Book review: British Wildlife Photography Awards 10
In the opening foreward to this beautifully presented book, wildlife photographer Mark Carwardine comments, ‘Who needs penguins or polar bears when we have puffins and badgers?’ The problem with wildlife photography – such as the stunning work we see every year at the Natural History Museum – is that it’s all too often inaccessible to those without the means or desire to travel to the furthest corners of the world. With that in mind, here’s a book where all the wildlife featured can be found within our own shores.
Now in its tenth edition, the British Wildlife Photography Awards was set up by Maggie Gowan to raise awareness of our own rich biodiversity and celebrate its natural beauty through photography.
This image of blue tit was captured expertly by Paul Sawyer
There are some truly remarkable images on display here, which anybody with a predilection for the natural world should find inspiring. The fact that you don’t have to get on a plane to find them yourself is fantastic news for your wallet – and of course even better news for the planet that the imagery so wonderfully celebrates.
A nice touch is the addition of camera and lens choice, along with camera settings for each image – so if you’re a beginner to this genre, you can get a basic idea of how each shot was achieved.
A common swift skimming the water by Robin Chittenden
For the tenth anniversary of the competition, the focus was on British coasts. According to the book, our island nation has an impressive 31,368 kilometres of coastline. As the book also points out, though, we don’t do a great job of looking after the species that inhabit it – one of the key reasons for the competition’s existence.
Captured with a drone, this shot by Rich Bunce won the ‘Habitat’ category
This edition saw Daniel Trim awarded the overall winner for his image of a grey heron hiding under the cover of a bridge. It’s just one of dozens of inspiring images that may just prompt you to enter the next competition, too. For lovers of wildlife and nature photography, this book comes highly recommended.
British Wildlife Photography Awards 10
Published: Ammonite Press
Cover: hardback
Pages: 208
Price: £25
ISBN: 978-1-78145-375-9
