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Forbes
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
20 Great Wildlife Photos To Vote For Your Favorite In The Win BigPicture Contest
Look At Me!, People's Choice Award finalist, Ishigaki-Island, Japan; A young Clownfish peers out from the shelter of a sea anemone. Reiko Takahashi Japan - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition The BigPicture Nature World Photography Competition by the California Academy of Sciences is inviting wildlife and nature photography lovers from around the world to have their say and vote for their favorite wildlife photos to win this year's prestigious People's Choice Award. From a young clownfish peering out from the shelter of a sea anemone and an argonaut fish hitching a ride on an unsuspecting jellyfish to the artistic silhouettes of four wolves traversing a snowy landscape in Yellowstone, the 20 finalist images selected by the contest's judges offer powerful insight into the remarkable beauty of nature. The voting for the 2025 People's Choice Award is open until midnight July 31. The winner — the photographer whose image garners the most votes — will receive $300 and have their image and profile featured on the BigPicture website. Their photograph will also be featured in the interactive BigPicture Exhibition on view at the California Academy of Sciences starting in fall, 2025. The BigPicture Nature World Photography contest, now in its 12th year, strives to inspire viewers to value and protect the remarkable diversity of life on Earth. It welcomes high-quality nature, wildlife and conservation images and is open to photographers around the world. Forbes Funny Animal Photos: 10 Front Runners For Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2025 By Cecilia Rodriguez Scroll down to see all of the images, then vote for your favorite on the voting form here. Aspen Shadow, People's Choice finalist, Yellowstone National Park, U.S. Four wolves traverse Yellowstone's snowy landscape. Devon Pradhuman, U.S. - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Four wolves traverse the snowy landscape of Yellowstone Park in the U.S. in search of their next meal. Their presence echoes through the minimalist beauty of snow and Aspen trees. Wolves are a polarizing subject regarding the lands they roam. In Yellowstone, they're relatively safe from human harm. However, just outside the park boundaries anything goes. There's no way for these animals to see the invisible lines humans mark as a 'boundary' and because of that, there is much contention about the management of these beautiful animals. Blue Dream, People's Choice finalist, Qilian Mountain National Park, China. Haiyong Cai, China - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A group of common meadow blue butterflies rests on the grassland, appearing at first glance like a large field of blooming flowers. Relaxing in the Snow, People's Choice finalist, Wapusk National Park, Canada. Daniel Valverde Fernandez, Spain - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Despite the unfavorable conditions of the Canadian tundra, this polar bear looks surprisingly tranquil and relaxed as it shakes off a considerable sheet of snow that has fallen on it during a big storm. Hitchhiker, People's Choice finalist, Ningaloo, Australia. An argonaut hitches a ride upon an unsuspecting Bell jellyfish. Caitlin Winskil, Australia - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition An argonaut, a type of octopus also called 'paper nautili' — a distant relative of the true 'nautili' — hitches a ride upon an unsuspecting bell jellyfish. Argonauts are open-sea octopi, which is odd as bell jellyfish are often found in harbors closer to shore. It's anyone's guess how this argonaut ended up hitching a ride, but it makes for one spectacular photo. In Mother's Arms, People's Choice finalist, La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica Dvir Barkay, U.S. - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A baby brown-throated sloth sleeps in the protective embrace of its mother's arms, ensuring it doesn't get wet during a downpour. Circle of Life, People's Choice finalist, Murcia, Spain. Angel Fitor, Spain - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A poignant portrait of the duality of life and death: A dying barrel jellyfish rests on a weed bed as thousands of newly born Mediterranean jellyfish bloom all around it. Cicada Awakening, People's Choice finalist. Illinois, U.S. Gavin Koester, U.S. - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A rare and striking moment: A massive cluster of yellow mushrooms at the base of a tree is surrounded by an overwhelming number of pharaoh cicadas. Despite their numbers, the cicadas seamlessly integrate with their environment, almost blending with the landscape, a reminder of the complexity and interconnectedness of nature, where even the most familiar species can create something