Image of praying mantises dancing in sync wins world’s biggest photography competition
A record-breaking year for the Cewe Photo Award has reached a climax with the announcement of the grand prize winner

Talented amateur photographer, Hasan Baglar, has been crowned the overall winner of the Cewe Photo Award for his close-up photograph of two praying mantises, dubbed Danlock.
The annual competition, which attracts professional and amateur photographers from around the world, had a fittingly global theme: 'Our world is beautiful'. Fifty-one-year-old Cypriot, Hasan, had already clinched the Close-up and Macro category when the top ten images were announced last month. He captured his incredible winning image with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and 100mm macro lens from around 40cm.
“It is a huge honor to be named the grand prize winner of the Cewe Photo Award, and I’d like to thank everyone involved for this recognition,” he said.
As for how he managed to capture such a striking moment, he explained: “In summer, I usually take early morning photos of butterflies near alfalfa fields around my home town. Suddenly, I spotted the praying mantises on a branch and moved closer to have a better look. When I tried to touch them, they attacked by spreading their wings and began to follow me.”
Thankfully, he didn't let the moment pass him by. “I could hardly believe my eyes, as I'm not familiar with the behavior of praying mantises and had never seen this pose before. I was extremely excited, and my hands shook as I took the photos. I think this is a small miracle of nature – to me, they look like smiling dancers. I hope it inspires others to enjoy the beauty of wildlife photography.”
Hasan’s efforts have earned him an incredible grand prize: a €10,000 trip (approximately $11,700 / £8,700 / AU$17,800), along with €5,000 ($5,875 / £4,350 / AU$8,900) in equipment and €2,500 (approx $2,940 / £2,185 / AU$4,450) in Cewe photo products.
The photographer’s triumph comes during a record-breaking year for the competition, where a whopping 656,738 entries were recorded and judged by a panel of industry experts, journalists and professionals.
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!
You might also like...
Want more incredible imaging inspiration? Nikon reveals microscopic life like you’ve never seen before: Nikon Small World in Motion winners revealed. Plus, these photos just won £1,000 at the RSB Photography Competition. And if you're into close-up photography, check out the best cameras for macro photography and the best macro lenses.

Mike studied photography at college, honing his Adobe Photoshop skills and learning to work in the studio and darkroom. After a few years writing for various publications, he headed to the ‘Big Smoke’ to work on Wex Photo Video’s award-winning content team, before transitioning back to print as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine.
With bylines in Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar, he’s a fountain of photography and consumer tech knowledge, making him a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more. His expertise extends to everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.