Photographers of all experience levels, from 93 countries submitted 38,575 pictures of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Judged, by an international panel of industry experts, on originality, narrative, technical excellence and ethical practice, 100 of the highest rated images including the Highly Commended, Grand Title Award and Young Grand Title Award winners are on display in the Natural History Museum.

Selected from 19 category winners, the two grand title winners are Karine Aignerwas from the USA with her close-up image of male bees attempting to mate with a single female, and sixteen-year-old Katanyou Wuttichaitanakorn from Thailand who captured the moment a Bryde’s whale surfaced, lunge-feeding on a large numbers of small schooling fish.

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum says of the exhibition, “These inspiring images convey human impact on the natural world in a way that words cannot – from the urgency of declining biodiversity to the inspiring bounce back of a protected species.”

The 2022 exhibition has been redesigned by Witherford Watson Mann architects and sets the photographs among quotes from jury members, short videos and insights from museum scientists.

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