Thursday 2 May 2013

Nature's wonder captured at its most breathtaking in annual photography contest

Nature Photographer of the Year 2013 competition, organised by the Society of German Nature Photographers (GDT)
Image of a red fox by 18-year-old Hermann Hirsch won best overall image in all categories

PUBLISHED: 18:41, 1 May 2013 | UPDATED: 11:34, 2 May 2013

An alert young fox stalks his way through long summer grass, bathed in the glow of a balmy evening.

A poppy field in full bloom, reminiscent of Monet's painting of the same name, and a fluorescent maple leaf, perfectly framed against a foggy woodland backdrop.

All of these stunning images made it through to the final round of the Nature Photographer of the Year 2013 competition, organised by the Society of German Nature Photographers (GDT).

But this image of a red fox by Hermann Hirsch was deemed the quintessential portrait of wildlife, and won best overall image in all categories.

An alert young fox stalks his way through long summer grass, bathed in the glow of a balmy evening, in this image by Hermann Hirsch. It won best image in the Nature Photographer of the Year 2013 competition

An adult fox prowls through the misty woodland in Fox in cloudy forest, by Klaus Echle. Dozens of images made it through to the final round of the contest

Pictures were submitted in the mammals, other animals, plants and fungi, landscapes, nature's studio, and this year's special category, animal portraits. This rodent anxiously making its way across a forest floor, pictured in 'When Night Falls' by Christoph Kaula, won third place in the mammals category

Eighteen-year-old Hermann, is a member of the GDT Group of Young Photographers, and is the youngest person to win the competition.

Hermann's image 'Evening Idyll' came out on top in a field of 226 GDT members from nine countries, with subjects as diverse as wildlife, fungus, fungus and paint.

Landscapes category runner-up: 'Landscapes in Bloom' by Sandra Bartocha. In total 3,577 images were submitted into the competition, which is run exclusively for the Society's members. It is reminiscent of Monet's Poppy Field

Landscapes category third place: 'Piano Grande' by Heinz Buls. Every year the GDT organizes the International Nature Photography Festival with slide shows by photographers from all over the world

Animals portraits category winner: 'Capercaillie' by Klaus Echle. An exhibition of the photographs entered in the competition will run from May 23 until September at the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in Bonn

Animals portraits category runner-up: 'Young Lion' by Carsten Ott

In total 3,577 images were submitted into the competition, which is run exclusively for the Society's members.

Every year the GDT organizes the International Nature Photography Festival with slide shows by photographers from all over the world, with photo exhibitions and seminars on latest subjects of the nature photography.

A penguin colony makes its way back across a sea sprayed landscape, in Returning from the hunt, by Michael Lohmann. The image won Birds category runner-up and prize of the jury

This icy tableau won Birds category winner: 'A Frosty Resting Place' by Bernd Nill

Dozens of images made it through to the final round of the Nature Photographer of the Year 2013 competition

These images were submitted in the internal photo contest, with categories including mammals, other animals, plants and fungi, landscapes, nature's studio, and this year's special category, animal portraits.

An exhibition of the photographs entered in the competition will run from May 23 until September at the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in Bonn.