The Nature Conservancy 2022 Photo Contest Winners - in pictures


  • Grand Prize, Li Ping, China. Gullies formed by rainwater erosion span out like a tree in Tibet. All photos: TNC Photo Contest 2022 / The photographer
    Grand Prize, Li Ping, China. Gullies formed by rainwater erosion span out like a tree in Tibet. All photos: TNC Photo Contest 2022 / The photographer
  • First Place - Landscape, Francisco Javier Munuera Gonzalez, Spain. Slope of Mount Adi, in Navarra.
    First Place - Landscape, Francisco Javier Munuera Gonzalez, Spain. Slope of Mount Adi, in Navarra.
  • Second Place - Landscape, Hendy Wicaksono, Indonesia. Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is one of the 10 priority tourist destinations in Indonesia.
    Second Place - Landscape, Hendy Wicaksono, Indonesia. Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is one of the 10 priority tourist destinations in Indonesia.
  • Honourable Mention - Landscape, Ivan Pedretti, Italy. Winter in Stokksnes on the beach with black sand and the majestic Vestrahorn mountain.
    Honourable Mention - Landscape, Ivan Pedretti, Italy. Winter in Stokksnes on the beach with black sand and the majestic Vestrahorn mountain.
  • Honourable Mention - Landscape, Waluya Priya Atmaja, Indonesia. East Java at sunset, with mangroves.
    Honourable Mention - Landscape, Waluya Priya Atmaja, Indonesia. East Java at sunset, with mangroves.
  • Honourable Mention - Landscape, Effy Varley, UK.
    Honourable Mention - Landscape, Effy Varley, UK.
  • First Place, People and Nature, Janusz Jurek, Poland. The photo, taken in Greece, of a huge factory that broke into the sea.
    First Place, People and Nature, Janusz Jurek, Poland. The photo, taken in Greece, of a huge factory that broke into the sea.
  • Second Place, People and Nature, Komang Arnawa, Indonesia. A fisherman sorting catches in Kedonganan, Bali.
    Second Place, People and Nature, Komang Arnawa, Indonesia. A fisherman sorting catches in Kedonganan, Bali.
  • Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Francesca Franchini, Mexico. The jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula protects a great biodiversity of species.
    Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Francesca Franchini, Mexico. The jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula protects a great biodiversity of species.
  • Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Giovani Cordioli, Brazil. Storm clouds in Varadero beach, Cuba.
    Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Giovani Cordioli, Brazil. Storm clouds in Varadero beach, Cuba.
  • Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Amish Jain, India.
    Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Amish Jain, India.
  • Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Marvin Mwarangu, Kenya. A veterinarian works quickly to diagnose and treat an elephant calf wound.
    Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Marvin Mwarangu, Kenya. A veterinarian works quickly to diagnose and treat an elephant calf wound.
  • Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Marcelo Paulo Silva, Brazil. A Rio de Janeiro beach on the first day after lockdown was lifted.
    Honourable Mention, People and Nature, Marcelo Paulo Silva, Brazil. A Rio de Janeiro beach on the first day after lockdown was lifted.
  • First Place, Climate, Sandesh Kadur, India. A fan-throated Lizard stands guard over his territory.
    First Place, Climate, Sandesh Kadur, India. A fan-throated Lizard stands guard over his territory.
  • Second Place, Climate, Amish Jain, India. Cleaning the lakes of excessive sea vegetation from hot weather as well as waste dumping.
    Second Place, Climate, Amish Jain, India. Cleaning the lakes of excessive sea vegetation from hot weather as well as waste dumping.
  • Honourable Mention, Climate, Jassen Todorov, US. Wastewater ponds.
    Honourable Mention, Climate, Jassen Todorov, US. Wastewater ponds.
  • Honourable Mention, Climate, Ziaul Huque, Bangladesh. A road construction worker in Bangladesh.
    Honourable Mention, Climate, Ziaul Huque, Bangladesh. A road construction worker in Bangladesh.
  • Honourable Mention, Climate, Marcelo Perez del Carpio, Bolivia. A forest firefighter walks through thick smoke.
    Honourable Mention, Climate, Marcelo Perez del Carpio, Bolivia. A forest firefighter walks through thick smoke.
  • Honourable Mention, Climate, Jassen Todorov, US. The devastation caused by the Dixie fire, California's largest single wildfire.
    Honourable Mention, Climate, Jassen Todorov, US. The devastation caused by the Dixie fire, California's largest single wildfire.
  • Honourable Mention, Climate, Florian Ledoux, Norway. Aerial view of two different types of ice in winter.
    Honourable Mention, Climate, Florian Ledoux, Norway. Aerial view of two different types of ice in winter.
  • First Place, Water, Kristin Wright, US. Brightly coloured sediment paints the Icelandic landscape.
    First Place, Water, Kristin Wright, US. Brightly coloured sediment paints the Icelandic landscape.
