flamingos gazing through a lake, from above

The Best Nature Photographs and the Stories Behind Them from 2021 TIFA Winners

January 28, 2022

This compilation includes a selection of the 2021 TIFA winners in the Nature category. Admire these wonderful works of art and see if they inspire you to enter this year.

Mysterious Encounter - Ryo Minemizu

The squid drifting in the black night is a diamond squid juvenile. The length of the mantle is 4 cm. That translucent skin is coated in a plethora of chromatophores that reflect light magnificently, giving it the appearance of a gem. The adult diamond squid dwells in the open ocean's deep depths, therefore we're unlikely to see one when scuba diving. However, juveniles and larvae spend some time in the open ocean's shallow water, and we may come across them when we move offshore.

Color Palette - Richard Li

Lake Natron is located on the Tanzania-Kenya border. The Ewaso Ng'iro River, which is supplied by hot springs rich in minerals including sodium, alkalinity, and magnesium, nourishes it. During the dry season, significant levels of evaporation lead the lake's alkalinity to reach a pH of 9 to 10.5 and the water to become as shallow as tens of millimeters, showing the lake's brilliant patterns like an odd work of nature. The lake is a haven for flamingos, who flock together to soar above it in large flocks. I happened to be at the right place at the right moment.

Elvira'S Peony - Maja Strgar Kurecic

These are images of the peony that Elvira gave me. Maja Strgar Kurecic, the photographer, enjoys photographing flowers that she received from friends and family. In doing so, she hopes to retain the memory of that joyful moment of receiving, which evokes feelings of love, respect, and intimacy with the person who presented me with the flower. She aims to capture the everlasting beauty of a flower that never fades with the manner she photographs and the lighting she uses. She shot the petals in water to show their fragile structure.

Winged Singer - Weronika Markiewicz

The Harz Canary, also known as the Winged Singer, is a bird that sings softly and beautifully. It is a magnificent breed because it can sing in a variety of tones without opening its beak, including rattling, bass, bell, and flute. The canary in the photo is from Mr. Marek iedzwiadek's kennel in Lublin (Poland).

Hippopotamus Amphibius - Dennis Wehrmann

One of these images has been on Dennis Wehrmann's thoughts for years, and he's yearned for it for a long time, but it finally came true this year at the Lower Zambezi Nationalpark. He was hoping to see a hippo standing outside the water, gazing at him straight, his eyes focused on him, his rage flaring and firing directly at him. As usual, these moments you've been looking forward to appearing out of nowhere and going in an instant, regardless of whether you comprehend what's going on in front of your eyes or if you're able to realize whatever's on your mind...

Veins - Daniel Franc

When an Icelandic glacial river reaches the sea. Daniel Franc uses drone photographs to make fine art shots of generally abstract or minimalistic landscapes, wildlife, and industrial environments. They show beauty, rhythm, weirdness, and portals to realms not seen from our vantage point.

Autumn Float - Saowanee Suntararak

Autumn in Japan, at Lake Kawaguchi. Photographers adore Mount Fuji with fall foliage, and Saowanee Suntararak enjoys shooting photos in this season as well.

A Day With The Puffins - Jacques-Andre Dupont

Jacques-André Dupont is a keen wildlife and environment photographer based in Montreal. His work has appeared in publications such as Canadian Geographic, National Geographic, Africa Geographic, Wildlife Photographic, Outdoor Photography, Paris Match, the London Telegraph, China News, and La Pravda, among others. Several of his photographs have been chosen/won in international photo contests. They've also been shown in a number of nations throughout the world. He merely wants to achieve one basic aim with his photography: to bring the beauty of nature into the light.

Below Zero - Svitlana Zarytska

A series of "Below ZERO" photos featuring ice blossoms. Before the ice melts, ice, water, and light refraction may enhance, distort, and conserve the beauty of flowers. Each image is the result of a search, an experiment with color, light, shape, and texture in order to create a one-of-a-kind work of art.

Toronto Eclipse At The Cn Tower - Prajesh Joshi

This photo was the result of weeks of preparation. The distance from the CN tower was used to do trigonometric calculations. It was used to identify the exact location of the sun during the eclipse by comparing it to the matching compass bearing! Seeing the eclipse up close and personal gave Prajesh Joshi a tremendous therapeutic feeling. As he observed the rising light with wonderful friends who had joined him so early in the morning, there was a sense of quiet in the air.