The most awaited moment of the international annual photographic competition devoted to natural heritage has come. We are delighted and proud to present the top 20 best images of Wiki Loves Earth 2024, traditionally divided into two categories: macro and landscapes!
- This year, we had a record number of participating countries and territories, which reached 56.
- As a result, we received more than 80,100 submissions from over 3,800 uploaders.
- 53 countries and territories submitted their local winners and moved to the international level, and we have got 583 local winning images.
Each country has chosen up to 15 local winners in two categories – not more than ten from each of the two categories: landscapes (including individual trees if it’s a nature monument), and macro/close-up (animals, plants, fungi).
This year, 11 experienced photographers, experts, and Wikimedians from all around the world were on the team of the international jury and worked on selecting top-20 international winners.
You can read more about the jury team here.
We are thankful to each juror for the time and effort in judging all the contest images worldwide, especially because this year, we received the most local winning images ever!
We are excited to announce the top 20 best images in two categories, which present an interesting world of animal & plant species and breathtaking landscapes!
Landscapes
1st place
The category of landscape images opens with a breathtaking view of the Burdur Lake (Ramsar wetland) located within the borders of the Burdur province of Turkey.
The photo’s author describes the scene: “The freshwater sources that feed the lake on the shores of the lake, which is negatively affected by global climate change, are drying up day by day, and the dimensions of the drought are increasing day by day. The living spaces of birds and freshwater creatures are shrinking”.
One of the jurors, Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza, shared: “Very unusual dynamic composition from a bird’s point of view. Artistic and balanced with colors and textures”.
Photo by Rotadefterim, CC BY-SA 4.0.
2nd place
The next landscape image shows the view of the Karynzharyk valley, captured in the Ustyurt nature reserve, Karakiya District, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan.
The jury team shares their impressions and observations:
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez: “What an interesting portrait of the Earth! The placement of the rock formations within the frame creates depth without compromising too much of the objects’ sharpness. I am hopeful that the uniqueness of the environment featured in the photo, its high image quality and potential for reusability, and the background details — aligned with the event’s mission, as it was taken in a protected area — will help this entry make its way onto the winners’ list”.
Jan Ainali: “Great use of the diagonal here, in combination with both the detail of the nearby rocks and focus enough to see the strata of the far away ones adds a lot of information about this area. The colors are so well-matched, with the yellow browns matching the muddled blues”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza: “It refers to classic landscape photos. Very good composition – not easy to obtain in such a special place”.
Photo by Максат79, CC BY-SA 4.0.
3rd place
This image captures a magical view of Yaylalar village with its back to the Kaçkar Mountains, located in the Kaçkar Mountains National Park, near the town Yusufeli in the province of Artvin, Turkey.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza points out: “What I like is the effect of scale. I can imagine the height of the mountain in contrast to this small village in the valley. This silver line of the river is a perfect leading line for the eye”.
Jan Ainali added: “The angle and perspective of this photo are great”.
Photo by Ismailtasgeldi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
4th place
The stunning gradients of nature were captured at Kyzylkup Table Mountain, located in Kyzylsai Regional Park, Mangystau District, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan.
Jan Ainali is sharing his thought about this image: “There is something majestic about the composition. The low light also brings out the structure in the surface really well, without tinting the color on the stone too much. I also like that the photo really focuses on the land formation instead of the sky”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza: “Interesting play of textures, we can see 3D structure of that mountain together with a wide landscape view”.
Photo by Максат79, CC BY-SA 4.0.
5th place
The next landscape image features the Hürmetçi Reedbed and Erciyes Mountain in Turkey, where this thirsty horse looks so tiny.
Ananya Mondal, one of the jurors, describes: “Very well balanced shot, nice warm colour and the central hourse figure beautifully positioned”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza added: “Apart from artistic value it’s also informative and can be used to describe agricultural, social and other aspects of that certain region in many Wiki articles”.
Photo by Ismailtasgeldi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
6th place
A charming frosty view of Lake Fusine in the Conca di Fusine, Alpi Giulie, Italy.
The author of the image shares: “The lakes of glacial origin are composed of the lower lake, a pearl surrounded by a dense spruce forest, and the larger upper lake where the mountain chain of the Mount Mangart Group is reflected”.
Jan Ainali shared: “Such deep blues, and in so many shades. The lake balances out the haziness of the clouds, but both contribute to the dynamics that in another way balances out the static mountain range”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza is highlighting: “Harsh winter landscape with a great sence of depth. Can be used for many purposes”.
Ajeigbe Rukayat: “The glacier formation, the tree, the sea, the light, and the composition are in sync — a beautiful natural Habitat”.
Photo by Scosse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
7th place
The next image in the landscape category depicts the Madygen State Natural Monument, which is located in the Batken District, Batken Region, Kyrgyzstan.
Ananya Mondal draws attention to: “Unique texture and clear combination, sharpness delineated”.
