel My Lake' By Gheorghe Popa (Ro)
#35
Category Landscapes Of The Lage Landen Highly Commended: 'Thunderstorm At Schier' By Theo Bosboom (Nl)
#36
Category Youth Runner-Up: 'A Close Meeting Above The Treeline' By Tobias Gjerde (No)
#37
Category Nature Highly Commended: 'Wings' By Bence Mate (Hu)
#38
Category Man And Nature Highly Commended:'cub And Crab' By Noel Guevara (Ph)
Spikey Bunny 6 years ago
I hope that little crab is at least getting a good meal in there... still, very sad it's just more trash. :(
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#39
Category Landscapes Of The Lage Landen Highly Commended: 'Reflections' By Erik Steen Redeker (Be)
Marcellus the Third 6 years ago
Too bad you can't see a fish --- otherwise it would be a reproduction of the (Dutch) artist MC Escher's woodcut called "Three worlds"... It's uncanny. I'm sure it was on the photographer's mind.
#41
Category Nature Art Winner: 'Happiness Grows In Trees' By Simone Baumeister (De)
Harold Summer 6 years ago
I doubt this is a composite image combined in Photoshop. It appears to be a reflection shot, probably of smooth clear water pool over clover and plants that is reflecting trees above it.
Foxxy’s #1 fan 6 years ago (edited)
Dammit. I was hoping these photos were as is, but there has been some filtering, modifying etc. Is nothing unedited these days? Don’t get me wrong they are beautiful.
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago (edited)
Most photographers are going to have some element of retouching and playing with lighting levels and colours. Even photographers who still prefer working with film do a lot of their “editing” and manipulation work using filters, playing with aperture, and other creative techniques like Christopher mentioned below. The additional “magic” happens in the dark room with dodging and burning. The photographer’s Instagram says that this piece is a macro shot. Would be really cool to know what lens they used.
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#42
Category Plants And Fungi Highly Commended: 'Leverbloempjes' By Piet Haaksma (Nl)
WilvanderHeijden 6 years ago (edited)
Liverleaves. But Liverflowers would be the more correct translation.
#43
Category Nature Highly Commended: 'Mid Winter Colours' By Staffan Widstrand ( Se)
Jacob/Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 6 years ago
I would blow this up huge and hang it over my couch
#44
Category Black And White Runner-Up: 'Exchange Wild' By Alain Ernoult (Fr)
#45
Category Man And Nature Highly Commended: 'Help Us' By Tom Svensson (Se)
Desiré Yen 6 years ago
Wish God never created greed, then at least our beautiful planet would stand a chance😔
#47
Category Plants And Fungi Runner-Up: ' In The Forest Kingdom' By Juan Jesús González Ahumada (Es)
#48
Category Underwater Highly Commended: 'Jewel Fairy Basslet' By Gabriel Barathieu (Fr)
#49
Category Man And Nature Winner: 'Lonely' By Luke Massey (Es)
Sunzilla 6 years ago
Probably still happens in one of "those" countries...
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#50
Category Underwater Highly Commended: ' Close Inspection' By Wade Hughes (Au)
#53
Category Birds Runner-Up: 'Disagreement' By Francis De Andrés De Miguel (Es)
#54
Category Landscape Runner-Up: 'Amoebe' By Luis Manuel Vilariño Lopez (Es)
#55
Category Man And Nature Runner-Up: 'White Rhino Trophies' By Britta Jaschinski (UK)
Carol Emory 6 years ago
Can we start banning big game hunting? It's no longer necessary and quite infuriating!!
Florencia Renedo 6 years ago
Talk to our F@#&*# president, who in 2018 gave us the wonderful news: "Trump Administration Quietly Decides — Again — To Allow Elephant Trophy Imports"
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Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago (edited)
Hunting is such an encompassing and polemic topic that can’t always be viewed in black and white despite us wanting to. I am against Big Game hunting where innocent animals are killed for trophy. It’s very hard to see a photo like this and then remember that there are communities and cultures around the world that rely on hunting for food. Many of these communities use the entire animal; meat can feed a family for a long time and the hide can be used for clothing. There are communities that hunt sustainably and respect the animals whose lives they take and respect the land. A very difficult topic to say the least.
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#59
Category Nature Runner-Up: 'Quassia Muse' By Bart Siebelink (Nl)
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 6 years ago (edited)
I actually think it’s an orchid flower, but I could be totally wrong. You can kind of see what appear to be leaves in the left-hand portion of the frame. Glory and Sunzilla’s answers are much more amusing though!
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#60
Category Landscapes Of The Lage Landen Winner: 'Galloways Under The Bridge' By Karin De Jonge (Nl)
#66
Category Landscapes Of The Lage Landen Highly Commended: 'Erik Steen Redeker' By Michel Lucas (Nl)
#67
Category Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award Winner: 'Cuejdel My Lake' By Gheorghe Popa (Ro)
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What do you think ?
Sunzilla 6 years ago
Nature is sacred. Protect it like your life depends on it. Because it does...
Carol Emory 6 years ago
A lot of these are beautiful and mesmerizing. Make me want to take up photography to see what I can capture.
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
BP, please listen up and block this idiot that posts "comments" as 'AlinaAnalina'. Because last time I looked, this was neither a porn site, nor a yellow pages of sorts for 'pink' ads...
María Hermida 6 years ago
I can't, because the "report" thingy only appears in the app. But please, those who can, report her! She's is so annoying. This is not the place for her stupid porno ads!
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Sunzilla 6 years ago
Nature is sacred. Protect it like your life depends on it. Because it does...
Carol Emory 6 years ago
A lot of these are beautiful and mesmerizing. Make me want to take up photography to see what I can capture.
Monika Soffronow 6 years ago
BP, please listen up and block this idiot that posts "comments" as 'AlinaAnalina'. Because last time I looked, this was neither a porn site, nor a yellow pages of sorts for 'pink' ads...
María Hermida 6 years ago
I can't, because the "report" thingy only appears in the app. But please, those who can, report her! She's is so annoying. This is not the place for her stupid porno ads!
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