The winners and finalists for the 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, put on by the Natural History Museum, were recently announced. Over 50,000 images were submitted from 95 countries. French underwater photographer Laurent Ballesta was declared the Overall Winner for his image of camouflage groupers gathering during mating season.
‘The image works on so many levels: it is surprising, energetic and intriguing, and has an otherworldly beauty. It also captures a magical moment – a truly explosive creation of life – leaving the tail end of the exodus of eggs hanging for a moment like a symbolic question mark,’ says Rosamund ‘Roz’ Kidman Cox, editor and chair of the Jury.
An exhibition will begin October 15th at the Natural History Museum and embark on an international tour including the United States, Denmark, Canada, and Australia. All winning and finalist images can be viewed here.