In October, we invited you to take part in our Autumn Wildlife Photography Competition 2022. As the entries rolled in, it quickly became clear that choosing between them would be no easy feat, and – as always – we were incredibly inspired by the talent that lies within our Rest Less community!
Many would argue that autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year – our natural world is bursting with rich, vibrant colours, and wildlife has one last burst of energy before the winter sets in. The photos we received certainly reflect that and we’re excited to share them with you.
Thanks so much to everyone who took part. We’ll have plenty more competitions in 2023 so keep an eye on our weekly newsletters for the next announcement.
But for now, here are our 10 winners…
First place winner: “Dawn Deer”
By Natalie Kemp
Location: Leicestershire
“Early morning shoot of deer rutting at Bradgate Park.”
Second place winner: “Hide and seek”
By Bernard Kuhn
Location: Kingston-Upon-Thames
“The mating season for deers has started. Some females are hiding away from the bucks in the ferns. They are difficult to spot as the ferns have started to turn brown in the autumn.”
Third place winner: “A new visitor”
By Lorraine Guiver
Location: Essex
“A new visitor; a fox with black legs in my garden near Wallasea Island.”
Winner: “Autumn spider”
By Miranda Beer
Location: Devon
“This was taken in my garden in Plymouth in September – a spider with her wrapped prey!”
Winner: “Fairy houses”
By Vanessa Garner
Location: Malvern
“We were walking in the Malvern Hills and came across these stunning bright red toadstools. They really brightened up the autumnal forest floor and conjured up childhood memories of fairy stories.”
Winner: “Nature’s finest”
By Bettina Baker
Location: South Norfolk
“Since Covid, I like going on photo walks using my mobile. I enjoy taking close-ups of animals and plants. On a walk at the Raveningham Estate near Beccles, I spotted this dragonfly sunbathing on a sign. Luckily he/she sat long enough to allow me to capture his/her beauty.”
Winner: “Life is better in the garden”
By Neil Hedge
Location: Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
“This is Robbie. He visits our garden regularly because he feels safe and can also find food here.”
Winner: “Highland Cow”
By Vicky Metcalfe
Location: Hellifield, North Yorkshire
“This is a Highland cow, where I live in Hellifield. It was taken last October.”
Winner: “Fungus growing on wood”
By Catherine Harvey
Location: Norfolk
“My photograph is of a Phaseolus Spadiceus fungus that was growing at the base of a fallen larch tree.”
Winner: “Contemplating robin”
By Rachel Williams
“My posing robin in the garden contemplating the bug. It stayed on a perch for quite some time.”
Note: Copyright is owned by the individual contributors. Photos should not be republished without prior written permission from the individual photographer.
Final thoughts…
From fungi and spiders to birds and deer, the UK is home to an abundance of wildlife; and looking through these photos is a great reminder!
If you’ve been inspired by the photos above and would like to get more involved in photography, then you might want to check out our beginner’s guide to photography or our list of 8 fun photography projects that you can start today.
We also have a wide range of photography courses available through our website, which you can browse below!
Are you a keen photographer? Will you be taking part in our next photography competition? Were you particularly inspired by any of the photos above? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.