Record-Breaking Competition Reaches Public Voting Phase
The 61st iteration of the internationally acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has set new benchmarks for participation and engagement within the professional imaging community. With submissions flowing in from 113 nations across all inhabited continents, the 2025 edition garnered an impressive 60,636 entries—a testament to the enduring appeal of wildlife photography as both an art form and documentary medium.
The competition’s prestigious jury panel unveiled their curated selections during the autumn months, recognizing exceptional technical execution, compelling narratives, and innovative approaches to capturing fauna in their natural habitats. Yet the celebration of excellence doesn’t conclude with the expert judges’ determinations. Instead, the competition has evolved to embrace democratic participation through its widely anticipated People’s Choice Award component.
The Public Takes Center Stage
Beginning immediately, photography enthusiasts, industry professionals, and casual observers worldwide can cast their votes for their preferred images from a carefully selected portfolio of 24 finalists. This democratic voting mechanism has become an integral feature of the competition, allowing the global audience to weigh in on which photographs resonate most powerfully with contemporary viewers.
The People’s Choice Award represents a significant departure from traditional competition models dominated solely by expert assessment. By integrating public opinion, the competition acknowledges that photographic impact transcends technical prowess and editorial judgment—it speaks to something fundamental about human connection with the natural world.
What Makes These Images Special
The 24 finalists represent the pinnacle of wildlife photojournalism, showcasing diverse subjects ranging from majestic megafauna to lesser-known species deserving greater conservation attention. These images employ varied compositional strategies, lighting techniques, and narrative approaches that collectively demonstrate the medium’s capacity to inform, inspire, and provoke meaningful dialogue about environmental stewardship.
The sheer scale of international participation—spanning continents and representing diverse ecosystems and cultural perspectives—ensures that the competition captures wildlife imagery from regions and subjects that might otherwise receive limited global exposure. This breadth of representation strengthens the competition’s role as a catalyst for conservation awareness.
Voting Opens Now
The voting period invites stakeholders from every corner of the photography world to engage directly with these remarkable images. Whether you’re a working professional, aspiring photographer, or simply someone who appreciates exceptional visual storytelling, your vote carries weight in determining which image ultimately claims this prestigious honor.
As environmental challenges intensify and wildlife conservation faces unprecedented pressures, competitions like these remind us of photography’s unique power to bridge the gap between scientific documentation and emotional resonance. The images selected for this voting phase embody that duality perfectly.
Visit the official competition website to view all 24 finalist photographs and cast your ballot for the image you believe best captures the beauty, complexity, and urgency of wildlife photography in our modern era. The deadline for voting will be announced separately, so wildlife photography enthusiasts should mark their calendars accordingly.