Federico Veronesi won the overall prize at the Natural History Museum competition for a photo titled The Aftermath, which shows a female elephant carrying a dead calf in Namibia, the museum said.
Kathy Moran, chair of the competition jury, described the image as working on many levels and said that emotionally it is "a gut punch, heartbreakingly poignant," and that it offers proof of animal cognition, the museum statement said.
The same jury named Oscar Whitfield Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year for a photo called Labour of Love that captures a dung beetle pushing its prize, a shot Jasper Doest praised as intentionally composed and narratively revealing.
Organizers said the competition drew a record 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories. Doug Gurr, director of the museum, said the winning photographs demonstrate the power of wildlife photography to help people see nature differently and to underline why protecting the natural world matters.
Techniques Trends And The Teaching Economy
Coverage across specialist outlets shows photographers are pushing beyond simple portraits toward mood and story, emphasizing framing, perspective, and selective focus to convey feeling, according to an Outdoor Photographer feature.
The piece outlines practical tactics such as narrowing composition to isolate a trunk or an eye, lowering the camera over a vehicle to change perspective, using silhouettes to create graphic impact, and panning with slower shutter speeds to suggest motion.
Aerial approaches also feature, using helicopters or drones to exploit low sun angles and long shadows, while many professionals stress patience and watching a scene before shooting so the image can express behavior or context.
Industry roundups and profiles highlight a small group of high profile practitioners whose work mixes conservation and craft. Joel Sartore is noted for a Photo Ark project that documents species. Paul Nicklen is described as a marine-focused photographer who links imagery to advocacy. Will Burrard-Lucas is known for remote camera inventions. Other figures cited include Frans Lanting, Ami Vitale, Marsel van Oosten, Marina Cano, and Tin Man Lee, with Lee also teaching post production methods.
Education and hands on experience remain central. Nick Dale offers prints and lessons, Andy Rouse distributes training videos, and the veterinary wildlife photographer who publishes trip reports and gear notes emphasizes practice, patience, and familiarity with equipment, listing mirrorless and pro bodies and long telephoto lenses as common tools.
Together the awards, technique guides, and a lively workshop market show a field that values both singular images and the longer work of training, conservation storytelling, and technical innovation.
