by
Team Africa Geographic
Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Our Photographer of the Year 2023 is open for submissions, with cash prizes of US$10,000 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
Photographer of the Year is open for entries from 1 February 2023 to midnight on 30 April 2023. Judging for Photographer of the Year will take place throughout those months and for the month of May 2023, and the winners will be announced in early June 2023.
Photographer of the Year is proudly brought to you by Hemmersbach Rhino Force and Mashatu Botswana .
Here are the best Photographer of the Year submissions for this week
A Nile crocodile begins to devour its hippo calf prey. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. © Aaron Mwale The Coquette. The shy glance of a baboon from behind the safety of a leadwood tree. Khwai Private Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana. © Ernest Porter The underwater hunt. A pod of bottlenose dolphins working together to hunt lightning-fast mackerel off the coast of Port St. Johns. Port St. Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa. © Allen Walker A San Bushman elder inhales deeply on his makeshift pipe, fashioned from an old artillery shell. Xai Xai Village, Botswana. © Alwyn Chong Out of the darkness. A portrait of one of Laikipia’s melanistic leopards. Laikipia Wilderness Camp, Laikipia County, Kenya. © Ateeb Hussain Something on your mind? The contemplative, sentient gaze of an endangered mountain gorilla. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. © Tomasz Szpila “When we visit the Maasai Mara, I make a point out of getting out early for sunrise near the Mara River. It’s a magical spot, especially if you can find a good foreground for sunrise.” Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. © Bill Klipp A goliath heron launches itself out of the long grass. Chobe National Park, Botswana. © Christo Giliomee Nature’s spotlight. The last rays of the setting sun beautify an already bewitching young leopard. Kruger National Park, South Africa. © Danie Hattingh A martial eagle – the largest eagle in Africa – takes to the sky with a plucked Swainson’s spurfowl, recognisable only by its red facial markings. Kruger National Park, South Africa. © Hannes Lochner The beast below. A Nile crocodile surfaces beneath the photographer’s drone. “The turbulent waters around make for a more interesting backdrop than the usually still waters of the Shire River. It stayed for a second or two before retreating into the depths.” Liwonde National Park, Malawi. © Daniel Badger A mother’s desperation. “A jackal mother somehow manages to pressure this tawny eagle into dropping its quarry moments after it had managed to grab the pup from under her nose.” The mother was able to rescue the pup and safely transport it to a new den, seemingly unharmed. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. © Ateeb Hussain A brief, familial staredown between two blood-stained African wild dogs (painted wolves) after an impala meal. Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. © Dylan Lee Blue-eyed beauty. A southern white rhino with fully functional, blue eyes instead of the usual brown – a rare genetic abnormality. “What an incredible, unique gift from nature!” South Africa. © Karen Blackwood We told you so…An unpleasant surprise for a teenage male lion unable to resist the urges of his appetite. “The young lion was fortunate that the crocodile seemed to be more interested in the hippo carcass and not too interested in him.” Khwai Private Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana. © Ernest Porter When worlds collide. A plan comes together for the photographer, who spent years looking to create this moment using a waterproofed, remote-controlled camera. Using two separate light sources, he was able to capture this small-spotted genet coming to drink at a small waterhole, along with the fish swimming below. Makgokolo Private Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa. © Hannes Lochner A Natal forest tree frog peeks out from behind a leaf. Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. © Hendrik Louw A steely-eyed lion joins his brothers-in-arms at a buffalo feast. Okavango Delta, Botswana. © Tomasz Szpila A moment of peace. “We spotted a couple of bull elephants drinking at a waterhole. I liked the way the water was backlit by the sun, and decided to make the focus of the photo the tusk and water.” Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa. © Karen Blackwood Silhouettes and sunsets. The vast open plains of Nxai Pans create panoramic twilight experiences. Nxai Pans National Park, Botswana. © Christo Giliomee For young leopards, descending a tall tree head-first is an intimidating prospect. For some, a more comforting approach is to reverse down and perform a nimble twist just above the ground. Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana. © Thomas Retterath A wildcat kitten’s first glimpses of the world awaiting it. The image was taken on a 600mm lens with a 2x teleconverter, allowing the photographer to capture the moment without disturbing the mother or her vulnerable offspring. “I stopped there every day for a week and waited for the little one to come out of the hole.” Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana. © Hannes Lochner “This morning, the light was just right, and I was able to capture this handsome side-striped jackal moving through the grass, looking for prey.” Liwonde National Park, Malawi. © Daniel Badger Spot the odd one out. A giraffe bull looks on at the chaos of a migration river crossing. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. © Tomasz Szpila To comment on this story: Login (or sign up) to our app here - it's a troll-free safe place 🙂.
