Meet our international Wiki Loves Earth 2022 winners!

The best images of the special nomination “Human Rights and Environment” 2024!

We are glad to present the best images of the special nomination “Human Rights and Environment” 2024🌍🤝

Wiki Loves Earth International photo contest again supported the initiative Wiki4HumanRights, in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Its goal is to raise awareness of nature protection and human impacts on nature.

Within the special nomination “Human Rights and Environment”, we accepted images that capture the impact of human activity on the environment from the whole world.

As a result, this year, we received over 11,500+ images in this special nomination, the highest-ever number💥

After a review by the organizing team and the round of jury evaluation, we have the final results!

🍃Check the full post with the winners: https://diff.wikimedia.org/…/top-photos-of-the-special…/

Best videos of the nature sites in 2024!

Wiki Loves Earth 2024 is happy to present the final results of a new “Video” special nomination!🎞

The wide and beautiful natural heritage can be showcased, and Wikipedia articles can be illustrated not only with images but also with videos. In this special nomination, we accepted videos depicting natural monuments worldwide.

📌It was an optional special nomination for the local organizers, and this year, we received 8 videos from 4 countries.

Three experienced jurors helped us choose the best videos, and we are ready to present the results!

📹Check it out here: https://diff.wikimedia.org/…/the-best-videos-of…/

Stay tuned for more!

На зображенні може бути: лучний жайворонок та текст

Top 20 best images of WLE 2024!

We are delighted and proud to present the top 20 best images of Wiki Loves Earth 2024!🏆🌳

Yes, it is the most awaited moment of the international annual photographic competition devoted to natural heritage!

The international winners traditionally represent two categories — landscapes and macro/close-up.

Check out the complete list of winners in our blog post👉https://wikilovesearth.org/

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!👏💚

Share this post and express your excitement in the comments below🎉

На зображенні може бути: текст

Wiki Loves Earth 2024 proudly presents the best images of the year!

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”.

Photo by Skander zarrad, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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”.

Photo by Kecags, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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.

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 2023202220212020201920182017201620152014.

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

13 Wiki Loves Earth Images in the “Picture of the Year 2023”!🏅

▪️ An image from Turkey, captured by Mehmet Karaca, secured 3rd place in the “Picture of the Year 2023” contest. This stunning photograph also won 1st place in the macro category of the international WLE 2022 contest. 

▪️ Four images from Ukraine, taken by Mykhailo Petskovych and user Byrdyak, placed 8th, 9th, 13th, and 32nd. One of these images is the international winner, achieving 20th place in the landscapes category in 2023.

▪️ From Nepal, two pictures by Prasan Shrestha and Dasrath Shrestha Beejukchhen (Bablu) earned 12th and 21st places, with one of them winning 10th place in the macro category internationally in 2023.

▪️ Four Brazilian images by Thomas Fuhrmann, Julius Dadalti, and Leonardo Merçon ranked 15th, 17th, 31st, and 40th.

▪️ A single German image by Matthias Süßen took 30th place.

▪️ One photo from Greece, contributed by user Argiriskaramouzas, placed 40th.

▪️ An Italian photo by Roberto Strafella rounded out the results in 50th place.

Congratulations and thank you for contributing with your wonderful images to the Wikimedia Commons!👏

На зображенні може бути: туман та текст
На зображенні може бути: текст
На зображенні може бути: текст
На зображенні може бути: природа, озеро та текст
На зображенні може бути: гора та текст
На зображенні може бути: текст

Jury team for the Video nomination!

This year, we presented a new international “Video” special nomination📹🎞

🕵️‍♀️And meet the dearest jury team!

Three professional videographers, graphic designers, photographers, Wikimedians, and experts in this field are judging local submitted videos.

We are excited to announce the results of this nomination very soon!🤭

Meet the jury team for the special nomination “Human Rights and Environment”!

5 professional Wikimedians and experts in ecology, environment, and human rights are going to judge the best images uploaded to this nomination.

🤝🌍The goal is to raise awareness of nature protection and human impacts on nature.

And this year, we received almost 12,000 images worldwide, which is the biggest number during the four years!📸