  • Second Place, Water, Nick Leopold Sordo, Mexico. Pink water lagoons in Las Coloradas salt mines in Yucatan.
    Second Place, Water, Nick Leopold Sordo, Mexico. Pink water lagoons in Las Coloradas salt mines in Yucatan.
  • Honourable Mention, Water, Dasun Nirmala Malaarachchi, Australia. Bluewater, golden sand and white foam mixed with bright sunlight in New South Wales.
    Honourable Mention, Water, Dasun Nirmala Malaarachchi, Australia. Bluewater, golden sand and white foam mixed with bright sunlight in New South Wales.
  • Honourable Mention, Water, Tom Shlesinger, Israel. A Goliath Grouper fish.
    Honourable Mention, Water, Tom Shlesinger, Israel. A Goliath Grouper fish.
  • Honourable Mention, Water, Tom Fenske, US. The drainpipe of the Pacific, a natural hole in the rock along the Oregon Coast.
    Honourable Mention, Water, Tom Fenske, US. The drainpipe of the Pacific, a natural hole in the rock along the Oregon Coast.
  • First Place, Plants and Fungi, Callie Chee, Australia. Bioluminescent mushrooms or 'ghost mushrooms'.
    First Place, Plants and Fungi, Callie Chee, Australia. Bioluminescent mushrooms or 'ghost mushrooms'.
  • Second Place, Plants and Fungi, Xiaoling Keller, US. Soaptree Yucca in New Mexico.
    Second Place, Plants and Fungi, Xiaoling Keller, US. Soaptree Yucca in New Mexico.
  • Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Tibor Litauszki, Hungary. Crocuses in the twilight.
    Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Tibor Litauszki, Hungary. Crocuses in the twilight.
  • Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Patrick Krohn, US. Dew drops balance on this purple heart flower.
    Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Patrick Krohn, US. Dew drops balance on this purple heart flower.
  • Honorable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Jake Virus, US. A spooky forest in Ba Vi National Park in Vietnam.
    Honorable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Jake Virus, US. A spooky forest in Ba Vi National Park in Vietnam.
  • Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Cristiano Xavier, Brazil. Dragon Blood Trees on Socotra Island.
    Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Cristiano Xavier, Brazil. Dragon Blood Trees on Socotra Island.
  • Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Cristiano Xavier, Brazil. An old tree of Madeira Island light painted in a foggy evening.
    Honourable Mention, Plants and Fungi, Cristiano Xavier, Brazil. An old tree of Madeira Island light painted in a foggy evening.
  • First Place, Wildlife, Anup Shah, UK. Maasai Mara, Kenya.
    First Place, Wildlife, Anup Shah, UK. Maasai Mara, Kenya.
  • Second Place, Wildlife, Panos Laskarakis, Greece. African dust around the supergiant in wild Namibia.
    Second Place, Wildlife, Panos Laskarakis, Greece. African dust around the supergiant in wild Namibia.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Tibor Litauszki, Hungary. Deer at dawn blue.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Tibor Litauszki, Hungary. Deer at dawn blue.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Baiju Patil, India.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Baiju Patil, India.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Torie Hilley, US. Two young bull giraffes fighting in South Africa.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Torie Hilley, US. Two young bull giraffes fighting in South Africa.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Rick Dowling, US. Eagles fighting for a piece of salmon.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Rick Dowling, US. Eagles fighting for a piece of salmon.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Masahiro Hiroike, Japan. Nanbu Town, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Himebotaru fireflies emit short and powerful lights like a flash.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Masahiro Hiroike, Japan. Nanbu Town, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Himebotaru fireflies emit short and powerful lights like a flash.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Tibor Litauszki, Hungary. Multi-exposure shot.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Tibor Litauszki, Hungary. Multi-exposure shot.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Fabio Saltarelli, Argentina. Elephant seal defends her calf from a bird in the Falkland Islands.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Fabio Saltarelli, Argentina. Elephant seal defends her calf from a bird in the Falkland Islands.
  • Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Jenny Zhao, US. Low-angle shot of a giraffe drinking at a waterhole, accompanied by an oxpecker, in South Africa.
    Honourable Mention, Wildlife, Jenny Zhao, US. Low-angle shot of a giraffe drinking at a waterhole, accompanied by an oxpecker, in South Africa.
  • Guest Judge Ami Vitale’s Choice, Shafeeq Mulla, Zambia. A leopard carries the carcass of a vervet monkey, with its baby still hanging on, in Zambia.
    Guest Judge Ami Vitale’s Choice, Shafeeq Mulla, Zambia. A leopard carries the carcass of a vervet monkey, with its baby still hanging on, in Zambia.
  • Celebrity Judge Coyote Peterson’s Choice, Florian Ledoux, Norway. A polar bear and her two cubs in an abandoned Russian settlement, Pyramiden.
    Celebrity Judge Coyote Peterson’s Choice, Florian Ledoux, Norway. A polar bear and her two cubs in an abandoned Russian settlement, Pyramiden.