Jan Ainali added: “The cloudy day here really makes the capturing of the colors of the banded rocks even more impressive”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza: “Informative and nice shot can be used in many articles. Colours and textures capture viewers attention”.
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez: “The featured landscape will truly make one appreciate the earth’s many unseen wonders. The presentation of the environment in this photo effectively highlights its textures and dimensions, and its good quality offers excellent reusability potential”.
Photo by Marat Nadjibaev, CC BY-SA 4.0.
8th place
Calm autumn rays are captured in Karagöl-Sahara National Park in Turkey.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza is highlighting: “Nice photo with artistic touch. Interesting play of light with fog. For information purposes, it shows inhabited mountainous terrain in unusual way”.
Osama Silwadi added: “Nice balance of using light rays and shadows”.
Photo by Turreis10700, CC BY-SA 4.0.
9th place
The next image showcases an important environmental issue — fishing. A fisherman returns to the port at daybreak in Kerkennah, as seen through a fish trap – wide view. The image was made in the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) Îles Kerkennah, Tunisia.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza shares: “Interesting composition, catch[es] viewer’s eye”.
Ananya Mondal: “Very well-balanced composition and an eye-catching central portion”.
10th place
A beautiful composition of forests and roads in the Yedigöller Region, Yedigöller National Park, Turkey.
Jan Ainali describes: “Fantastic perspective showing off the variety of trees and the progression of the fall”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza added: “Three-dimensional carpet with so many colours! The line of the road guides the viewer’s eye”.
Macro/close-up
1st place
The first place in the macro category goes to the beautiful image of a Red deer (Cervus elaphus), taken in the National Park of Abruzzo, Latium, and Molise in Italy.
The author shared: “After a summer downpour, the mist along the Sangro River created a surreal atmosphere, hiding the alpha male of a deer, who stared at me for a few moments with his noble gaze before disappearing into the mist along the riverbank”.
One of the jurors, Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez, shared about this image: “This is a powerful shot for me. The mist, the deer’s stance, the complementary earth tones within the frame, and even the hanging vine from the deer’s antlers — it’s like a scene straight out of a mystery film. Such a mood works because the Earth is indeed a sphere of beauty and mystery”.
Another juror, Susanna Ånäs, is expressing: “Unworldly! All the elements in the image add to the supernatural feel of the image: the water, the wall behind, the mist, as well as the gaze, the contact with the photographer. It seems like an allegory, an image from the subconscious with a hidden meaning.”.
Photo by MicheleIlluzzi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
2nd place
The photo of an Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) was taken in the protected landscape area of Pálava, which is located in South Moravia in the Czech Republic.
The author of the image shares: “The picture shows the Dudek chocholatý (Hoopoe). In the photo, we can see the arrival of this majestic bird and the symbol of South Moravia, which is critically endangered here. That’s why I decided to save it, and I try to make suitable nesting boxes all year round so that the population here is as numerous as it was many years ago.”
Some feedback from the jury team:
Jan Ainali: “This is such a well-timed capture. Good focus that allows us to see the interaction of the feeding behavior and the nest. Not only full of action but educational too”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza: “Probably the best frame from that series of photos. Ideal moment with ideal sharpness on both birds. Good for illustrating many aspects of their life: hunting, feeding, nesting, etc.”.
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez: “It’s a well-composed shot to me. The colors are complementary, and the popping head of the hungry baby bird adds a little more substance to the story”.
Photo by Luckhy86, CC BY-SA 4.0.
3rd place
The next place goes to a magnificent pair of praying mantis (Empusa pennata), pictured in the Kapıçam Nature Park in Turkey.
Susanna Ånäs shares her impression: “I cannot help but make a connection between these “praying mantis” and the “dancing pallbearers” in West Africa! The image is crisp and controlled and seems to have been taken in a natural setting. +1 for the humor”.
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez added: “One of my favorite shots. The colors are complementary, the bokeh isn’t distracting, and I can’t help but hum The Pink Panther theme song as I fix my gaze on the mantis’ seemingly striding movements”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza: “Ideal! A magic moment in the insect world”.
Jan Ainali: “This is almost too good to be true, lined up on a straw like this in good lighting. Excellent!”.
Photo by Mehmet Karaca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
4th place
This image shows three freshly hatched dragonflies, known as a yellow-winged darter (Sympetrum flaveolum) drying on a twig, taken in the protected landscape area Žďárské vrchy in the Czech Republic.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza highlights: “Perfest focus, the ideal composition of 3 insects with a bit of humor. Like a family talk :)”.
Ananya Mondal: “Pin-shared picture, beautifully posed”.
Jan Ainali: “Playful, great focus, and showing off the species from multiple angles in a natural way”.
Photo by Lubomír Dajč, CC BY-SA 4.0.
5th place
A wonderful moment of pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) flying to its partner to keep their existence among the future generations, taken in Altadighi National Park, Bangladesh.
