South Africa’s Greg du Toit named Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Beating almost 43,000 other entries from across 96 countries, Greg du Toit’s photo of elephants will take centre stage at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition opening at the Natural History Museum on 18 October 2013.
South African photographer Greg du Toit has been named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 by the panel of international judges for his image ‘Essence of elephants’, a portrait of African elephants in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana.
The winners of this year’s prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition were announced on Tuesday at a gala awards ceremony held at London’s Natural History Museum.
Beating almost 43,000 other entries from 96 countries, Du Toit’s image will take centre stage at the exhibition opening at the Natural History Museum on 18 October. The acclaimed show celebrates the rich array of life on our planet, reflecting its beauty and highlighting its fragility.
After its London premiere, the exhibition embarks on a British and international tour, to be enjoyed by millions of people across the world.
Du Toit spent 10 years on the quest for a perfect portrait of an elephant herd and preparation, passion and luck combined to help him secure this winning image.
“My goal was to throw caution to the wind, to abandon conventional photographic practices in an attempt to capture a unique elephant portrait. This image hints at the special energy I feel when I am with elephants,” he said.
Chair of the judging panel, accomplished wildlife photographer Jim Brandenburg commented, “Greg’s image immediately catapults us to the African plains. This image stood out for both its technical excellence and the unique moment it captures — it is truly a once in a lifetime shot.”
Fourteen-year-old photographer Udayan Rao Pawar was also recognised as Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his image ‘Mother’s little headful’. This presents an arresting scene of gharial crocodiles on the banks of the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh, India, an area increasingly under threat from illegal sand mining and fishing.
The two images were selected from 18 individual category winners, depicting nature at its finest, from displays of peculiar animal behaviour to stunning landscapes. The competition, coowned by the Natural History Museum, London, and BBC Worldwide is judged by a panel of industry-recognised professionals. Images, submitted by professional and amateur photographers alike, are selected for their creativity, artistry and technical complexity.
Six other South African photographers have taken top prizes in this year’s competition. See their spectacular images and read the stories behind them here.
Exhibition information
Dates and times: 18 October 2013 until 23 March 2014, 10.00—17.50 (last admission 17.15)
Visitor enquiries: +44 (0)20 7942 5000
Admission: Adult £12*, child and concession £6*, family (up to two adults and
three children) £33*
Website: www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy
