Environmental Photographer of the Year 2023 winners announced: Thought-provoking photograph of insect food experiment takes first prize

Glowing coral, a termite-snatching bird, and cows wading through floodwater captured by photographers from the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.

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Published: Thursday, 23 November 2023 at 13:48 PM

The Environmental Photographer of the Year competition celebrates powerful photography from around the world, offering amateur and professional photographers a platform to reflect environmental challenges facing our planet​.​​ 

This year’s competition received entries from 159 countries, with the six winners largely coming from nations most affected by climate change, including Bangladesh, India and Argentina. 

The Grand Title went to Maurizio di Petro for his photo ‘Black Soldier Fly Farming’. A professional photographer based in Italy, Maurizio’s photo depicts an innovative insect food experiment at the University of Turin.

“My home country of Italy is experiencing a frightening reality: 22% now face food insecurity, and this number is only set to increase as climate change intensifies,” said Maurizio.

“Through my photographs, however, I don’t just want to document the problem, but also offer a way forward.

“By photographing experiments of potential new food sources, I hope to break open the closed corridors of academia and raise awareness of this solution around the world. Only by showing a way forward can we inspire people to abandon a doom-drenched view of the world and fight for a better one.”

The Hermetia illucens, or soldier fly, is rich in proteins and a highly sustainable food source, thanks to its minimal water and soil consumption. By feeding on food waste, these insects also contribute to a circular economy.

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2023 winners

Black Soldier Fly Farming, Maurizio di Petro (Grand Title Winner)

Black Soldier Fly Farming: An innovative insect food experiment at the University of Turin assesses the potential of Black Soldier Flies as a source of nutrition for tomorrow’s world. Location: Turin, Italy/Credit: Maurizio di Pietro

Flood Affected Area, Solayman Hossain (Young Environmental Photographer of the Year)

Cows walking in floodwater
Flood Affected Area: A farmer and his cows are forced to wade through floodwater to find food, after the road became submerged in water during monsoon season. Location: Kushtia, Bangladesh/Credit: Solayman Hossain

Corals At Night, Nicolas Marin (Recovering Nature Category Winner)

Coral at night
Corals At Night: A nocturnal coral reef comes to life during a night dive in Aruba. Bioluminescence is a fascinating natural phenomenon illustrating the health of the oceans. Location: Aruba/Credit: Nicolas Marin

Intruder, Anirban Dutta (Adapting for Tomorrow Category Winner)

Intruder
Intruder: A cunning drongo bird uses light from an urban petrol pump to catch termites during monsoon season, suggesting waning food sources in the wild. The camera uses its built-in functions of multiple exposure and long exposure to create an image combining three photos. Location: West Bengal, India/ Credit: Anirban Dutta

Survival Of Buffaloes In Drought, Md Shafiul Islam (Keeping 1.5 Alive Category Winner)

Survival Of Buffaloes In Drought
Survival Of Buffaloes In Drought: Buffaloes scour parched grasslands for food during a drought. Location: Gaibandha, Bangladesh/Credit: Md Shafiul Islam

Walk Through Trash, Jahid Apu (MPB Vision of the Future Category Winner)

Walk Through Trash
Walk Through Trash: This drone shot shows a bridge surrounded by plastic waste in Dhaka, Bangladesh, one of the most plastic-polluted countries in the world. Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh/Credit: Jahid Apu

Beyond The World, Aniruddha Pal (Adapting for Tomorrow)

West Bengal in India
Beyond The World: The photographer has been taking photos of this region for the last 4-5 years. Every year when the water is low and / or moving slowly, a photochemical reaction creates a moss-like structure. While these algae make the water unsuitable for consumption by humans, it supports bacteria that can be beneficial to aqueous flora and fauna. Location: West Bengal, India/Credit: Aniruddha Pal

Guardian Of The Reef, Bambang Wirawan (Recovering Nature)

Coral reef
Guardian Of The Reef: The sea tribe in Alor knows how to protect the sea. They use simple equipment to catch fish for their own needs, the rest they sell at market. With just one breath, they can dive for more than 5 minutes. Non-native people previously used fish bombs, but the local tribe replanted the reef and they are looking after the corals and other sea plants. Location: Alor, Indonesia/Credit: Bambang Wirawan