The winning photos from the third annual Nature and Humans Photo Competition reveal two very different but equally important aspects of non-human animals.
Content warning: Some of the photographs below may be distressing to some readers. There are numerous photos of animals in extremely difficult and painful situations. Competition organizers rightly believe that these images are as important to view as outright beautiful ones, but a warning is nonetheless warranted.
On the one hand, the photo contest, which celebrates conservation photography and related initiatives, reveals the very ugly side of how people interact with animals, including through controversial factory-farming practices. On the other hand, the competition celebrates beautiful nature and wildlife photos that show animals at their very best.
“In the three ‘Nature and Humans’ conservation categories, we awarded powerful and original photographs that explore the relationship — positive or negative — between the natural environment and us, human beings,” the competition explains. “Both hopeful and distressing images were awarded, all sending a clear conservation message.”
In other categories, images are awarded more for their beauty and visual impact, which competition organizers, Fundación DESEA, say also contribute greatly to nature and wildlife conservation efforts.
“We believe that the best way to inspire the will to protect Nature is through its stunning beauty,” the Nature and Humans Photo Competition explains.
Photographers from 49 different countries and regions entered the contest, and Spanish nature photographer, Arturo de Frías, directed the competition and jury. Alongside the category-winning images below, runners-up and finalists were also named across all the categories. All of the other awarded photos are available to view online.
Photographer human.cruelties, who self-describes as an animal rights investigator, won this category for their series, “Uncovering what’s hidden.” The photographer won a €1,500 cash prize.
Photographer Francisco Negroni took the top spot in this category for the photo, “Screaming in the wind.”
In this final category, important conservation photography works in Spain were celebrated. Javier Murcia took the top spot for “I want my soda,” a powerful shot that reflects the hazards of ocean pollution.
Photographer Louise Jorgensen’s series, “Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” won first place. Jorgensen, like the other winners above, earned €1,500 for her victory.
Daniel Valverde’s photo, “Shaking Off While Eating,” shows a grizzly bear shaking off a huge spray of water while holding a fish in its paw. Valverde received a €1,000 voucher for any of Wildwatching Spain’s international photo tours.
Valverde won this category, too, for his photo, “Power Struggle.” This earned the photographer another €500 voucher.
Hira Punjabi’s fantastic portrait of a bat, “Bat Bath,” won the Mammals category. Punjabi won a Sony imaging kit valued at €1,700.
Andrea Izzotti’s fantastic shot, “Cormorhunt,” earned the photographer a €500 voucher at Fotografiarte, one of Spain’s leading photography retailers.
“Ghost of the Kelp Forest” by Lesley Rochat won the photographer first prize in the Oceans category, plus an OM-5 Mark II kit with an OM System 12-45mm zoom lens.
Lalith Ekanayake’s “Master of Disguise” is an eye-catching shot of a very well-camouflaged gecko.
Javier Herranz’s stunning black-and-white landscape shot, “Flysch,” won top prize.
“Wings of Ghost” by photographer Lalith Ekanayake won the Creative category, where photographers battled it out with images captured using creative and experimental techniques.
Young photographer Jofre Cutal Gallifa won the “Youth” category with “Vergonya,” a photo showing a monkey trying to open its cage.
An even younger photographer, Alberto Román Gómez, won the child category with “A break at 40°C.”
The fourth edition of the Nature and Humans Photo Competition is now open for entries until September 28, 2026. Complete entry details and rules are available on the contest’s website.
Image credits: Nature and Humans Photo Competition. Individual photographers are credited in the captions.
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