BY PICTURE EDITOR TOM GILKS

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. The passing of summer may be sad for some, but I always excitedly await the results of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which showcases the very best of the world’s wildlife photography. And this year certainly hasn’t dissapointed. I have been blown away by the attention to detail in every one of the winning images – the more you look, the more they deliver. Take young Thai photographer Katanyou Wuttichaitanakorn’s breathtaking textural composition of a Bryde’s whale’s baleen, which reveals a familiar mammal in a whole new light. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is also such a refreshing celebration of diversity – of species, landscapes, photographers and perspectives. It truly is a global contest. So, immerse yourself in the following pages, and I hope you feel as inspired and moved as I have been.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The competition is run and developed by the Natural History Museum, London, where the winning and highly commended entries can be viewed until 2nd July 2023. For details of the exhibition, how to enter the next competition, and dates and venues of the regional exhibition tour, visit nhm.ac.uk/wpy.