Last weekend I was invited to attend The Nature Photographer of the Year awards, which was taking place at the Nature Talks Photo Festival in Ede in The Netherlands. I knew one of my images had been shortlisted and thought, 'when will I get the chance to do this again,' so I booked my flight and off I set. I was immediately welcomed and put at my ease and shown to where my picture was displayed. Which was a bit of a wow moment for me.
I attended several talks at the show that were truly inspirational, featuring some incredibly well-known photographers and conservationists from around the world. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet other photographers who were there for the first time, engage with the general public who had purchased tickets for the event, and also speak with some of my heroes.
At 12:30, we entered the auditorium for the award ceremony, reminiscent of the Oscars but without the posh frocks :-), which was quite nerve-wracking as I was summoned to the stage for my category. I was delighted to receive a Highly Commended award, making the trip extremely worthwhile.
A Little bit of Background to the Picture
I had originally hoped to return to South Africa in 2023 for another safari, but that didn’t pan out. However, a friend invited me to join her family in the Seychelles for a couple of weeks. Having never been before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of wildlife photography. I reached out to the ICS (Island Conservation Society) team on the island and mentioned that I would be on Desroches Island for a couple of weeks. I offered to provide any photography services and get involved with any conservation projects while I was there. After working with the Giant Aldabra Tortoises, I was invited to join an early morning beach patrol to monitor bird species and track where turtles had come from the sea overnight to lay their eggs on the beach.
I had hoped to witness and photograph turtle hatchlings making their way to the sea as the sun rose. The hatchlings instinctively wait until the sand cools, indicating nighttime, when there’s less risk of predation. As the sun rises, they use its light to guide them to the sea and as far away from shore as possible, where predation is highest. Unfortunately, only around 1 in 1000 hatchlings survive to adulthood. Once they leave the nest, predators such as birds, ghost crabs, and fish pose a significant threat.
Ghost crabs are abundant on the beach, scavenging anything from fallen fruit and plants to decaying animals—and unfortunately, live turtle hatchlings. As I walked along the beach, I spotted several horned ghost crabs. One of them had something in its claws, and I realized it had caught one of the stragglers on its first journey to the sea. I immediately lay flat on the sand and switched my lens to a 300mm (600mm equivalent) prime. The crab was scuttling along the beach, dropping its prize and picking it up again. I waited patiently until it turned to face me, capturing the shot. Though it’s difficult to identify the species of the turtle, it was likely a critically endangered Hawksbill, which can be found around this remote island.
Technical information
Camera: OM System OMD1
Lens: M. Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO
EXIF: 1/2500 at F4.0 ISO 500
Accessories: No accessories, camera was handheld
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