На зображенні може бути: текст
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа, борода та текст «Biologist and ecological researcher. Photography firstcame first came into his life as working tool, but soon assumed Tore important role as art. As an Independent documentary photographe rp Joao portrays the environmental processes related to his research areas, including great natura phenomena, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and their relationships with all the spheres of the Earth System. João Pompeu Brasil Photo: used with author's permission»
Можливо, це зображення (1 особа та текст «An intern with the Human Rights Team at the Wikimedia Foundation. She holds a bachelor' degree in philosophy and Japanese Studies JapaneseStudiesfro from Vienna University and master's degree in Human Rights from Central Europear University, Nicky sa former climate activist with Fridays for Future Vienna, especially interested in climate disinformation socio-ecological ransformation, and the intersection between environmental and digital rights. Nicky Deluggi Italy Photo: used with author's ermission»)
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст «Integrates UNEP's Law Division an Environmental Law Specialist. She currently working with matters related to human rights, the righ to righttoa ac clean, healthy, and sustainab able nvironment, future generations, and building judicial capacity or the environment She has previously worked uropean the Portuguese Presidency the Council ofthe of the European Union environmental matters. She has Bachelor Laws and Master of Laws in International and European Law from the Nova University of Lisbon, as well as as post-grad in Environmental Law. Juliana Almeida Portugal Photo: used with author's ermission»
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст «A senior Manager, Campaign Organizing at the Wikimedia Foundation. Hailino from ohannesburg South Africa,Masanaj Africa, Masana joined the movement in anuary 2023 and has enjoyed learning about Wikimedia volunteers and their contribution to knowledge equity globally Masana Mulaudzi South Africa Photo: used with author's ermission»
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст «Has worked at the intersection of human rights and environmental law for more than five . She dedicated to ensuring global commons are sustainabl and progressively managed for the benefit of people and the planet steadfast her commitmentt the right tto environment be realized around theworld the world. She Shei from small town Northern California but has had the pleasure of traveling around the world for her work, learning from countless others about the interdependency of human rights and the environment. Olivia Carolina USA Photo uised with author' ermission»

Welcome our International Jury team for the Wiki Loves Earth 2024!

The evaluation period has already started, and in one month, we are going to announce the winners!

👨‍🏫Meet a great team of 11 experienced Wikimedians and professional photographers that is looking carefully into each picture and helping us to choose the top images for this year’s competition.

Read this post and get to know each of the jurors!

Можливо, це зображення (1 особа та текст)
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст
Можливо, це зображення (‎1 особа та ‎текст «‎Wikimedian since 2010, Admin חס Wikimedia Commons, and jury member over the years of many international Wiki loves contests. Habib Mhenni Tunisia Phota:usedwithauthor'spermision Photo: used with author's permission‎»‎‎)
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст
Можливо, це зображення (1 особа та текст «A coordinator by practice, artist, photographer and documentarist at heart. She joined the Wikimedia movement 2012 and now runs the AvoinGLAM group Helsinki, Finland, promoting open access cultural heritage. group likes to interpret GLAM as Global Languages, Art, and METO instead of institutional Galleries, Libraries, and Museums. Susanna organized Wiki Loves Monuments Finland three times. She wishes to promote ways which open culture advocates can positively impact vulnerable and threatened cultura heritage or secure environmental sustainability. Susanna Ảnäs Finland Photo: Sebastiaan ter Burg, CC BY-SA4.0»)
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст «A veteran Wikimedian, hobbyist, nature photographer, and conservationist. She also lovesForest loves Forest Survey, Rock Climbing, and Himalayan Trekking. photography her special love shooting Butterflies, Butterflies,andthat' and that's why he started and still has successfully operated a scientifically- scient -based WMF-granted project species anc subspecies- level detailed documentation of butterflies. She also knowna Butterfly Wikimedian and received the Wikimedian the Year 2021 Rich Media Award. Ananya isone of the members the Organizin team Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) India and Wiki Loves Food (WLF) in India. Ananya Mondal India Photo: :Sandipoutsider, CC BY-SA4.0»
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст
На зображенні може бути: 1 особа та текст «Started his Wikimedia journey on Wikimedia Commons in 2006. He has been the CEO fWikimedia Sverige and co-founder of Wikimedians for Sustainable Development. previous years, he has been on the jury for the Swedish Wiki Loves Earth, WikiLoves Wiki Loves Monuments, and the einternational Wiki Loves Monuments. In his day job, he helps public organization collaborate On e- software at the Foundation for Public Code. Jan Ainali Sweden Photo: an Ainali CBY-SA4»

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY: Interview with Mikael Lundgren

With an exceptional eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the intricate beauty of the natural world, from the intricate patterns on insect wings to the subtle textures of plant life, nature photographs can capture and showcase all of this.

“My goal is to create an emotional relationship with my images and with the person who looks at these images. Macro photography inspires me to stop and make the invisible natural life visually visible. – says Mikael Lundgren.

Let’s dive into the creative process, explore the inspirations, and learn more about how to bring nature wonders to life through the lens!

Mikael Lundgren is a professional Swedish nature photographer.

His image won second place in the local Swedish contest, and third place in the macro category in the International part of the Wiki Loves Earth photo contest in 2023.


Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

How long is your journey as a photographer? Do you remember your first steps in professional photography and what inspired you to get started?