The author of this image shared: “They are losing their habitat due to human aggression. They sometimes come to the locality for breeding, and most of the time, they fail, but I took care of this couple until the baby grew up.”
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez marks: “I love many aspects of this shot: the color palette reinforces the composition, the sharpness of the details is just right and complements the bokeh effect, and the contrasting motion between the two birds is beautifully captured, adding levels to the image. It is indeed a well-structured shot”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza accents: “A dynamic and unique situation captured in a unique way”.
Photo by Anissheikh2647, CC BY-SA 4.0.
6th place
The next place goes to a series of photos from the one author, taken in the Northern Negros Natural Park, in the Philippines.
Photo by Mark Kineth Casindac, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A beautiful species of potter wasp (Apodynerus flavospinosus) endemic to the Philippines.
Jan Ainali describes: “The colors really pop in this image. Good sharpness on the bodies, and one wonders what is happening”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza added: “Famous insects are shown in an interesting situation. Technical aspects and composition – ideal”.
Photo by Mark Kineth Casindac, CC BY-SA 4.0.
This macro image shows another Philippine native stingless leaf-cutting cuckoo bees (Coelioxys luzonica) in a lowland area of Northern Negros Natural Park.
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez shares the impression: “This is a subtle yet powerful shot for me. The composition is simple and clean but well-structured. If the bee on the right had sharper details in its body, the image would appear even more seamless”.
7th place
A baby Mediterranean Common chamaeleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) holds a morning glory in the next macro-winning image, taken in the Kapıçam Nature Park in Turkey.
Jan Ainali points out: “The colors and the lighting on this chameleon are wonderful. Especially the highlights from the backlights, without being blown out or causing too much shadow are fantastic. Well done! And I also love the slightly skeptical look on the face”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza describes: “Central composition with backlight focuses attention on the main topic. Strong contrast between the surface of smooth flower petals and richly shaped reptile’s skin. I really like it!”.
Ajeigbe Rukayat added: “Beautiful capture, the composition complement each other”.
Photo by Mehmet Karaca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
8th place
This image shows a cute spotted deer, also known as Chital (Axis axis) jumping across lump drops at Bardiya National Park in Nepal.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza draws attention to: “Perfect to show the connection between a deer and its ecosystem. It’s very informative for me, useful for Wiki purposes”.
Jan Ainali marks: “Good capture and even the stretches of the dots shows the motion the deer is in. Nice harmony of colors and show of the natural habitat”.
Photo by Dasrath Shrestha Beejukchhen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
9th place
This interesting moment of flying lineated barbet (Psilopogon lineatus) was captured at the National Botanical Garden, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The author describes his image: “Lineated Barbet, a beautiful green bird usually excavates cavities for nesting in trees and lays 2-4 eggs in the breeding season. Once the eggs hatch, the chicks are fed by both parents, who regurgitate a mixture of fruits and insects into the nest hole”.
The jury team accents:
Susanna Ånäs: “Encyclopedic because it depicts clearly the movement of the bird! Joyful colors”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza: “What I really like is a balance between stable and moving birds; technically, it’s not easy to get the sharp bird in the background with moving one in the front. For me, it’s worth attention”.
Ananya Mondal: “Nice use of slow shutter adding life to the picture”.
Elena-Tatiana Chiș: “Great shoot and hard to catch”.
Lloyd Ericson Castro Rodriguez: “The photographer took an artistic approach but retained its educational potential, as the setup still reflects natural aspects of the birds’ habitat and environment”.
Osama Silwadi: “Great use of the shutter speed, with sharp other elements of the picture , lovely one”.
Photo by Asker Ibne Firoz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
10th place
The top of the macro images closes the photo of a bright common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) taken at the Poodří Protected Landscape Area, Czech Republic.
Ananya Mondal shares: “Wonderous action peeked with beautiful warm background”.
Magdalena Sobolewska-Bereza added: “Perfect moment captured with ideal depth of focus exactly on a bird’s body and water drops. Contrast of colours creates an artistic mode”.
Photo by Luckhy86, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Congratulations to all the winners for their contributions and time dedicated to picturing the beauty of our planet and spreading awareness about natural heritage sites worldwide!
🏆We will organise the Wiki Loves Earth 2024 Award Ceremony to celebrate this year’s winnings.
When and where? 19th December, at 14 UTC in Zoom.
Check the time with your local timezone here.
If you want to participate, please register by filling out this short form, and we will send you the invitation.
You can also see past Wiki Loves Earth winners from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.
Look forward to the results of the special nominations “Human Rights and Environment” and “Video”, which will be published very soon!
If you want to know more about this year’s winners and the detailed methodology of how we picked them, look for the full jury report, which will be published and available on Wikimedia Commons soon.
Follow the contest on our channels to keep up with updates:
If you have any questions or need any help, please contact the international team at wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua