Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of the natural world
1 April –31 October
The internationally acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, will open at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour Sydney, Thursday 1 April until Sunday 31 October.
Powerful wildlife photography focuses our attention on the beauty and fragility of the natural world
The extraordinary images have been selected because they allow us to witness unique moments and encounter the diversity of life on Earth. They reflect on our place in nature and the challenges facing people and the planet.
The 56thWildlife Photographer of the Year competition attracted more than 49,000 images from professional and amateur photographers across 86 countries. This year, the exhibition features themed panels curated with expert scientists. Through the comparison and contrast of images, these panels reveal important and surprising stories about our relationship with the world in which we live.
Kevin Sumption, Director and CEO of the Australian National Maritime Museum said 'The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition held wide appeal across all ages, due to its rich material and strong environmental message. The popularity of the exhibition has grown each year at the museum, not only because of its stunning imagery, but because visitors share our commitment and interest in environmental issues, particularly ocean health. With 2021 marking the start of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development we must concentrate our efforts to promote our natural environment.'
Chair of the judging panel, Roz Kidman Cox, says 'Several of my favourite images from the competition – the ones that I can look at again and again – are among the commended pictures. But then all the commended images are effectively winners, being among the top 100 awarded by the jury out of more than 49,000. The diversity of subjects and styles this year is memorable, with more than 25 different nationalities represented. But what especially stands out are the images from the young photographers – the next generation of image-makers passionate about the natural world.'
