Wildlife photography can stop you mid-scroll. One second, you’re looking at a photograph; the next, you’re right there in the wild, watching a flamingo take flight, a predator stalk through the grass, or a distant herd move across an endless landscape.
The 12Awards Photography Competition brings that feeling to life with 22 remarkable wildlife photographs celebrating nature in all its raw, unpredictable glory. As an independent international photography competition, 12Awards was created as a borderless sanctuary for photographic arts, bringing together established photographers, emerging talents, and passionate visual storytellers from around the world.
These winning images aren’t simply pretty pictures. They capture fleeting moments, unusual perspectives, dramatic encounters, and the delicate relationship between animals and their environments. Each frame feels like a tiny piece of a much bigger story.
Taking the top spot is Xuejun Long from China with Journey of Life, a breathtaking aerial photograph captured over Lake Magadi in Kenya. As the rainy season rapidly shifts into the dry season, the landscape transforms, and groups of flamingos appear like living brushstrokes across the water.
It’s dreamy, unexpected, and beautifully timed. More than anything, it shows why great wildlife photography is about being there when nature decides to put on a show.
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#1. 1st Place Winner: Journey of Life by Xuejun Long, China
"Life is a long and unpredictable journey, and the colors of nature are the colors of life. Aerial photography of Lake Magadi, Kenya coinciding with the rapid transition from the rainy season to the dry season. I was fortunate to have caught this opportunity, and groups of flamingos came to cheer up, bestowing a dreamy beauty from heaven."
#2. Silver: Reflections in the Night by Marcello Galleano, Italia
"In the darkness of the Kenyan forest, the reflections of the moonlight reveal unexpected reflections…in the night the movements of incredible animals begin…"
#3. Bronze: Puffinuzzle by Derrick Z Jackson, United States
"Puffins in Maine represent the world’s first successful restoration of seabirds to islands they were hunted off in the late 1800s. The effort began in the 1970s with chicks brought from 800 miles away in Newfoundland. Researchers used decoys to make it appear that the island was home, sweet home."
#4. Jury Choice: Prince of Blue by Rintaro Ukon, Japan
"Prince of Blue captures a young humpback whale emerging from the depths of the Pacific and circling around me in a graceful dance. Shot while free diving in Tonga on August 10, 2023, without scuba tanks or artificial lighting, the image reflects a silent, sacred encounter built on trust and respect. Using a Sony α1 with a 28mm F2 lens, I captured the whale’s movement through natural light, preserving the dignity and beauty of this gentle prince of the blue ocean."
Highly Commended
#5. Cheetah family by Graeme Guy, Malaysia
"I was on safari on the Masai Mara in Kenya when in the early morning a female cheetah was teaching her three young. cubs the basics of observing and hunting. They were lined up on a small rise when I took this photo."
#6. Inheritance by Somdutt Prasad, United Kingdom
"A polar bear cub interacts with its mother on Arctic pack ice, a behavior that strengthens bonds and survival skills. As sea ice declines, such early-life learning becomes ever more critical in a rapidly changing environment."
#7. Morning Jog by Xuejun Long, China
"Polar bears are emblematic species of the Arctic region, and are at extreme risk of extinction due to melting glaciers caused by climate change. On Baffin Island, I came across a mother polar bear running through the ice and snow with her two cubs. Mom teaches her children how to hunt and survive in the wild to explore the cold world outside."
#8. Mother’s love by Daisuke Kurashima, Japan
"Taken in Kingdom of Tonga, When a mother and calf are encountered, the calf is almost always snuggled up to the mother. The mother whale always supports her calf, which is not yet a good swimmer, from below. This is no different from that of a human parent and child, and it is a very endearing sight."
#9. The Puffin Feed by Derrick Z Jackson, United States
"Puffins in Maine represent the world’s first successful restoration of seabirds to islands they were hunted off in the late 1800s. Now more than 1,400 breeding pairs strong, they are a canary of climate change in the Gulf of Maine, the fastest warming body of ocean on Earth."
#10. Wish for peace by Hiroto Fukuda, Japan
"The conservation of the Japanese crane is a successful nature conservation project in Japan. The Japanese crane, once thought to be extinct, was rediscovered in the Kushiro Marsh in Hokkaido in 1924. Over approximately 100 years, its population recovered to about 1,900 by 2026. This artwork captures the beautiful image of the Japanese crane soaring across the snowfields, expressing a wish for peace and the desire to protect this beautiful planet."
