Whether you shoot with a mirrorless camera or DSLR, wildlife remains a perennially popular genre, and we can all get lots of inspiration and ideas from wildlife photography competition winners
The winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards are announced today, with the top prize goes to Simon Withyman for a powerful image of an urban fox in Bristol – winning him £3,500. ‘I had been photographing this vixen for three years,’ says Simon, who also won the Urban Wildlife Category
‘This streetwise fox was a successful mother and had a family of young mouths to feed. I was instantly drawn to the interesting perspective effect of these railings and wanted to showcase some beauty in this everyday urban scene.
Meanwhile Jamie Smart (9) won The Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 title with a beautiful image of a curlew amongst dandelions.
More than 13,000 images were submitted into this year’s competition, with amateur and professional photographers competing for the grand prize. Entries are now open for the 2026 contest here.
British Wildlife Photography Awards other category winners
Animal Behaviour: Butterfly Face-off by John Waters
‘In a small block of deciduous woodland on the outskirts of Bristol, I wanted to photograph the aerial chases of the speckled wood butterfly. In spring, males stake out a sunny patch along a woodland path and will chase off any rival male that comes too close, usually spiraling up into the canopy.
On this occasion, a prolonged chase occurred about 1.5m above the ground, and I was able to approach quite close to get several shots. I was extremely lucky with this image in that it shows the instant one of the butterflies has spun around to face its pursuer.’
Canon 5D Mark III with Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe lens. 24mm; 1/4th second; ISO 320.
Animal Portraits: Hare in Motion by David Tipling
‘The late artist Robert Gillmor created a beautiful linocut of a running hare, depicting the different positions a hare’s legs take as they run. I thought it would be interesting to recreate this piece of art in a photograph by using a slow shutter speed of 1/10 sec as a hare ran. It took many attempts, photographing hares as they moved up and down a field of winter wheat, but I finally achieved this image of a hare in motion.’
OM System OM-1 with OM 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens. 400mm; 1/10th second; f/6.1; ISO 200.
Botanical Britain: Streetlit Snowdrop by Jacob J. Watson-Howland
‘Galanthus nivalis, the snowdrop, defies winter’s chill with remarkable adaptations, including proteins that act as natural antifreeze, allowing it to withstand sub-freezing temperatures. Thriving in woodlands, parks, and urban environments, this botanical wonder is one of Britain’s earliest blooms. Its elegant form and modest flower signal the changing seasons.
This image, taken under a city streetlight with a slow shutter speed, highlights the snowdrop’s resilience and unique adaptations to Britain’s unpredictable and changing climate.’
Canon R6 with Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary lens. 600mm; 3.2 seconds; f/6.3; ISO 160.
Black and White: Guillemot Kingdom by Mark Kirkland
‘Photographing guillemots underwater is a seasonal treat for divers. In early summer, they gather in vast numbers along the cliffs of the Berwickshire coast to breed. Often drawn to divers, it is believed they mistake the rising bubbles for their primary food source—shoals of tiny sand eels.
Reaching the base of these towering cliffs is only possible by boat, and on this occasion, I set out from St Abbs. For over an hour, I remained in one spot among the kelp at a depth of eight metres, patiently waiting for their curiosity to take hold.’
Nikon D500 with Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 Fisheye lens. 14mm; 1/160th second; f/14; ISO 160.
Coast and Marine: Blue Shark by Nicholas More
‘This slow-shutter speed portrait of a blue shark was captured 10 to 15 miles southwest of Penzance, Cornwall. Blue sharks are summer visitors to UK waters, known for their bold and curious nature, often interacting with snorkelers. They primarily feed on small fish and squid and are easily attracted to boats using Rubby Dubby—a mixture of fish carcasses, oils, and bran.
As apex predators, they are highly vulnerable to long-line fishing and, with no catch limits or quotas, are overexploited for their fins in the production of shark fin soup. These beautiful oceanic animals deserve our protection.’
Nikon D850 with Nikon 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. 15mm; 1/8th second; f/20; ISO 80.
Habitat: Kingdom of the Hare by Drew Buckley
‘After trudging through deep snow high in the Monadhliath Mountains, Scotland, I came across a single mountain hare hunkered down in its form. Sheltered from the bitterly cold wind, it remained still, perfectly adapted to its winter landscape. I spent some time capturing different scenes and focal lengths from a distance before moving on.
Canon 1D X with Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens. 47mm; 1/1,600th second; f/10; ISO 1000.
Hidden Britain: Roosting Dragons by Daniel Trim
‘Each year in May, RSPB Ham Wall in Somerset experiences a massive emergence of dragonflies, and if you arrive early enough, you can witness them roosting in the reeds in impressive groups. This particular group was climbing the reeds, preparing to warm up as the sun rose above the horizon. To create an ethereal feel, I used an in-camera double exposure—one frame sharply focused on the subject and another with a soft focus, blending detail with a dreamlike atmosphere.’
Canon 5DS with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II lens. 200mm; 1/1,600th second; f/2.8; ISO 800.
Wild Woods: Storm Light Over the Caledonian Forest by James Roddie
Stormy days in the Scottish Highlands often create incredible lighting conditions for photography. Venturing to a location I had never visited before, I was immediately drawn to the photographic potential of these old Scots pine trees. Braving heavy rain, I waited patiently, hoping for the right moment. My patience was rewarded when a sudden burst of light illuminated the trees perfectly, with a rainbow forming behind them – a fleeting but magical scene.
Nikon Z 7 with Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 lens. 28mm; 1/160th second; f/9; ISO 160.
Last but not least, regular AP contributor, Andrew Fusek Peters, received Highly Commended for this stunning image below. Andrew’s images appear regularly in the national press and he will be sharing lots of tips for winning wildlife images at our forthcoming Festival of Outdoor Photography, which takes place at the historic Royal Geographical Society in London from May 30th to June 1st. Book your early bird discounted tickets here!
‘This shot was 7 years in the planning – I wanted to capture dragonfly and Milky Way, near and far in the same, single long exposure, not a composite, both to stick to the competition rules but also to challenge and work on technique. Sadly, due to climate change, the black darter is one of our fastest declining dragonflies, but much conservation work is under way to try and protect this species.’
Check out our guide to the best cameras for wildlife photography here and the best photography contests to enter.
