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PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM: 'The Swarm of Life' by Shane Gross wins Wildlife Photographer of The Year 2024
9 October 2024
By Sarah Hagen
By Sarah Hagen
© Shane Gross, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Selected from a record-breaking 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories, the winners of the Natural History Museum's prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition were revealed at an awards ceremony in South Kensington last night.
Celebrating its sixtieth year, the flagship Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition featuring the 100 awarded images will open on Friday 11 October 2024 at the Natural History Museum, London.
Canadian Marine Conservation Photojournalist, Shane Gross, was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his image ‘The Swarm of Life’, a breathtaking photograph that shines a light on the magical underwater world of western toad tadpoles.
Shane captured the image whilst snorkelling for several hours through carpets of lily pads in Cedar Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, making sure not to disturb the fine layers of silt and algae covering the bottom of the lake. A near threatened species due to habitat destruction and predators, these tadpoles start their transition into toads between four and twelve weeks after hatching, but an estimated 99% of them will not survive to adulthood.
Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury and Editor, says: “The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles. We were equally excited by the addition of a new species to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year archive. Over the last few years, the competition has highlighted environments and species that are often overlooked yet provoke the same wonder and delight when shared as the more typically photographed wildlife and wild places.”
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas from Germany was awarded Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his up-close image ‘Life Under Dead Wood’, depicting the fruiting bodies of slime mould on the right and a tiny springtail on the left.
Alexis quickly rolled over a log to take the intriguing image, moving fast as springtails can jump many times their body length in a split second. Alexis used a technique called focus stacking, where 36 images, each with a different area in focus, are combined. Springtails are found in almost every corner of the globe as one of the most abundant of all macroscopic animals.
They are vital for improving soil health by feeding on microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, helping organic matter to decompose. “A photographer attempting to capture this moment not only brings great skill, but incredible attention to detail, patience and perseverance. To see a macro image of two species photographed on the forest floor, with such skill, is exceptional.” says Kathy Moran.
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, says: “Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s longevity is a testament to the vital importance and growing appreciation of our natural world. We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year’s portfolio – these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale.”
To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and in line with the Museum’s vision of a future where both people and planet thrive, the competition introduced the Impact Award for both the Adult and Young Photographer categories. This award recognises a conservation success; a story of hope and/or positive change. The Young Impact Award was given to Liwia Pawłowska from Poland, who entered the competition’s Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year category with her image ‘Recording by Hand’.
The sixtieth edition of Wildlife Photographer of the Year opens at the Museum in South Kensington on Friday 11 October until Sunday 29 June 2025.
Celebrating its sixtieth year, the flagship Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition featuring the 100 awarded images will open on Friday 11 October 2024 at the Natural History Museum, London.
Canadian Marine Conservation Photojournalist, Shane Gross, was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his image ‘The Swarm of Life’, a breathtaking photograph that shines a light on the magical underwater world of western toad tadpoles.
Shane captured the image whilst snorkelling for several hours through carpets of lily pads in Cedar Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, making sure not to disturb the fine layers of silt and algae covering the bottom of the lake. A near threatened species due to habitat destruction and predators, these tadpoles start their transition into toads between four and twelve weeks after hatching, but an estimated 99% of them will not survive to adulthood.
Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury and Editor, says: “The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles. We were equally excited by the addition of a new species to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year archive. Over the last few years, the competition has highlighted environments and species that are often overlooked yet provoke the same wonder and delight when shared as the more typically photographed wildlife and wild places.”
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas from Germany was awarded Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 for his up-close image ‘Life Under Dead Wood’, depicting the fruiting bodies of slime mould on the right and a tiny springtail on the left.
Alexis quickly rolled over a log to take the intriguing image, moving fast as springtails can jump many times their body length in a split second. Alexis used a technique called focus stacking, where 36 images, each with a different area in focus, are combined. Springtails are found in almost every corner of the globe as one of the most abundant of all macroscopic animals.
They are vital for improving soil health by feeding on microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, helping organic matter to decompose. “A photographer attempting to capture this moment not only brings great skill, but incredible attention to detail, patience and perseverance. To see a macro image of two species photographed on the forest floor, with such skill, is exceptional.” says Kathy Moran.
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, says: “Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s longevity is a testament to the vital importance and growing appreciation of our natural world. We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year’s portfolio – these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale.”
To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and in line with the Museum’s vision of a future where both people and planet thrive, the competition introduced the Impact Award for both the Adult and Young Photographer categories. This award recognises a conservation success; a story of hope and/or positive change. The Young Impact Award was given to Liwia Pawłowska from Poland, who entered the competition’s Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year category with her image ‘Recording by Hand’.
The sixtieth edition of Wildlife Photographer of the Year opens at the Museum in South Kensington on Friday 11 October until Sunday 29 June 2025.
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