“Fight masterclass” between tiger mother and cub wins Nature’s Best Photography 2024

Nature’s Best Photography (NBP) has revealed the winners of its 2024 competition. Mangesh Desai from Pune, India, claimed the Grand Prize with an incredible “fight masterclass” between a tiger mother and her cub.

“Nature photography is more than capturing moments,” Mangesh said after winning first place. “It is a profound connection to the earth and its countless marvels.” He describes his image and what is it that we’re witnessing when looking at it:

“Over the years, I have witnessed this young male tiger become more confident and assert dominance over his siblings. His path toward independence as an adult starts with the challenge of learning to define and safeguard his territory. This image illustrates a pivotal life lesson as the mother teaches her cub how to fight, giving a masterclass in survival. The tigers entered the water gracefully, and the scene unfolded. I adjusted the shutter speed precisely to capture the water splashes and the impressive dynamics of the tigers interacting with each other.

Other than Mangesh Desai, the jury has also selected Youth Photographer of the Year, with Alberto Román Gómez from Cádiz, Spain, winning the top prize. “On a summer afternoon, my father and I visited an agricultural area on the outskirts of Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park to photograph birds,” Alberto says while describing his image. “From our car’s back window, I noticed a young stonechat perched on a gate.”

“The bird was diving to the ground repeatedly to capture insects. One time the bird landed briefly on a fence, and I was able to take this photograph. At this moment, it appeared to be guardian of the territory.”

The jury had the tough task of selecting the winners from over 25,000 submissions by photographers in 62 countries. They selected 113 finalists, and the winners were chosen across 11 categories, including Art in Nature, Wildlife, Birds, Nature in Motion/Video, Outdoor Adventure, Landscapes, Animal Antics, Polar Passion, Conservation Single Image, Conservation Story, and Ocean Views.

We bring you the category winners below, and the winning images and finalists will be featured in the 2024 Winter Special Edition of Nature’s Best Photography magazine. Enjoy the images below. To learn more about NBP and to view the full winner gallery, visit the NBP website.

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