The South African Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the diversity and beauty of South African and African wildlife and nature. It’s a unique platform that highlights exceptional local talent, offering photographers the chance to have their work seen, while also contributing to nature conservation by showcasing our country’s exceptional biodiversity.
The overall winner is The Shark Portal by Linda Ness.
OVERALL WINNER SAPOTY 2023
The annual sardine run is a dramatic natural spectacle, and last year it presented a local photographer with a truly extraordinary scene. In unusually clear and warm waters, a vast shoal of sardines found itself cornered behind a headland, resulting in a dense mass of life that stretched from the ocean’s surface down to its sandy depths.
The sight of a large dusky shark weaving through a “blue hole” in the shoal, leaving behind a trail resembling azure smoke, was an unforgettable sight. On the third day, a shoal-wide shark feeding frenzy ensued — a rare phenomenon seldom witnessed.
WATER PRO WINNER
Discovering a flap-necked chameleon during a rain shower at night presented an extraordinary photographic moment. This particular chameleon ventured onto to the tip of a branch, intriguingly standing on its hind legs for more than five minutes, seemingly attempting to “catch” raindrops — a captivating behaviour highlighted under the ambient rain.
The use of a spotlight for backlighting transformed the scene into something truly magical, casting the chameleon and the raindrops in a dramatic, ethereal light.
MAMMALS AMATEUR WINNER
Encountering an aardvark outside its burrow during the daytime is rare, as they are typically nocturnal creatures. This sighting was made late one afternoon, when the aardvark was found fast asleep near its burrow — a behaviour prompted by winter conditions or periods of drought when these animals search for food during the day.
Positioning myself downwind and against the setting sun, my patience was rewarded when the aardvark arose, providing an opportunity for backlit photography. It was evident the animal was severely affected by the drought, appearing thin and struggling with food scarcity.
MAMMALS PRO WINNER
Over four days, we witnessed the transformation of an elephant carcass as it was entirely consumed by hyenas and vultures. This scene captures a moment of tension, as the hyenas, aware of a nearby lion pride, intermittently stop feeding to ensure their safety.
Contrasting the distinct rhythms of the feast, the hyenas are shown in a cautious state of almost suspended animation, while the vultures are seen in a frenetic flurry of activity. Captured hand-held with a slow shutter speed of 0.8 seconds, the image uniquely illustrates the dual paces at which nature operates, in an ongoing cycle of life and death.
LANDSCAPE AMATEUR WINNER
En route to a different shooting location, a discovery was made atop a large sand dune overlooking the Bushmans River mouth — a captivating landscape of untouched textures.
Captured hand-held, this shot looks directly down, isolating a section where natural patterns and geometric perfection converge. The longer one gazes at the image, the more intricate it becomes, as the viewer is drawn into its complexity.
Despite the close proximity of the lens, the image creates the illusion of its having been taken from high above, mimicking the expansive scale of drone photography and highlighting the scene’s unique allure.
LANDSCAPE PRO WINNER
Pristine King Proteas are pictured gazing on the peaks of the Kogelberg Nature Reserve and Kogel Bay.
This image captures a magical moment at sunset, as a beam of light breaks through the low-hanging clouds, casting a golden glow on the cliff faces.
YOUNG POTY — WINNER
At Sabi Sands, while focusing on a solitary elephant bull, a minute detail on his tusk caught my attention — a green speck that, upon closer inspection, revealed itself to be a tiny insect.
This discovery presented me with a unique photographic opportunity to capture the juxtaposition of scale and existence within a single frame. The photograph illustrates the majestic elephant, the largest land animal, alongside a diminutive bush cricket, coexisting in serene harmony. This unexpected pairing underscores the diversity and interconnectedness of life, making it one of my most distinctive and cherished images.
CLOSE UP AMATEUR WINNER
In Kathu, Northern Cape, with an impending storm approaching in the late afternoon, a unique opportunity arose to photograph a mantis.
Using a wide-angle lens (28mm), the aim was to capture both the mantis and the dramatic storm clouds gathering in the background. To enhance the scene’s drama and illuminate the leaves pressing against the lens, two flashes were used. This technique allowed for a vivid portrayal of the moment just before the storm hit, whereupon it became necessary to make a quick departure from the scene.
CLOSE UP PRO WINNER
During a visit to Sirheni Bushveld Camp in Kruger National Park for the April school holidays, the aim was to capture wildlife along the Mphongolo River road.
However, dense vegetation made sightings challenging, so the focus shifted to macro photography within the camp. At night, the bush revealed a bustling world of insects drawn to the camp’s lights, among which a stick insect on a mopani tree branch stood out. This photo captures it moving between the leaves, with back lighting from a headlamp revealing the intricate details of the mopani leaves’ veins.
BIRDS AMATEUR WINNER
A pair of Malachite sunbirds, frequent visitors to my garden, have become subjects of countless photographs. This image captures the female at sunset, illuminated by light shining through coral trees, creating a captivating bokeh effect.
Achieving the right lighting balance required a fill-in flash and a fast shutter speed. This carefully captured shot showcases the bird in stunning detail against a beautifully blurred background.
BIRDS PRO WINNER
Amid a feeding frenzy over an elephant carcass, a tense standoff unfolded between a Cape vulture and a hyena, both vying for access to the same flesh. Despite the hyena’s attempts to leverage its size to displace the vulture, the bird resiliently held its ground, aggressively snapping at the hyena’s face whenever it came too close.
BLACK-AND-WHITE AMATEUR WINNER
A serene morning observing a herd of Gemsbok turned into a dramatic survival scene. A cheetah, in a breathtaking chase, took down a calf right in front of me. The scene escalated when the calf’s mother charged at the cheetah, nearly skewering it, causing an explosion of dust and stones.
This intense moment highlighted the raw struggle for survival in the wild. The backstory of the lone cheetah, once part of a coalition, added a poignant layer to the encounter, reflecting on the challenges faced by predators in the absence of their partners.
BLACK-AND-WHITE PRO WINNER
Experiencing the African wilderness on foot offers walkers an unparalleled connection with nature. During an exploration of the Red Rocks area in northern Kruger, a discovery was made after hours of traversing this remarkable landscape.
A natural pothole had become the unexpected final resting place for a Nile crocodile which, for unknown reasons, had fallen into the hole and was unable to escape it. This image serves as a stark reminder of nature’s impartiality in the cycle of life, underlining the harsh realities faced by wildlife in the absence of human assistance.
ANIMALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AMAT WINNER
Captured on the day of the Rugby World Cup 2019 final, this photograph shows a lion cub playfully honing its stalking skills amid gusty winds.
The cub, part of a pride traversing the dunes, was photographed just before a huge dust storm arrived. The challenging conditions necessitated manual focus, as the 600mm lens was buffeted by the wind, despite being mounted on a gimbal. This unforgettable image emphasises the raw beauty and unpredictability of nature.
ANIMALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT PRO WINNER
This photograph was captured during a walking safari deep within the Fever Tree Forest in the Makuleke region, after a carefully guided hour-long trek to safely observe a herd of Cape buffalo.
Taken in a serene moment of natural connection, it shows the buffalo moving undisturbed through their natural habitat. This encounter highlights the essence of walking safaris: the opportunity to witness wildlife behaviour in its most natural form, offering the observer a profound connection with nature.
AFRICA WINNER
Photographed from a helicopter over Lake Magadi, southern Kenya, in November 2022, this image shows two women carrying firewood across the lake. The aerial perspective highlights the lake’s unusual colouration, which shifts from red to purple depending on the angle of the view.
The final image emphasises the red hues, adjusted to match the scene observed. Lake Magadi’s colour changes are caused by chemical reactions between the algae and salt in the lake bed, intensified by evaporation from saline hot springs during the dry season.
For more information about the competition, click here.
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