WildArt POTY: Discover the latest category winners
Posted on Oct 28, 2021
WildArt has announced the winners of its August category, BACKYARD
The WildArt Photographer of the Year competition has been shaking up the standard format of traditional photography contests with its ten-theme structure running throughout the year, with a new category each month. This innovative format encourages photographers to get creative and reframe their mindset at the start of each month, ready for a new challenge.
The category for August was BACKYARD, conceptualised by category judge and wildlife photographer Rebecca Nason from the UK. Rebecca is a keen birder and wildlife photographer living on the Shetland Isles, where she and her partner run Shetland Seabird Tours. The theme invites photographers to reflect on the connection between humans and the wildlife on our doorstep, a relationship that has been rekindled throughout the numerous lockdowns since the start of the pandemic.
BACKYARD received an impressive range of submissions, showcasing photographic talent from around the world. The Gold Award was awarded to Jan Piecha from Germany for his artistic depiction of Balkan Anemones in ‘Purple’. Jan will join the other category winners and stand the chance of being awarded the title of WildArt Photographer of the Year, along with a £3000 cash prize.
Each category supports a conservation cause close to the heart of its creator. Rebecca has chosen to support the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary on Shetland, which has been responsible for the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured animals on the islands since 1987. WildArt has raised a total of £185 for the organisation through direct donations from entry fees, taking the total funds raised for conservation causes throughout the competition to well over £2000.
The final competition category, COLOUR, will close at the end of October. Keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of the winners of September’s category, MOTION.
Discover the winning entries
Title: Purple
“During the covid19 lockdown in Germany, my family and I spent a lot of time in the little garden around our apartment. In April, we were lucky because the weather was getting better, and spring finally arrived. To pass the time a little bit, I photographed a lot of wildflowers and birds around our house. There were many wild purple flowers in an extensive meadow which enabled me to experiment a lot with the colours.”
Equipment and Settings: Canon EOS R with 150mm f/2.8 lens. Focal length 150mm; 1/1,000 second; f/2.8; ISO 500.
MONOCHROME Silver Award Winner (£200 prize):
Title: Night Patrol
“I had seen Skunk frequenting the yard at night and I wanted to capture an image of them incorporating something that would tie them to a man-made structure. After a bit of walking around I felt If I could capture them on my red deck that would complement the dark night colours. I set up my camera and motion trigger where I felt they might walk up the deck and, after a few months, I finally got my image.”
Equipment and Settings: Nikon D600 with Sigma EX DG ASP 24mm f/1.8 lens. Two off-camera remote flashes and Camtraption remote camera motion trigger. Focal length 24mm; 1/250 second; f/14; ISO 400.
MONOCHROME Bronze Award Winner (£100 prize):
Title: Swallow in a Bucket
“I had not thought twice after I left this bucket out during a thunderstorm. However, later that week when I returned to put it away, I was upset to discover a Swallowtail butterfly had fallen in and drowned and then the water had evaporated.”
Equipment and Settings: Canon EOS 1DX with Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens. Focal length 35mm; 1/400 second; f/4; ISO 4000.
To see the other winning entries and for more information, please visit WildArt’s website.
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