Wildlife photography already hits on a whole different level—but when it goes full monochrome, it becomes something else entirely. It’s raw, it’s emotional, it’s dramatic, and it strips the wild world down to its pure heartbeat. The Monochrome Photography Awards did exactly that with their latest lineup, showcasing 37 outstanding wildlife-winning photos that prove black-and-white can be just as powerful—if not more—than color.
The 2024 Wildlife category winners brought some serious heat. We’re talking lions in mid-roar, elephants walking through dusty plains like ancient giants, birds frozen in motion with wings sharp as blades, and tiny creatures captured with more attitude than most humans. These shots aren’t just pictures—they’re wild stories carved out in pure light and shadow.
What makes monochrome wildlife imagery so insane is the way the contrast takes over. Without color distracting you, every wrinkle, feather, and muscle pops with insane clarity. The textures hit different. The mood gets deeper. The whole scene feels like it’s been dipped in drama. These photographers didn’t just snap wild animals—they captured soul, tension, instinct, and the grit of nature itself.
This year’s winners pushed boundaries with composition, timing, and emotion. Some frames feel cinematic. Others feel peaceful and poetic. A few are straight-up breathtaking in their intensity. And with the Monochrome Photography Awards 2025 coming up soon, the bar has officially been set sky high.
If you’re into wildlife, storytelling, or just pure visual power, these 37 photos are a must-see. They remind us that in the wild, beauty doesn’t need color—just a moment, a heartbeat, and a photographer brave enough to chase it.
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#1. 1st Place Winner: "Between 2 worlds" by Merche Llobera, Spain
"In this image, the duality of the hunt is captured: above, a group of pelicans launches from the sky in a coordinated dance, seeking their prey. Meanwhile, beneath the water’s surface, a frenzy of marine activity unfolds: a bustling shoal of sardines surrounded by sea lions and mahi-mahi, each immersed in their search for food treat. Baja California Sur, Mexico."
#2. 2nd Place Winner: "Through the legs" by Baiju Patil, India
"This photo was taken by Jim Corbett at a that you’ve been visiting the park regularly for 10-15 days. It sounds like Jim Corbett National Park is a fantastic location for wildlife photography, especially for capturing elephants and tigers in their natural habitat. Your description of the park’s rich and beautiful environment, particularly in April, is vivid and enticing."
#3. 3rd Place Winner: "Look back" by Min Li
"The wild beast of the forest haunt the night, It’s shadow reflected in the water."
Honorable Mentions
#4. "Untitled" by Jenny Stock, United Kingdom
"As the sun was setting it gave me the opportunity to compose my image with beautiful beams in the background. I had to out swim this turtle and get in front of her so I could turn and capture the frame. Luckily she was very relaxed and slowly swiming with purpose allowing me to get the shot I was after."
#5. "A Deer in the Headlights" by Preeti & Prashant Chacko, Kenya
"An impala, which is a common antelope in Africa, decides to pose in from of the rising sun, to dramatic effect. The image was deliberately under-exposed so as to not lose the highlights in the sun. Most sunrise or sunset silhouettes are in colour, with the deep orange hues being the dramatic hero of the images. In this image, we wanted the unsung impala to be the hero and chose the less usual black and white treatment."
#6. "Alart Eyes" by Baiju Patil, India
"What an incredible experience you had at Tadoba National Park in Maharashtra, India! Witnessing a leopard with its cub in an open space is truly a rare and special moment. Leopards are generally elusive and solitary animals, and spotting them with their young is a treat for any wildlife enthusiast or photographer."
#7. "Almost disapeared" by Ulrich Wolf, Germany
"I photographed my polar bear in Svalbard, in 2023. It was very late in the afternoon and the sun was quite low. After spotting the bear on the beach, we quickly got into our dinghy and headed in its direction. We were able to observe him well from a distance of about 20-30 meters. He had probably killed a seal and seemed to be quite full. At least there wasn’t much left of his food."
#8. "Black and White" by Marcin Kęsek, Poland
"I was waiting in this place for about 20 minutes before these two horses with contrasting colors emerged from the entire herd of horses that were in the area. It was worth the wait."
#9. "Black and Wild" by Marcello Galleano, Italy
"Kenya. Moving fast from bush to bush, a black leopard takes a breath before attacking. Its inky black fur rises above the dense vegetation for a moment, but soon it will blend into the thick forest, disappearing like a shadow within its surroundings."
#10. "Case of the Mondays" by Paul Anderson, United States
"A Snow monkey in Japan just coming out of the hot springs on a cold snowy morning. His face looks like he just had one long weekend and he is ready for a break."
#11. "Checking You Out" by Richard Condlyffe, United States
"There may be nothing more emotive in the underwater world than when another species seeks you out and makes eye contact with you, fully of curiosity and playfulness. This image of a juvenile Humpback Whale was taken in the small island nation of Niue in the South Pacific."
#12. "Cheetahs in the rain" by Xavier Ortega, Spain
"The mom Kisaru was killed by hyenas in the Masai Mara, trying to defend her son that was rescued and relocated to an enclosure for orphaned animals and will be returned to the wild in two years."
#13. "Curious Baby Manatee" by Remuna Beca, United States
"Every winter, West Indian manatees seek refuge in the fresh water springs of central Florida, gathering in these sanctuaries to escape the colder waters and offering divers an incredible chance to connect with these gentle giants. I captured this intimate portrait while freediving early in the morning, when the springs were quiet and nearly empty of other divers."
