Beauty often emerges when viewed from a different angle. The following images represent a selection of award-winning photographs from the most recent Close-up Photographer of the Year competition. This international contest is dedicated to showcasing the often-overlooked marvels of the natural world.
Underwater Marvels
The opening image showcases the delicate, pink branches of a cauliflower soft coral. This particular shot secured the top position in the underwater category. Photographer Ross Gudgeon achieved this ethereal perspective in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. He ingeniously placed a small camera within the coral’s spongy structure.
“I carefully threaded the lens through the branches of the soft coral so as not to damage them, creating an image looking from the inside out,” Gudgeon stated. This technique allowed for an internal view of the coral, offering a unique and intimate portrait.
Arachnid Ambush
Pictured is a lynx spider poised to capture a portion of unfortunate termites. Artur Tomaszek captured this moment, which earned first place in the arachnids category. The photograph was taken on a warm spring evening in Hong Kong. A sudden rainfall triggered a mass swarming of termites, presenting an ideal scenario for documenting the spider’s hunt.
Tomaszek described the primary challenge: “The main difficulty in capturing the picture was the thousands of termites flying in my face, attracted by the camera’s flash.” Despite the swarming insects, he successfully documented this predatory event.
Fungal Illumination
Light penetrates the complex structure beneath the cap of a lamellar mushroom in Moscow, Russia. Valeria Zvereva’s image, recognized as the winner for fungi and slime molds, highlights the intricate textures of this mushroom.
Rebirth Amidst Decay
In another striking image, decaying lotus leaves rest upon dark water. This creates a delicate pattern of purples and greens, interspersed with bright green clusters of floating fern. Photographer Minghui Yuan found the fern amidst the skeletal leaves, describing the scene as “like the rebirth of hope and a symbol of the continuation of life.” This poignant image took the top prize in the plants category.
Melancholy Moth Portrait
Laurent Hesemans captured a close-up of an adorable bombycid moth, focusing directly on its large eyes. The photograph, taken in Tinamaste, Costa Rica, won the invertebrate portrait category. Hesemans noted the moths’ inherent photogenicity.
“Incredibly photogenic, the large eyes and antenna positions of these moths, especially the males, always lend their portraits a somewhat melancholy feeling,” he commented. The male moths, in particular, exhibit features that contribute to this striking, somewhat somber aesthetic.