Commended
#11. Chile, the Cougar is on the prowl by Marcello Galleano, Italia
"A face rarely lies. The ferocity of a merciless predator burns beneath the steady gaze of this cougar. Its fierce pose reminds of a king having his portrait painted or a model with a perfect body facing the camera head-on. Its tan-coloured coat blends in with the surrounding environment of the chilean pampas made of rock, grass and stones."
#12. Clash by Somdutt Prasad, United Kingdom
"Two brown bears meet in a brief, forceful exchange, where tension and intent resolve into a clear assertion of dominance within a landscape governed by competition."
#13. Darth Aurora by Don Hurzeler, United States
"Aurora over Lofoton Island, Norway….looking like Darth Vader."
#14. Footprints in the desert by Marcello Galleano, Italia
"Among endless stretches of white sand and golden dunes illuminated by the sun, it doesn’t even seem to be touching the ground. The little fennec moves nimble and silent as if pushed by the wind, and merges with the colors of the desert like a supernatural being made of infinite grains of sands."
#15. Kona Nights by Don Hurzeler, United States
"An over/under shot of a manta ray taken at sunset."
#16. Lady of the House by Paul Eijkemans, Netherlands
"It looks like a ladybug is roaming on a flower. It is, however, an amphipod roaming around a hydroid. The photo was taken underwater, at a depth of about 10 meters, in Ambon, Indonesia."
#17. Polar Bear Playing by Phillip Kwan, Canada
#18. Powerless by Niki Colemont, België
"Fun story I was actually focusing on a different subject in the garden and suddenly in the background this robber fly caught my attention there was a spider in close range and in my head I was thinking what if the spider would wrapped this robber fly in its web That would be crazy. I was eager and patiently waiting for it to happen Eventually the spider did exactly what I had in mind and I could take the shot. I could not wish for more drama."
#19. The Guardian of Magic by Marcello Galleano, Italia
"In the heart of the Madagascar forest, a curious lemur holds emerald-green vanilla leaves in its paws, a fragrant and enchanting treasure hidden among the branches. The crowned lemur blends harmoniously into the surrounding environment, embodying the sweetness and beauty of the lush Malagasy rainforest with eyes full of wonder."
#20. Those last seconds by Alex Brackx, Belgium
"Last seconds of life. A mother zebra makes one final attempt to separate her foal from its pursuant , a Cheetah – but fails. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya."
#21. Turtle Cleaners by Don Hurzeler, United States
"Green turtle at the cleaning station off of Puako, Hawaii….shell being cleaned by smaller fish."
#22. Warning Delivered by Turgay Uzer, United States
"Deep in the tangled rainforest of Gabon, an African Forest Elephant was surprised by me and started charging. Fortunately it was only a mock charge–a warning, really. Before I recovered from the shock, the elephant had vanished back into the forest. African Forest Elephants are smaller and more agressive than their savanna cousins, especially outside their forest homes. They are highly endangered due to ivory poaching and habitat loss."
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the 12Awards Photography Competition?
12Awards is an independent international photography competition that celebrates exceptional vision, creativity, and visual storytelling while connecting established photographers, emerging talent, and passionate photography enthusiasts worldwide.
Who won first place in the wildlife category?
Xuejun Long from China won first place with Journey of Life, a stunning aerial photograph of Lake Magadi, Kenya, featuring flamingos surrounded by dramatically changing seasonal colors.
What makes wildlife photography powerful?
Great wildlife photography captures fleeting moments, animal behavior, dramatic environments, and emotional connections. The strongest images transform ordinary encounters into memorable visual stories that reveal nature’s beauty and unpredictability.
Where was Xuejun Long’s winning photograph taken?
Xuejun Long photographed Journey of Life over Lake Magadi in Kenya. The image captures the transition between rainy and dry seasons, with groups of flamingos adding extraordinary visual energy to the landscape.
Why are wildlife photography competitions important?
Wildlife photography competitions give photographers a global platform to showcase creativity while encouraging viewers to appreciate animals, ecosystems, and natural environments through powerful visual storytelling and unforgettable photographic moments.
