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 Run
Second Place Winner, Action: Approach
Third Place Winner, Action: Changing Fortunes of the Great Egret
Honourable Mention, Action: Jellyfish Feast
First Place Winner, Landscape: Struggle of Life
Second Place Winner, Landscape: Wild Rink
Third Place Winner, Landscape: Pacific Storm
Honourable Mention, Landscape: Serendipitous Green Meteor
First Place Winner, Animal Portraits: DRAGGING YOU DEEP INTO THE WOODS!
Second Place Winner, Animal Portraits: Proud Momma
Third Place Winner, Animal Portraits: Friendship Knows No Colour
Honourable Mention, Animal Portraits: Puffin Studio
Honourable Mention, Animal Portraits: Crow chasing Puffy Owl
First Place Winner, Environmental Issues: Life and Death
Second Place Winner, Environmental Issues: The View Outside Facebook HQ
Third Place Winner, Environmental Issues: Toxic Vanity
Honourable Mention, Environmental Issues: Wildfire at the beach
Honourable Mention, Environmental Issues: American Flowers #1
Honourable Mention, Environmental Issues: no snow, no ice?
