We’re huge fans of a great photo comp here, but none are bigger than the National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest. Every December the winners are announced and the best of the best images of the natural world captured over the last 365 days are revealed.
This year’s winners are no exception. Capturing everything from an ultra-rare green meteor to the senseless degradation caused by plastic in the ocean, it’s a series of photographs you have to see to believe.
As always, the National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest has delivered. What was the most spectacular nature photographer taken in 2016?
Grand Prize Winner, Action: Sardine RunSecond Place Winner, Action: ApproachThird Place Winner, Action: Changing Fortunes of the Great EgretHonourable Mention, Action: Jellyfish FeastFirst Place Winner, Landscape: Struggle of LifeSecond Place Winner, Landscape: Wild RinkThird Place Winner, Landscape: Pacific StormHonourable Mention, Landscape: Serendipitous Green MeteorFirst Place Winner, Animal Portraits: DRAGGING YOU DEEP INTO THE WOODS!Second Place Winner, Animal Portraits: Proud MommaThird Place Winner, Animal Portraits: Friendship Knows No ColourHonourable Mention, Animal Portraits: Puffin StudioHonourable Mention, Animal Portraits: Crow chasing Puffy OwlFirst Place Winner, Environmental Issues: Life and DeathSecond Place Winner, Environmental Issues: The View Outside Facebook HQThird Place Winner, Environmental Issues: Toxic VanityHonourable Mention, Environmental Issues: Wildfire at the beachHonourable Mention, Environmental Issues: American Flowers #1Honourable Mention, Environmental Issues: no snow, no ice?