Wildlife photography wins Nature TTL POTY 2021 competition, after over 8,000 entries worldwide
'The World Is Going Upside Down' – Thomas Vijayan, Animal Behavior Category Winner and Overall Winner(Image credit: Thomas Vijayan / Nature TTL)
The winners of the prestigious Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 competition have been announced, with wildlife photography from Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan winning the Animal Behavior category and the overall competition.
The worthy winner of the competition, and of a £15,000 cash prize, Thomas's image, entitled 'The World Is Going Upside Down', was chosen from more than 8,000 entries – over 1,000 more than last year's inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year competition – from nature photographers all over the world.
Not only does Thomas's winning image give an intimate look into the world of an orangutan, it also initially appears that its subject is looking at the sky, but on closer inspection it is seen to be a reflection in the water below.
"Thomas’ s image immediately stood out to the judging panel,” said Will Nicholls, Founder of Nature TTL. “It’s one of those photos you can’t skim past. The unique perspective and composition means you are immediately trying to figure out what exactly you are looking at.”
Thirteen-year-old Thomas Easterbrook from the UK was crowned the Young Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 with his image of a peregrine falcon tackling a starling murmuration.
Photographers could chose to enter any of eight categories – Animal Behavior, Camera Traps, Landscapes, Small World, The Night Sky, Underwater, Urban Wildlife, and Wild Portraits. Photographers can find out more about the competition by visiting the Nature TTL website.
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Nature TTL is a leading online nature photography resource which provides free tutorials and inspirational features. Entries to the 2022 Nature TTL Photographer of the Year competition will be invited before the end of 2021.
Laurence is an NCTJ-trained journalist with nearly 20 years' editorial experience gained on a wide range of publications, from The Beirut Times in Lebanon to The Sunday Times, and including recent freelance engagements with Future's cycling and automotive portfolios, Outdoor Fitness, and The English Home. He has recently been undertaking a sports broadcast journalism MA at Southampton Solent, gaining valuable TV and radio experience, and am currently videographer for Frome Town FC soccer team. He is the author of Bikepacking (Wild Things Publishing, 2016).
