by
Team Africa Geographic
Thursday, 18 May 2023
Our Photographer of the Year 2023 is now closed for submissions. Cash prizes of US$10,000 have been set aside for the winner and two runners-up. Winners and their partners will also join our CEO Simon Espley and his wife Lizz on the ultimate private safari
Judging for Photographer of the Year will take place throughout the month of May 2023, and the winners will be announced in early June 2023.
This is Gallery 2 of the Top 101. To see the other Photographer of the Year Top 101 galleries, follow the links: Gallery 1 , Gallery 3 , Gallery 4 .
Photographer of the Year is proudly brought to you by Hemmersbach Rhino Force and Mashatu Botswana .
The thaumaturgy of water, soda, and sand transforms Lake Magadi into a swirling palette of colour. Every year, hundreds of thousands of greater and lesser flamingos gather to feed and breed in the salty, shallow waters. “Seen from the sky, everything suddenly seems unreal.” Lake Magadi, Kenya. © Alexandre Bès The victor and the vanquished. Hostilities reach a head in an extended battle between two rival males. Etosha National Park, Namibia. © Andy Skillen Houston, we have lift-off! A white-backed duck gathers momentum on its Chobe River runway. Chobe National Park, Botswana. © Christo Giliomee A yellow-billed kite swooping in to steal the limelight. Nxai Pans National Park, Botswana. © Ernest Porter A white rhino cow gently blocks her curious calf from investigating the photographer. Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa. © Ilna Booyens Feasting on fate. A southern ground-hornbill snacks on a young leopard tortoise. Okavango Delta, Botswana. © Jack Swynnerton Young herders tend to their cattle as the sun rises. Omo Valley, Ethiopia. © Kevin Dooley A tender moment between a mother and her cub. Thornybush Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa. © Michael Raddall Just keep swimming. Zebra brave the currents of the murderous Mara River. Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. © Nicolas Urlacher Fubu, the western lowland gorilla. Lésio-Louna Wildlife Reserve, Congo-Brazzaville. © Tomasz Szpila In Ancient Rome, the flamingo was among the most prized gourmet dishes. This epicurean African rock python, with his greater flamingo meal, appears to have been a fan of Apicius. Amboseli National Park, Kenya. © Alison Mees A young boy in a cattle camp of the Mundari tribe. South Sudan. © Anne-Françoise Tasnier Two disgruntled hippo pods forced to share a small pool, prompting explosive displays of irritation. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. © Darren Donovan From dust thou art…At the height of the dry season, Chitake Springs turns into a dust bowl. The buffalo have no choice but to walk the lion gauntlet to drink each evening. Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe © Gail Odendaal Come into my parlour…A common rain spider folds itself up beneath a branch, seeking refuge from the rain. Jan Marais Nature Reserve, South Africa. © Grant Evans In the midst of a rainstorm, a stream of water forms in the mossy carpet of a tree. Magoebaskloof, Limpopo, South Africa. © John Mullineux Dawn’s light transforms an aerial view of Sossusvlei into an artistic celebration of curves and colours. Namib Desert, Namibia. © Lucy Gemmill “A Knysna turaco flashes brilliant colours as it darts from tree to tree in the dappled light of the Afromontane forests of the Western Cape.” Turacos are the only truly green birds in the world, thanks to a unique pigment called turacoverdin. Wilderness, Western Cape, South Africa. © Oliver Rood Quite a handful. This rescued baby pangolin (sometimes called a pangopup) will need to be bottle-fed regularly over the next few months. Lagos, Nigeria. © Prelena Soma Owen Wait, did I remember to pick up the baby? A baboon arrives for an afternoon drink while her curious offspring extends a hand to grasp the droplets. Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana. © Tania de Siebenthal A San Bushman elder inhales deeply on his makeshift pipe, fashioned from an old artillery shell. Xai Xai Village, Botswana. © Alwyn Chong The lanner falcons of the Kgalagadi often lurk around water points, using their formidable speed to ambush the creatures – in this case, a red-billed quelea – drawn to the water’s edge. 13th Borehole, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa. © Christo Giliomee Bakossi and Queen. Bakossi’s family were killed by bushmeat poachers, and she was taken for the pet trade. Now an orphan at the Limbe Wildlife Centre, she is cared for by an expert team of rehabilitators, including Queen. “This image is part of a photographic project about the trafficking of primates in Central Africa and the rehabilitation of those lucky ones that arrive at rescue centres. My big goal is to bring international awareness and support to those fighting to protect our closest relatives.” Limbe Wildlife Centre, Republic of Cameroon. © Gerard Carbonell Despite their top-heavy appearance, shoebills are able fliers, well-adapted to soaring. Mabamba Swamp, Uganda. © Jean-Christopher Damond Geronimo! “This amazing moment of nature allows us to feel the energy and instinct for survival that drives the animals during the Great Migration.” Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. © Nando Morales To comment on this story: Login (or sign up) to our app here - it's a troll-free safe place 🙂.
