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 Skilful hunters, mating rituals and vistas from the furthest corners of our world are captured in Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006, a photographic exhibition of the world's most striking natural moments which launches at the Natural History Museum on Saturday, 21st October.
The Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, organised by the museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine and sponsored by Shell, is the largest and most prestigious event of its kind. This year's judges scrutinised more than 18,000 entries from amateur and professional photographers in fifty-five countries to find the winning shot.
'The suspense is already mounting to find out who will win the coveted title of Shell Wildlife Photographer of Year,' says Deborah Sage, Competition Manager. 'Photographers have gone to even greater lengths to capture the drama and beauty of the natural world. This year's contenders include a whale shark feeding on a shoal of fish, bull elephants at dusk and a rare golden leaf monkey highlighted by the sun's rays.'
The exhibition will include ninety-two winning and commended images, including the new Creative Visions of Nature category. For the first time since the competition embraced digital imaging two years ago, digital pictures outnumber slides, representing nearly two-thirds of entries and almost ninety per cent of the winning images.
James Smith, Chairman of Shell UK, put the exhibition in context. "We are delighted to be sponsoring this wonderful competition. It highlights the importance of supporting global biodiversity", he said. "This is an area of considerable importance to us as a company and one to which we are keenly committed".
For many photographers, highlighting the richness and variety of life on Earth is just as important as capturing a wildlife moment with perfect composition and timing. Each picture in the display is captioned to reveal how and why it was taken. Visitors to this year's exhibition can also enjoy new elements that have been enabled through Shell's sponsorship. For example, through new interactives, visitors can find out what the judges, museum scientists and the photographers themselves thought about particular images. In addition, visitors can vote for their favourite image and choose from a selection of prints to take home.
The exhibition will tour the UK and four continents after its London debut, showcasing the very best photographic images of nature to millions worldwide. The competition also demonstrates the art and skill involved in wildlife photography, encouraging a new generation of photographers to interpret nature through the lens.
All prize-winning pictures will feature in a special souvenir supplement with the November issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine available from 19th October. The winning images will also be published in a commemorative book by the BBC, Portfolio 16, priced £25, available at the museum, through BBC Wildlife Magazine, bbcshop.com and all good retailers.
E&OE
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