Images of inspiration - Nature inFocus Festival announces winners of annual photography awards
In this photo essay, we showcase a range of award-winning photographs on nature, habitat and wildlife conservation.
Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 920 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.
The Nature inFocus Foundation has kicked off the 2025 edition of its popular annual festival this weekend at Jayamahal Palace, Bengaluru. See our coverage of the earlier editions from 2017 onwards here.
“The Nature inFocus Photography Awards celebrates photographers who document extraordinary natural history moments and spotlight critical conservation issues. We are building an impressive catalogue of imaginative and artistic images each year,” festival Founder Rohit Varma tells YourStory.
Runner-up - Amit Eshel - Kittens on a rock
The photography contest received an overwhelming response from the community, with more than 16,000 images submitted from over 35 countries. The two-day celebration of nature, sustainable habitat and wildlife conservation includes masterclasses, film screenings, photography competitions, and interactive experiences.
The Wingmasters inter-school nature quiz brought young bird enthusiasts together. Wildlife photographer Sudhir Shivaram conducted a workshop offering practical guidance for photographers looking to build an authentic digital presence.
A fireside chat titled Beyond the Wild, with Romulus Whitaker and Janaki Lenin, explored life stories, experiences, and conservation journeys. Professor Pankaj Sekhsaria shed light on the legal violations and misuse of science behind Great Nicobar’s Rs 92,000 crore mega-project, which could threaten Galathea Bay, a key nesting site for Giant Leatherback turtles.
Runner-up - Guru Raju
Prasenjeet Yadav spoke on storytelling of science and ecology, exploring how carefully-narrated stories can inspire action. The Bedi Brothers shared stories and challenges from four decades of wildlife filmmaking.
Jose Louies explores the hidden world of wildlife crime and trafficking, uncovering how illegal trade threatens species, ecosystems, and conservation efforts. A panel featuring Virat Singh, Ravi Chellam, and Preeti Zachariah explored the challenges, ethics and nuances of bringing nature and wildlife stories to the public.
Keynotes were delivered by historian and author Ramachandra Guha on India’s environmental trajectory, as well as Mewa Singh on how animals adapt to rapidly urbanising landscapes. Photography enthusiasts explored multiple stalls offering equipment, printing solutions, gear, and books.
Runner-up - Kashyap Naresh Raval – Fishing Spider
One of the highlights of this annual festival is the exhibition and ceremony of the Nature inFocus Photography Awards, curated by Rohit Varma, Kalyan Varma, and Saloni Sawant. Some of the images of the winners, runners-up and special mentions are showcased in this photo essay.
Winners are chosen in the categories of Animal Portraits, Animal Behaviour, Conservation Photography, Creative Nature Photography, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat, Portfolio, Coexistence, and Young Photographer (under 17 years of age)
Winners depicted the Arctic wolf–musk-ox encounter (Amit Eshel), a young chimpanzee lounging on a twisted vine (Federica Cordero), flamingos feeding at Ras Al Khor against Dubai’s skyline (Sarthak Agrawal), and a leopard feeding beside garbage and traffic (Rajat Chordia and Vidhan Dwivedi).
Runner-up - Raghuvamsh Chavali
A glowing, delicately lit cranefly image won the Creative Nature Photography award for Bidyut Kalita, while Sergey Bystritsky claimed the award for Wildscape and Animals in Their Habitat award for his glimpse of a fox in a forest clearing.
An underwater encounter with a Paper Nautilus during a blackwater dive got Tinnapat Netcharussaeng the Young Photographer award. A powerful photo-story tracing the impacts of deforestation, mining, cultivation, construction, and tourism on the mountains earned Rukhiya Mohammed the Portfolio Award title.
The winners this year were chosen by a six-member jury comprised of wildlife photographer Dhritiman Mukherjee, Jungle Lodges’ Chief Naturalist Karthikeyan S, Wildlife Conservation Society India’s director Vidya Athreya, environmental journalist Aathira Perinchery, IFS Officer Vijay Mohan Raj, and environmental photographer Arati Kumar Rao.
Special Mention - Dileep SS
Every year, the submissions reveal fresh perspectives on the natural world and urban habitat. They also shed light on urgent conservation challenges.
“The growing number of participants and the expanding geographical reach reflect just how global this platform has become,” Rohit Varma signs off.
Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
Special Mention - Eniko Kalovics
Special Mention - Gokul D
Special Mention - Pranjali Mulik
Special Mention - Pruthvi B
Special Mention - Ramprasad Dutta
Special Mention - Rathna Varshini Choudhry
Special Mention - Rithved Girishkumar
Special Mention - Rohan Shah
Special Mention - Sachin Bharali
Special Mention - Sergey Bystritsky
Special Mention - Sergey Gorshkov
Special Mention - Sergey Gorshkov (2)
Special Mention - Suliman Alatiqi
Special Mention - Debapratim Saha
Winner-Animal Portrait - Federica Cordero
Winner-Coexistence - Sarthak Agrawal
Winner-Conservation Focus - Rajat Chordia and Vidhan Dwivedi
Special Mention - Philippe Ricordel
(All photographs courtesy Nature inFocus Foundation.)