'Surreal' Photo of Polar Bear Napping in Field of Flowers Stuns Photo Contest — See the Other Winners!

Mar. 15, 2025

Courtesy of Christopher Paetkau

A polar bear peacefully snoozing in a pillowy bed of flowers beat out some amazing shots to winthe Nature Photography Contest!

The winner of the second annual international photography competition — open to professional and amateur photographers — is Christopher Paetkau, for his stunning shot of the sleeping bear,BBC Wildlife Magazineannounced on Monday, March 3. (The contest website notes that the contest winners were initially scheduled to be announced on Jan. 15 but were delayed to early March because of technical problems.)

An official photo description reveals what happened before the bear settled into the field of Arctic flowers, allowing Paetkau to capture the “surreal” winning shot.

“A majestic polar bear wandering through a sea of blazing magenta fireweed,” the caption says. “The scene was surreal — the golden hues of sunrise mingled with the vibrant fireweed, creating a breathtaking backdrop as the bear hunted for Arctic Terns among the rocks. After a successful hunt and a morning snack, the bear settled into the fireweed for rest.”

“This fleeting experience,” the caption concludes, “was a powerful reminder of the raw magic and tranquility of the Arctic wilderness.”

Courtesy of James Ferrara

“It serves as a reminder of the countless reasons why we must cherish and protect our planet,” the statement concluded.

Along with the overall winner, there are several other finalists in the Nature Photography Contest, each taking the top spot in one of the competition’s 10 categories — from “natural landscape” and “underwater” to “plant life” and “birds” — along with a €100 (or about $106) prize.

Courtesy of Brian Clopp

Some of the winning shots, like Brian Clopp’s snap of a curious desert fox biting a camera — which won the “funny nature” category — tell a lighter story, while others, like “sharing the planet” winner Sina Ritter’s “Sweet Girl’s Essence,” tell bittersweet tales. Ritter’s photo depicts a human alongside a whale, who has since died, the image’s caption reveals.

Courtesy of Sina Ritter

“Her death,” the caption concludes, “deeply affected those who encountered her, highlighting the urgent need to slow down ferries during whale season.”

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Courtesy of Thomas Vijayan

BBC Wildlife Magazinereported that Thomas Vijayan received the 2024 Nature Photography Contest’s other primary honor, the Photographer of the Year Award. In collaboration with the charityOne Tree Planted, he will select the location where nearly 500 trees will be planted as part of his prize.

According to the contest website, last year’s Photographer of the Year winner, Alain Schroeder, selected Asia, and almost 400 trees were planted on the continent.

The 2025 contest is expected to open in May, perBBC Wildlife Magazine.

source: people.com