With $13,000, a private safari and industry prestige on the line, around 25,000 photographers submitted their greatest photos celebrating Africa and there were the 18 that came out on top.
Images were judged on their technical aspects, story telling ability, evoking of emotion and how they captured the essence of Africa.
The winner was photographer Hannes Lochner’s stunning capture of a grumpy lion right as a fly lands on its pupil.
You can get more info on this years winners, as well as check out the winners of previous years here.
Winner
Hannes Lochner: Fly in the Eye
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Runners Up (no particular order)
Bob Chiu: A mother’s duty
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
James Gifford: Forged in the fires of creation
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Highly commended (no particular order)
Aditya Nair: The Murderous Pharaoh
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Ana Zinger: A Maasai giraffe tenderly cleans her minute calf
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Eleanor Hattingh: Yellow-crowned bishop in full voice
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Geo Cloete: Cape weaver taking an air drink
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
James Nampaso: Attack – a pride sets upon a giraffe cow and her helpless calf
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Kirkamon Cabello: A female chinspot batis feeds its demanding chicks in their perfect little nest
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Marcello Galleano: A precious fennec fox in the heart of the Tunisian desert
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Mattheuns Pretorius: A small amphibian sits on a rain tree leaf
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Mattheuns Pretorius: A hippopotamus enjoys sleeping in a natural jacuzzi
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Phillip Jackson: Hartlaub’s gull
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Piotr Naskrecki: Mozambican long-fingered bat emerging from the Codzo Cave
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Sam Turley: Marimba the ground pangolin has developed a bond of trust, love, and compassion with her guardian Mateus Mambe Masangunge over the course of their thirteen years together
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Shirley GIllitt: A Natal tree frog hiding in a Ligularia leaf
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Valentino Morgante: Hands
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award
Ying Shi: Morning chores in a Maasai village
The jaw-dropping winning images of Africa Geographic’s 2021 Photographer of the Year award