“I started photographing when I was 14-15 years old and have been photographing continuously for about 30 years. What inspired me with photography was being able to make visual stories, photographing landscapes, flora, and fauna of the environment around me and showing it to my friends.”

What type of photography do you specialize in? What is your photographic style?

My goal is to create an emotional relationship with my images and with the person who looks at these images. So, my style and what I strive for is that my composition should, at the same time, ‘look back’ at the one who sees my pictures. My goal is that a contact is created between what is in the picture and the viewer. This applies to both my landscape photos and close-ups of plants and wildlife. When I take wedding photos, I work in the same way with the relationship between the composition and those who look at these photos.

What kind of equipment do you use? Can you explain your choice of camera, lenses, and other gear?

“I use full-frame cameras and a variety of lenses that suit what I’m shooting. This means that I use all types of lenses, such as macro lenses, zoom lenses, and telephoto lenses. For macro photography, I regularly use different flashes that provide good lighting conditions. The lenses help me find the right relationship to what I want to photograph and create a closeness between my compositions and those who will see my photos. My full-frame cameras give me good opportunities for good resolution of my photos and image editing.”

What software do you use for post-processing and editing? Can you describe your editing workflow?

I mainly use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for image editing. When editing, I first check that the photo I’m looking at has some kind of instinctive contact with me, that my eyes are caught immediately. Then I focus on bringing out the thing in the image that created my interest. The image editing is mainly for me to enhance the first feeling I get from the image so that the photo becomes more like its own story to me as a spectator. It can be about increasing certain details with sharpness, enhancing details in light, or softening to the bokeh that is in the background.


Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

Your works picture breathtaking and different parts of nature, especially in macro format. What do you love the most about nature?

“I love nature’s own pulse and wilderness where the human footprint is as small as possible. Walking in nature with my camera is like walking on a journey of discovery with different eyes than those used in an urban environment. Being able to look into the micro life of nature with a macro lens is also a way to get an insight into the life that is often invisible to our everyday life. Macro photography inspires me to stop and make the invisible natural life visually visible.”

How do you usually choose the locations? What was your favorite one?

“I usually choose to go to places in my immediate environment, which are no more than 30 kilometers from my home. Near my home, there are a number of nature reserves. I also live in a Biosphere Reserve designated by Unesco. I like to photograph both in primeval forests, by larger lakes, in meadows, or on the nearby plateau mountain. My favorite place is to go to the plateau mountain Kinnekulle early in the morning at dawn when the first rays of the sun give a soft and nice light.”

What was your experience in picturing the protected areas? Is this term somehow changing the photography conditions? What do you advise starting from when picturing the protected areas?

“In Sweden, accessibility to nature reserves and biosphere areas is quite good. Photographing in Nature Reserves or Biosphere Reserves gives me good opportunities to create photos with exciting biodiversity and visual storytelling. This applies to both landscape motifs and macro compositions. My first advice to other photographers is to first get to know the characteristics of the nature reserve or biosphere area that you want to photograph. This applies to both plant and animal life. My second piece of advice is to dare to photograph a variety of times and seasons in these areas. It can provide exciting and unexpected opportunities for good photos. My third piece of advice is to give time to experience the nature you are photographing; how does it affect you? Is it possible to compose the image from this experience at the time of photography?”


Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

How do you prepare for a photography session or project in general?

“I usually prepare by deciding which main subject is in focus and thus determine the choice of time and place for the photography. If it is macro photography, I make sure to pack the appropriate camera and macro lens. I also always bring an extra camera and other lenses for other subjects that may come up. It is always important to have knowledge of the weather forecast before shooting. It determines whether flashes are needed or how the handling of the day’s natural light will be. I also make sure that I myself have good opportunities to pass a photo shoot. This means that, before a photo shoot, I have been able to leave stress and other negative moods in order to enjoy solely focusing on photography.”

How do you handle challenging situations or unexpected issues during a shoot if such happen?

“I use my long photography experience to deal with unforeseen events during a photo shoot. It is often a matter of having the right cameras and lenses with me, as a different lens is almost always needed than the one I primarily planned to use. It could be that the weather is not what I thought, which means that I have to use a more light-sensitive lens or macro flash. I always plan ahead for a photo opportunity to cover as many contingencies as possible. It can be about being able to quickly take a photo of an animal that suddenly appears in front of me. Then it is necessary to already have a camera and lens in place to be able to take that picture. It happens at almost every photo opportunity.”

How do you continue to develop and refine your skills as a photographer?

“The main thing that makes me develop as a photographer is to dare to challenge myself in finding new subjects and visiting places I have not been to before. It also applies that I dare to be out in places in different seasons and at times of the day, which affects the composition and the photography itself in a marked way. I also now photograph how urban environments affect people and animals, which creates other forms of compositions.”


Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

How did you first get involved in the Wiki Loves Earth International photo contest devoted to picturing natural heritage?

