Hannah Tihen and Ntokozo Hlophe are the winners of the 2022 National Geographic photo competition in the professional and amateur categories respectively.
An ecstatic Hlophe, from Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, told Sunday Times Lifestyle: “Nature is my sanctuary and I have to leave it in a better state than I found it while keeping beautiful memories. That’s where photography comes in.” He says the competition, themed #ExploreNaturalAreas, offered opportunities for sharing the wonders of nature with the world and “walking away with only photographs”, thus preserving it.
Tihen, from Cape Town, said she was honoured to be chosen. “It means so much to me that I'm able to share this beautiful moment of diving in the great South African sea forest. I hope it inspires more people to explore and protect this extraordinary and magical place.”
WINNER OF PROFESSIONALS: HANNAH TIHEN
Tihen takes captivating photos of the ocean’s kelp forests, which gained international exposure in the Oscar-winning film My Octopus Teacher.
The runners-up in the professional category were Mohammed Sheth, in second place, with an image of two lions in a Kruger National Park river. Third was Steve Mak, who photographed a Namibian desert landscape at sunrise.
SILVER: MOHAMMED SHETH
BRONZE: STEVE MAK
In the amateur category, Tendani Lidovho won second place for her photo of a woman contemplating a waterfall in the Pretoria Botanical Gardens, while Bridgette Kholeng came third with her photo of a solitary ostrich looking out to sea.
Award-winning photographer and one of the three judges, Tessa Barlin, says the winning images stood out for distinct reasons but had stories to tell.
WINNER OF AMATEURS: NTOKOZO HLOPHE
“The cute photo of the shark captures a human element, with it just peeking its head out of the kelp. It shows how we can connect with wildlife and the diversity of wildlife in our waters,” she says of Tihen’s dark shyshark.
Of the sunset over Richards Bay, she says: “I loved its simplicity: that one single bird against a backdrop of striking lines and vivid colours. It makes the bird stand out and tells the story of a potentially long, lonely, journey it had to fly.
“They clearly had an eye for storytelling, followed the theme very well, had a sense of adventure and loved being in nature,” says Barlin of the winning six.
“They didn’t necessarily have the best kit, but we wanted to be more inclusive and highlight a diverse range of voices in our selection.”
Lidovho says she feels honoured to be chosen as a winner and to showcase the Pretoria Botanical Gardens.
SILVER: TENDANI LIDOVHO
Kholeng says she entered the competition for fun, and winning was a complete surprise.
“I found out about the competition while binge-watching Airport Security around the time when I was exploring all these different natural areas around Cape Town, which fit well this year’s theme of #ExploreNaturalAreas.
“The theme made it easier for explorers like me, who are not professional photographers, to enter and share the beauty of nature with others,” she says.
BRONZE: BRIDGETTE KHOLENG
Sheth is a professional who was exposed to the wilderness while young and whose appreciation of nature developed as he did.
“I have to give credit to my dad who introduced me to one of the biggest natural places in the world, Kruger National Park, and handed me an SLR camera,” he says.
“After that my love for Kruger and all natural places grew. [These are] places we need to protect for many generations to come.
“I am over the moon about my photo getting so far in this competition. I am lost for words, that is how happy I am.”
Mak, in third place for his desert sunrise, felt awe to be selected as a winner and says: “I feel encouraged to explore more and share these exciting experiences with others.
“This year’s theme really triggered the adventurer in me [to go] uncovering our natural world. It has been a tough few years and sharing nature is the only thing that will get us rejuvenated.
“I’m not an early bird but when I am in nature I’m the first one to get up as the sun slowly crawls above the horizon; making the desert come alive,” says Mak — whose success shows that the early bird does get a prize.
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