The winners of the latest British Wildlife Photography Awards competition have been revealed. Chosen from 14,000 images, Ryan Stalker takes home the grand title prize for his goose barnacle covered football image. Max Wood takes home the young title with his atmospheric misty coot.
The 2025 competition is now open for entries. All photographers, whether amateur or professional are invited to enter their wildlife photography.
From British Wildlife Photography Awards: The winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2024 have been unveiled. An image of a football covered in invasive goose barnacles, having travelled thousands of miles to reach the UK shores, has taken the top prize in this prestigious award.
More than 14,000 images were submitted into this year’s competition, with amateur and professional photographers competing for the £5,000 grand prize. Ryan Stalker was chosen as this year’s grand prize winner for his powerful image taken in England.
“Above the water is just a football. But below the waterline is a colony of creatures. The football was washed up in Dorset after making a huge ocean journey across the Atlantic,” says Stalker. “More rubbish in the sea could increase the risk of more creatures making it to our shores and becoming invasive species.”
The RSPB Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024
The RSPB Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 was awarded to Max Wood for his image of a coot running across a misty lake at sunrise. The award is supported by the RSPB to encourage young people to get involved with nature.
The British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) is a revered showcase of nature photography in Britain and a crucial reminder of what value our woodlands, wetlands and other ecosystems still hold.
“The British Wildlife Photography Awards brings to light the spectacular tapestry of Britain’s natural heritage,” says Will Nicholls, Director of BWPA. “This collection is more than just a gallery of images; it is a celebration, a reminder of the enduring beauty of British wildlife and a call to preserve the natural spaces that we are so fortunate to have in Britain.”
Photographers competed in 10 different categories in the adult competition: Animal Behaviour, Animal Portraits, Botanical Britain, Black & White, British Seasons, Coast & Marine, Habitat, Hidden Britain, Urban Wildlife, and Wild Woods. There were 3 age groups in the young competition: 11 and Under, 12-14 years, and 15-17 years.
All awarded images are published by Bird Eye Books in a hardback coffee-table book, which is now available online at bwpawards.org, with a foreword by Steve Backshall.
The 2025 competition is now open for entries at bwpawards.org, and invites photographers of all experience levels to submit their photos of Britain’s nature at its best.
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