“I saw on the web information about Wiki Loves Earth and thought it might be fun to submit a number of photos as I often photograph in nearby Nature Reserves and Biosphere Reserves.”

The previous year, in 2023, your image took a winning place in the main nomination in the local Swedish and the International Wiki Loves Earth competition. Did you aim to win, and what was your reaction?

“I sent in my photos in the hope that these would attract interest and maybe have a chance to be among those that Sweden chose to include in the international part of the competition. When I found out that I had both won in Sweden and also entered the international competition, I was very happy. Then also winning a prize in the international competition was really gratifying and inspiring for my photography.”

Many people said that it was the cutest image of that year’s contest! What was the hardest part about photographing the deer? Did you catch “the right moment”? Do you have an interesting story behind this beautiful image?

“The most difficult part of taking this photo of the Roebuck was waiting for the exact millisecond where the Roebuck was in the right position with its head facing me. Dare to wait for the right moment. When I took this picture, I really felt that I had got it just right and that I had, at the same time, had a spiritual experience of “looking into” the world of Råbocken. I had seen this Roebuck before for a few weeks and thought about its different horns and the damage that was on one ear. What has Råbocken experienced recently? What battles and events had he experienced? Being able to get this photo with this particular composition and background in a millisecond is one of the finest moments I’ve had behind a camera.”

Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

Do you plan to take part in the contest again?

“Yes. I will continue to take photos and send them to this competition.”

What would you advise someone who doesn’t have professional photography equipment? How can you take a good picture even on a mobile phone?

“I think the most important thing you need to take a good photo is that the person behind the mobile phone/camera has an interest in the subject that is created in a photo. A good photo for me is a composition that gives me, as a spectator, the opportunity to fantasize and feel something about the image. So if you as a photographer have a thought, feeling, or experience about your photo, often someone who looks at the photo can get it too. Then, I think it is important that you, the photographer, can handle the light that is present when you take the photo. How can you handle this light? The more you shoot with a mobile/camera, the more you learn to handle this light. So photograph as much as you can with the mobile phone and learn how it works and what you yourself like to photograph.”

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a professional photographer?

“Have the courage to show your photos publicly and to your friends. If you have the opportunity, try to create your own photo exhibitions on-premises or on the web. Then you will both hear what others think of your photographs but also get a chance to be discovered and seen. This can lead to you getting the first requests to be a photographer on various occasions. Make sure that even then, you start receiving compensation for the photos you start selling. As a professional photographer, it is important to start getting paid for the work you do if it is to become your main income.”


Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

What influences or inspires your work?

I like to look at other photographers’ photographs. Ansel Adams, American photographer and Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer. They have inspired me with their soulful black and white photographs to try creating black and white photos. Kirsty Mitchell, an English art photographer with her fabulous photographs, is another living photographer that I like a lot. She composes images that show fairytale-like people in fantastically constructed environments. In my everyday life as a photographer, I am inspired by nature’s four seasons and how nature changes month by month. It always creates new motifs, animals, and plant life.”

What’s the most rewarding part of being a professional photographer for you?

“Being able to use a lot of my time doing what I love to do, creating visual stories for myself and for others to experience.”

Can you share some of your favorite projects that you are proud of or photographs you’ve taken? What makes them special to you?

“One of my most exciting projects was to create large-format photographs based on local people’s stories about which places in their local environment they like the most. The result was 12 different photographs in a 2×3 meter format, which were exhibited in a room centrally located in this village. The exhibition became very popular, and villagers came to the venue to experience and talk about these 12 favorite places in the village. Another photo project was to compose 12 photographs for a Swedish music artist’s new record album and its 12 songs. This photo exhibition then followed the music artist’s various concerts around Sweden for a year. Both of these projects had clear motives and a soulful connection to those who visited these photo exhibitions.”


Author of the photo: Mikael Lundgren, CC BY-SA 4.0

Instagram of Mikael:
https://www.instagram.com/tjustorparn/

Webinar “Licences and Copyright in Wikimedia photo contests”

If you organise one of the Wikimedia photo contests (such as Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Monuments , etc.) or are interested in licences and copyright, we welcome you to attend our upcoming event!

🔐Webinar “Licences and Copyright in Wikimedia photo contests” will be held on October 25th at 14:00 CET online in Zoom.

Antanana, a Ukrainian Wikipedian and administrator, will talk about important components in organising your local Wikimedia photo contest (s): licences and copyrights in the process of showcasing your local winning (and not only) images.

📌Register by 24th of October: https://bit.ly/4dxW0Q0

Check this webinar with your local time here: https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1729857600

Before the webinar, you will receive the link to access the call via email.

The webinar will be recorded and uploaded to Wikimedia Commons & Wikimedia Ukraine’s YouTube.

На зображенні може бути: текст