Six captivating photos of wildlife have been published
A great blue heron catching a trout, a bowing emperor penguin, and a humpback whale feeding among sardines won prizes in the "Nature and Wildlife" category of the MonoVisions Photography Awards 2026. The judges of the competition, dedicated to black-and-white photography, also gave special recognition to images of an Arctic fox in a strong wind, an underwater sea lion, and an elephant drinking water.
Six captivating photos of wildlife have been published
The organizers of the MonoVisions Photography Awards have announced the results of the 2024 competition. In the "Nature and Wildlife" category for single photos, first place was awarded to the work "Perfect Strike" by Wei Lian representing the USA.
The photo captures the moment a great blue heron catches a trout. The bird's wings are not yet closed, and water drops are splashing around the prey. The photographer captured this exact brief moment of the hunt.
Second place went to the photo "Grace!" by another US representative, Liwen Tao. The shot was taken in Gould Bay, Antarctica, among a large colony of emperor penguins.
According to the author, among thousands of birds, one adult penguin caught his attention. It stood in front of the camera, vocalized, and assumed various poses. The photographer chose the exact moment the penguin bowed its head.
"The moment the penguin bowed its head seemed so graceful to me that I could not find words to describe it," Tao's caption for the photo reads.
Liwen Tao is a recently retired endodontist, a specialist in root canal treatment. Photography entered his life about ten years ago as a hobby and later became his primary passion.
His biography mentions a special interest in the polar regions, as well as a children's photo book dedicated to polar bears titled *Yukio’s First Day Out*. In the work submitted to the contest, the photographer preferred to show a portrait of a single penguin instead of a wide view of the entire colony.
Third place was awarded to the work "Opportunistic Feeding" by Colombian photographer Camilo Diaz. It depicts a humpback whale feeding near the surface of the water, surrounded by gathered fish.
Diaz explained that the photo was taken during a mass sardine run. The large amount of prey gathered in one place also attracted seabirds, sea lions, marlins, and tunas. The author notes that such an abundance of food caused the whale to feed even in its breeding area.