Photography
#contests
#landscapes
#macro
#nature
#wildlife
![An orange shield insect photographed on a leaf.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/INSECTS-Finalist-©-Yuan-Minghui-Like-a-Flower-CUPOTY-5-scaled.jpg)
Yuan Minghui, “Like a Flower.” Bugs Finalist. “After a rainstorm, a defend bug (Pentatomidae) fell onto some decayed leaves within the mud. The gradual decay of the leaves jogged my memory of printed flowers, and I cherished the brilliant distinction of the insect in opposition to it. This defend bug is sort of a flower that falls to the bottom, bringing some vibrant feelings to the darkish rainforest.” All pictures © the photographers, courtesy of CUPOTY, shared with permission
Now in its fifth yr, Close-up Photographer of the Year drew practically 12,000 exceptional entries from photographers in 67 nations who discover macro marvels of the pure world. From a roly-poly isopod in Austria to sunlit lily pads in an atmospheric Mexican cenote, this yr’s pictures painting an enormous array of natural world in unimaginable element. Eleven classes starting from animals and bugs to underwater and intimate landscapes welcomed submissions that target a breadth of wonderful scenes.
The competitors’s total winner is Csaba Daróczi, whose spectacular black-and-white seize of a chicken in flight, taken from inside a hole tree stump, presents a novel perspective of forest life. Different class winners included Barry Webb’s extraordinary view of slime mildew, Mirko Scortichini’s cluster of blue butterflies, and a ghost goby hovering over a diaphanous mattress of pink coral by Laura Storm. You may discover the highest 100 images on the competition’s website.
![A curled-up isopod shot close-up.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/auer.jpg)
Manfred Auer, “Orange Isopod.” Invertebrate Portrait 2nd Place. “I captured this shot throughout my early days as a macro photographer again in April. Simply three months after getting my Olympus digicam, I stumbled upon this unimaginable isopod within the woods behind my home within the lovely south of Austria. This picture is a results of merging 91 particular person photographs with various focus factors.”
![A black-and-white photograph taken from inside a hollowed out tree of a bird flying and trees rising up on all sides.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/daroczi.jpg)
Csaba Daróczi, “The Chook of the Forest.” Animals 1st Place and General Winner. “Within the winter of 2023, I took loads of images in a forest near my house in Hungary. I discovered one thing new to {photograph} nearly each week, and I spent a number of days exploring concepts and perfecting strategies. Staying curious and open-minded led me to this hollowed out tree stump, which measured round half a metre in diameter. I fastidiously positioned my GoPro 11 digicam contained in the trunk and took a couple of photographs. I used to be amazed by the outcomes. After a couple of days, nonetheless, I made a decision the composition may be improved if I included an animal within the body. So, I returned to the spot and positioned a sunflower close to the outlet, which the mice and birds quickly discovered.”
![A heron and a small fish touch noses.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/bivrin.jpg)
Arne Bivrin, “Kiss of Loss of life.” Animals Finalist. “I used to be sitting in a cover watching a heron stalking fish within the shallow water. I had my eyes on this heron and was prepared when it caught the small fish. Most chicken photographers prefer to seize all the chicken, whereas I get pleasure from tight portraits and particulars.”
![Dozens of wood ants spray droplets of acid.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/krekels.jpg)
René Krekels, “Wooden Ants Firing Acid Secretion.” Bugs 1st Place. “I had been learning the life-style of wooden ants within the Netherlands for work once I observed the defending ants of a really massive ant’s nest appeared desirous to scare me off by spraying acid in direction of me. Fortunately, it wasn’t that damaging, and it offered me with an excellent alternative to {photograph} them defending the nest.”
![A cluster of blue butterflies in the grass.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/scortichini.jpg)
Mirko Scortichini, “Butterflies Storm.” Butterflies and Dragonflies Finalist. A gaggle of Lycaenidae butterflies collect to feast upon a cowpat in Serrapetrona, Italy, in June
![A ghost goby sits on top of a spongey pink coral.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/UNDERWATER-Finalist-©-Laura-Storm-Cloud-Nine-CUPOTY-5-scaled.jpg)
Laura Storm, “Cloud 9.” Underwater Finalist. A ghost goby hides out among the many undulating textures and swirls of its pink sponge daybed
![A white fish swims over a tapestry-like colorful seabed of coral.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/theuma.jpg)
Simon Theuma, “Dreamtime.” Underwater 1st Place. “Like an intricate tapestry of the marine ecosystem, this picture captures the connection between a commensal shrimp and a mosaic sea star. Dreamtime Aboriginal artwork reminds us of the fragile steadiness that exists within the grand tapestry of our pure world—this historic knowledge serves as an necessary reminder to protect what we have now. To seize this picture, I wanted to make use of a snooted strobe, which was set at an acute angle to the topic. This setup accentuated the depth and exquisite texture of the 2 organisms. Moreover, I enhanced magnification through the use of a +15 moist lens dioptre.”
![A macro photo of slime mold with water droplets on the stems.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/webb-scaled.jpg)
Barry Webb, “Comatricha with Droplets.” Fungi and Slime Molds Finalist. Lovely Comatricha nigra slime moulds gleam with water droplets on a rotting fence put up in November in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, U.Ok.
![Two green, glistening butterfly eggs.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MICRO-Finalist-©-Ye-Fei-Zhang-Butterfly-Eggs-CUPOTY-5.jpeg)
Ye Fei Zhang, “Butterfly Eggs.” Micro Finalist
![A microscopic sea creature curled up into the shape of a heart.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/UNDERWATER-2nd-©-Liang-Fu-Heart-of-the-Sea-CUPOTY-5.jpg)
Liang Fu, “Coronary heart of the Sea.” Underwater 2nd Place. “This {photograph} was taken throughout a blackwater dive in Romblon, Philippines. Blackwater diving is a kind of scuba diving that takes place at evening within the open ocean, with 1000’s of metres of water under the boat. Divers descend a rope with underwater lights as their solely orientation system. When the tide and moon section are proper, creatures from the deep migrate to shallower waters. This vertical migration is without doubt one of the most exceptional pure phenomena. In the course of the dive, I noticed one thing shining below my searchlight at 28 metres deep. As I swam nearer to analyze, I discovered a lava moray eel curled right into a coronary heart form. I used to be extraordinarily lucky to seize this second with my digicam. The eel remained at that depth for lower than 10 seconds earlier than swimming down and disappearing into the darkness.”
![Pink lily pads viewed from underwater.](https://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/gug.jpg)
Chris Gug, “Spirit of the Yucatan.” Crops Finalist. Trying by means of the drifting stems of lily pads in a Mexican freshwater cenote to the sky above
#contests
#landscapes
#macro
#nature
#wildlife
Do tales and artists like this matter to you? Develop into a Colossal Member immediately and assist impartial arts publishing for as little as $5 per 30 days. You will join with a neighborhood of like-minded readers who’re obsessed with modern artwork, learn articles and newsletters ad-free, maintain our interview sequence, get reductions and early entry to our limited-edition print releases, and far more. Join now!