#14. "Curly tail" by Robin Scholte, Netherlands
"For years I have been waiting for the right setting, good light, a nice point of view and of course a cheetah that wants to cooperate. Their natural behavior is to occasionally whip their tail around, but often just not enough for the perfect photo."
#15. "Dolphin Trio" by Remuna Beca, United States
"A trio of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins strike a pose in the Bahamas."
#16. "Drinking elephant" by Aleksander Myklebust, Norway
"A drinking elephant along the Kazinga River in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda."
#17. "Elegance" by Jonas Beyer, Denmark
"As tough as it looks for the walrus to move on land, as elegant does it look when they effortlessly swim in the water."
#18. "Elephant in a Cloud" by Charles Janson, United States
"I was fortunate to have the chance to photograph some of the oldest male African Elephants alive today in Kenya. Because they are not hunted in Kenya, the elephants do not run when approached by people in cars. This big bull elephant spent several minutes dust-bathing as we watched. Dust baths are thought to help the elephants control insect pests on them."
#19. "Elephant in Dust Storm" by Jules Oldroyd, United Kingdom
"We had positioned ourselves so that we were amongst the elephant herds as they exited the swamp area. The elephants seemed restless perhaps because they sensed a storm was coming. Suddenly the wind picked up & dust was swirling around. I noticed this single bull elephant moving towards the foothills of Kilimanjaro & framed him in the dust & against the brooding sky."
#20. "Elephant proccesion" by Xavier Ortega, Spain
"Taken in Masai Mara."
#21. "Eye contact" by Julien ANTON, French Polynesia
"Eye contact with a Nurse Shark (-45m). Tahiti (French Polynesia)"
#22. "Fish Hunter" by Risto Raunio, Finland
"I am Finnish professional wildlife photographer. I like travel a lot capturing wildlife and landscapes. Mostly I like cold climates such as Antarctic area and Swalbard in north but Africa is also my favorite. I also write some articles in Finnish magazines concerning travelling."
#23. "Flying" by Julien ANTON, French Polynesia
#24. "Focused" by John Ceulemans, Belgium
"November 2024 Masai Mara, Kenya"
#25. "Fox Trot" by Charles Janson, United States
"These two Red Foxes are fighting, but not really. On San Juan Island, the dense population of Red foxes have a complex social life, sometimes competing, sometimes cooperating, but always interacting with familiar individuals. When competing over hunting grounds, like these two are doing, they aim to reinforce existing boundaries, not mortally wound the other."
#26. "Half Tail" by Randall Ball, United States
"Marsh Pride dominant male nicknamed, "Half Tail" photographed as he is searching for the rest of the pride. Masai Mara."
#27. "I See You" by Remuna Beca, United States
"A curious Nurse Shark peaks above water to get a different view and as she swam by, I captured our moment of eye contact."
#28. "If You Leave Me Now" by Jules Oldroyd, United Kingdom
"We came across this mating pair of lions one afternoon when storm clouds were gathering. We followed them for an hour or so & this image captures the moment when the lioness woke up from sleeping & started to move to a nearby hill, all under the watchful eye of the male lion."
#29. "Leopard on the prowl" by Xavier Ortega, Spain
"Taken in Masai Mara"
#30. "Lone Giraffe" by Greg du toit, South Africa
"I took this photo on the dry lakebed of Kenya’s Amboseli national park. The landscape was incredibly vast and desolate. Buy photographing from a distance I was able to place my subject in its beautiful and stark environment, without disturbing it. This is a Maasai giraffe."
#31. "Shape of Things to Come" by Jules Oldroyd, United Kingdom
"Solio Reserve is a private sanctuary dedicated to the conservation of white & black rhino & has run the most successful rhino breeding programme in East Africa. I was able to get this image of a 1 month old rhino calf & its mother by lying on the ground so your eye is focused on their interaction."
#32. "Symmetry" by John Ceulemans, Belgium
#33. "Underwater ballet" by Angela Sabino, Portugal
"In the embrace of the ocean currents, a majestic Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) glides effortlessly, surrounded by the dynamic spectacle of a vast fusilier fish school. The shimmering silver bodies of the fusiliers create a living tapestry in a harmonious dance with the predator. The shark, a symbol of grace and power, peacefully navigates in this underwater ballet, embodying the delicate balance of life within the vibrant coral reef ecosystem."
#34. "Walking on ice & water" by Paal andre Lund, Norway
"Taken on Svalbard from a sailboat. This was an expiditon as we were sailing the coast. As a polar bear guard on deck i witnessed this polar bear next to the boat."
#35. "White-tailed eagle" by Arnfinn Johansen, Norway
#36. "Wolf" by Hubert Mielnik, Poland
"I’ve been waiting for this first meeting for a long time and it’s finally here, it happened! I always wondered under what circumstances we would meet, whether I would be ready, whether the settings would be OK, whether my hand would tremble, whether it would be a meadow, a forest path, whether I would see him while driving a car, whether I would panic."
#37. "Xiaoping Lin_Jungle Rule" by xiaoping lin, China
"Xiamen Yuandang Lake adheres to the sustainable development of the ecological environment, utilizing the tidal effect of seawater to divert seawater into the lake. This not only purifies the lake, but also provides abundant food for egrets, appearing a beautiful scenes of egrets and big fish competing for small fish."
