"No photograph is worth more than the life it portrays or the landscape it inhabits" – intimate arctic moment of mother and cub recognized in photo competition

This photograph might look like a deeply initmate moment – but it was shot from a respectful distance, in one of the most fragile exosystems on Earth. Beneath the calm surface, this image captures a deeper narrative about climate change...

Sleeping with mum is part of the series 'Svalbard: The White Frahile Kingdom' by photographer Roberta Pagano. Now, the image received Merit in AAP Magazine Issue #54: Nature, standing out for its emotional impact and environmental message.

Taking using a Nikon Z9 – one of the most capable all-round professional cameras we've tested – and a VR 500mm f/4 G lens, Pagano worked from a safe distance while preserving extraordinary detail.

'Sleeping with mum'

Shot at 1/2500 sec, f/5.6, and ISO 400, the focal length of 500mm compresses the scene without disturbing the animals – a choice that is key and reflects the photographer's ethic in the field.

On her website, Pagano states, "No photograph is worth more than the life it portrays or the landscape it inhabits."

She highlights, "This belief guides every step I take in the field. The welfare of wildlife and the integrity of its environment will always come before the pursuit of an image."

About this photograph, she says, "From our latitudes, Arctic problems may seem far away, but this is a misconception. The consequences of climate change are sadly real and tangible everywhere in the world, and even more so in this fragile ecosystem that plays a special role in the global climate.

"Perhaps the most extreme environments are those in which you most realize that each link in the chain of life has an absolute importance and plays a fundamental role in maintaining equilibrium.

"We need to cultivate empathy and respect for diversity and understand that we are not above nature, we are within it! We are all part of an unicum in which each species, while different, has its own value in the network of life. Some scientists still consider the current situation to be reversible: the only possible answer to this is to act responsibly.

"I hope my pictures can be a humble encouragement, a small contribution to the appreciation of nature's beauty, and offer food for thought."

AAP Magazine #54: Nature

The AAP Magazine #54: Nature edition highlights 25 outstanding photographers from 11 countries across three continents, presenting a powerful and contemporary version of the natural world through photography.

You can explore Pagano's Sleeping with mum alongside the full selection of winning projects in the AAP Magazine #54: Nature. For this, visit the AAP Magazine website.

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