The Nature Conservancy 2021 Photo Contest winners announced
posted Monday, September 27, 2021 at 12:59 PM EST
The Nature Conservancy has unveiled the winners of its 2021 Photo Contest. As expected, there are many beautiful photos of a diverse range of subjects, including landscapes, nature and wildlife. After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's edition of the contest drew just over 100,000 photo submissions from a record-breaking 158 countries.
This year's winning photos were selected by a panel of judges, including singer-songwriter Ben Folds, who is himself a seasoned photographer. UK photographer Anup Shah captured the grand prize image. Shah's image, seen below, features a western lowland gorilla walking through a cloud of butterflies. Shah captured the image in the Central African Republic. Of Shah's image, Folds said, 'I like photos that keep dragging you in. The [gorilla's] face. Tolerance or bliss. It's really hard to tell and the insects draw you there. For the image, Shah won a grand prize of a camera package valued at $4,000.
'These images are a gorgeous and unforgettable reminder of the vibrancy and awe-inspiring power of nature,' said Meg Goldthwaite, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for The Nature Conservancy. 'Year after year, we are amazed, delighted, and moved by these scenes from around the world. They remind us how connected we all are on this planet, and they energize us as we continue the important work of conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends.'
We are sharing a selection of winning images below. To view all winners across Landscape, People and Nature, Water and Wildlife categories, click here. Please visit The Nature Conservancy website if you'd like to learn more about The Nature Conservancy and its mission. You can also keep up to date with the organization on Twitter.