awe-inspiring when they appear in such abundance. Pathfinders, People's Choice finalist, Svalbard, Norway. Jonas Beyer, Denmark - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A pod of Beluga whales glides gracefully through the frigid waters of a broken fjord, their white forms contrasting against the deep, icy blue. As they move in unison, threading their way through the maze of shifting ice, they embody the resilience and adaptability needed to survive in the ever-changing Arctic. Trapped, People's Choice finalist. Lucerne, Swizterland. Roman Willi, Switzerland - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A wasp spider feeds on its prey in a meadow. As the name suggests, these spiders are known for their distinctive yellow, white, and black markers and are remarkable orb-web weavers. The Frigatebird, People's Choice finalist, Vancouver, Canada. Liron Gertsman, Canada - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A magnificent frigatebird glides in front of a total solar eclipse. Over a year in the making, this image is all the more impressive once you learn that the eclipse is in a brief phase called the "Diamond Ring," where the slightest bit of sun is visible at the edge of the moon — meaning this photographer had only seconds to snap this spectacular shot. Vulture Restaurant 9, People's Choice finalist, Kawasoti, Nepal. Alain Schroeder, France - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Team members of the Jatayu Vulture Restaurant weigh a wounded Himalayan vulture . The first community-managed vulture restaurant, Jatayu Vulture Restaurant is a space specifically designed for vultures to be fed and nurtured in safety. It was established after the numbers of vultures were reduced from more than a million to just 20,000. Once this vulture has fully healed, it will be released back into the wild. Big Hair Day, People's Choice finalist, Tatamá National Park, Colombia. Nick Kanakis, U.S. - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A flannel moth caterpillar munches on moss while cocooned in the soft tangle of hair-like setae. While it may look fluffy and harmless, these setae in fact conceal venom-filled spines that produce a nasty sting. Urchin Spines, People's Choice finalist, Hokkaido, Japan. Sayaka Ichinoseki, Japan - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition What looks like a futuristic landscape is actually an extreme close-up of a purple sea urchin. These spike-like structures are actually moveable spines, alternating long and short, which the urchin uses not only for defense but as a means of transport as well. Dance of the Elements, People's Choice finalist. Mount Edna, Sicily, Italy. Philipp Egger, Italy - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Mount Etna is one of the tallest and most active volcanoes in Europe, making it a difficult subject for photographers, between battling toxic smoke and unpredictable winds at nearly 12,000 feet altitude. A primeval titan, its lava flow typically rests under a blanket of snow during the winter, but on this day the fiery soul of the volcano broke through. Sniff, People's Choice finalist, Victoria, Australia. Doug Gimesy, Australia -nBigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Border collie conservation detector dog Raasay undertakes kayak training with her handler Tracy to sniff out invasive aquatic weeds such as common cordgrass. Whenever Raasay finds a patch of spartina, she'll sit, lie down, or — if atop a kayak — point with her nose to alert her handler. Tracy will then log their location with GPS coordinates and that data point will be added to a detailed map of common cordgrass sightings slated for removal. Maternal Huddle, People's Choice finalist. California, U.S. Anton Sorokin, U.S. - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A glimpse into the unseen lives of amphibians: female California newts gather together in a ball as they lay their eggs at the bottom of a pond. This pond is more than likely the one in which these newts originated from, as newts tend to return to their own hatchplace to lay their eggs. Nuptial Gift, People's Choice finalist. Goronogosa National Park, Mozambique. Piotr Naskrecki, U.S. - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition During mating, a male Armored katydid presents the female with a spermatophylax, a nuptial gift in the form of a large, nutritious package produced by the male. The female will consume this gift, the purpose for which has been hotly debated as there's no explicit benefit beyond securing paternal investment. Fortress, People's Choice finalist. Emilia Romagna, Italy. Iacopo Nerozzi, Italy - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition A masterpiece of animal engineering: This pile of woodland debris is actually an enormous nest curated by Red wood ants. These big nests are made up of respective sections above and below the ground, which red wood ants create by burrowing into the earth, as well as accumulating needles, leaves, bark, and twigs. Powerless, People's Choice finalist, Diepenbeek, Belgium. Niki Colemont, Belgium - BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition While photographing another subject in a garden, Niki Colemont spotted a robber fly near a spider web. Curious if the fly might land in the web, he decided to stay and observe, eventually watching a quiet drama unfold as the spider made its move. Colemont was able to capture the moment. To vote for your favorite image from these 20 wildlife photos for the 2025 People's Choice Award of the BigPicture Photo Competition, go to the voting form here. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes World Naked Bike Ride: A Protest Against 'Indecent Exposure' To Car Culture By Cecilia Rodriguez Forbes Nature From Above: 20 Amazing Winners Of International Aerial Photography Contest By Cecilia Rodriguez Forbes Spiritual Tourism: 8 Iconic European Pilgrimage Routes And Ancient Trails By Cecilia Rodriguez
Sharjah 24
04-07-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
SRTA launches 2nd edition of 'Tareeq' summer program
Channelling youngsters' energy into productive pursuits Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, the Chairman of SRTA, highlighted that this summer program reflects the Authority's commitment to supporting young people. He emphasized the importance of directing their energy into constructive activities during their time off school, combining learning with fun in a safe environment. He stated, 'We aim to instill positive values in our children and enhance their social skills, which helps in preparing them to contribute to the development of our society.' Al Othmani noted that the program is part of the Authority's vision to create a supportive environment for its employees and their families. This year, the program has a variety of activities and new partnerships with both government and private organizations, designed to meet the interests of young people and inspire them to think creatively and explore future job possibilities. Interactive activities and sessions Fatima Al Hosani, who is the Deputy Director of the Human Resources Department at SRTA, explained that the two-week program will feature a range of engaging activities and workshops. These will be in collaboration with several organizations. Some activities include workshops on safety and prevention with the Sharjah Police, an interactive session on artificial intelligence with Sharjah Media City, and family counseling sessions called 'My Family is the Secret to My Happiness.' Field trip Additionally, the program will include visits to the joint operations room shared by SRTA and Sharjah Police, so kids can learn about the work of both agencies. There will also be a "job shadow" opportunity, which allows students to experience different work environments in various departments such as finance and information technology. The first week will conclude with a workshop titled "Big Picture," in collaboration with Kandem, followed by a course on information security with Digital Sharjah.
Forbes
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Newly Released Wildlife Images Winners Of BigPicture Photo Competition
Puddle Jumper, Aquatic Life Finalist. Mudskippers wrench themselves across mudflats, over rocks and ... More even up the trunks of mangrove trees; Goode Beach, Australia From the beautiful to the bizarre, the winners of the annual BigPicture Nature World photo competition by the California Academy of Sciences celebrate some of the world's best photographers and the year's most striking images of nature. The BigPicture Nature World Photography contest, now in its 12th year, strives to inspire viewers to value and protect the remarkable diversity of life on Earth. It welcomes high-quality nature, wildlife and conservation images and is open to all photographers around the world. Judged by a panel of nature and conservation photography experts, the competition's winning images and finalists highlighting Earth's biodiversity and the many threats our planet faces, win cash prizes and are exhibited at the California Academy of Sciences. A bold mother lemur leaping across a dangerous ravine captured by photographer Zhou Donglin took the overall Grand Prize of the 2025 competition. Taken in Madagascar at the end of the dry season, the courageous lemur risks a harrowing jump from a towering cliff to another -- carrying her baby along for the ride. Whether it's Donglin scrambling up a rocky peak to photograph the lemur or Kat Zhou, the winner of the Aquatic category, returning to a dive spot to photograph a female octopus giving her own life for her children, each photographer sacrifices to take the image they are after," the organizers explain. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Overall Winner BigPicture Photo Competition Leap of Faith, Grand Prize Winner, Tsingy de Bemaraha Nature Reserve, Madagascar Lemurs are remarkably lithe creatures. With long tails providing balance and powerful, slender limbs outfitted with opposable thumbs and toes, they move with ease through the craggy limestone spires of western Madagascar's Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Here, a common brown lemur leaps a over a 100-foot ravine, from one towering cliffside to another, with a baby clinging to her back. After a day of persistence on the photographer's part and under the glowing gold of the late evening light, her patience paid off when this plucky primate emerged onto the scene, likely leading the troop in search of food. Ordinarily brown lemurs have no set dominance hierarchy, with groups composed of males and females, old and young alike. But it appeared clear to this photographer that the focal lemur was the leader of the pack. This daring animal navigated her group deftly through the sharp peaks and crevices of the stone forest, resulting in the immortalization of this leap. In November, when this photo was taken, animals and plants in Tsingy de Bemaraha are nearing the end of a long dry season. After months of minimal rainfall, brown lemurs shift their diets from various fruit to the watery leaves of low-growing plants. This change comes at a vulnerable time for female lemurs, mere weeks after they've given birth. With their babies still nursing and unable to travel on their own, the mothers must strike out in search of sufficient water and nutrients — even if that quest requires a bold leap or two along the way. In Land And Water Winners Inside The Pack, Terrestrial Wildlife Winner, Ellesmere Island, Canada It's believed that the Arctic wolves of Ellesmere Island don't fear humans because they are neither hunted by nor habituated to them. This proved to be the case when, after 12 days of traveling by dogsled and snowmobile to get to the northern part of the island in Canada's far north, photographer Amit Eshel could get within striking distance and was suddenly approached by a pack of wolves. While documenting them, the photographer was surprised at how close they came, noting that at times they were almost touching him and he could smell their breath. While this may seem nerve-wracking, he believes they were simply curious and did not see him as a food source. Due to frequent subzero temperatures and remote, arctic conditions, not much definitive is known about these striking creatures and their behavior patterns. But such stories of curious, even playful, wolf encounters on Ellesmere aren't uncommon. Only about 200 Arctic wolves live on Ellesmere, which is roughly the size of Great Britain. Eshel hopes that the image illustrates the playfulness of these oft-feared predators — particularly in a place where human persecution hasn't compromised their natural curiosity. Pure Bliss, Terrestial Wildlife finalist, Chobe River, Botswana Photographed during a particularly dry and hot period, an adorable baby African elephant cools off on the riverbank after a long day of walking. The older elephants surround it, allowing the youngster to relax and play in the water while being protected from crocodiles lurking nearby. Staying close to mom however eliminates the danger. The Hunter In Action, Terrestrial WIldlife, Finalist, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile A familiar scene in an unlikely climate, a puma stalks a group of guanacos in a snowy Chilean terrain. Closely related to llamas, guanacos are camelids that have rich red blood cells, allowing them to withstand low oxygen levels at the high altitudes where they're known to live. Though not considered endangered, in this particular park their previously stark population has made a comeback in the last 30 years, allowing the pictured puma to thrive off their herds. My Octopus Mother, Aquatic Life Winner, West Palm Beach, Florida While octopuses may be known for their ability to change color and shape, their reproductive strategies are equally versatile. Some of the world's 300 or so octopus species are monogamous, others polyamorous. Some mate beak to beak, sucker to sucker, while others prefer to keep their distance. Male blanket octopuses, for instance, load up a modified arm with sperm, then detach and pass it off to a female. Once they've mated, the females of some species deposit hundreds of thousands of tiny eggs that hatch into larvae and drift on ocean currents for weeks or months before metamorphosing into juveniles. The Caribbean reef octopus pictured here, however, broods just a few hundred large eggs, tucked into a pipe, perhaps a remnant of a shipwreck. Once she lays her eggs, the female stops eating and guards her growing offspring day and night, which means that this incredible invertebrate will die shortly after the eggs hatch. Her babies will emerge as fully developed, miniature versions of their parents, ready to change color, squirt ink, hunt for food and live as small but full-fledged octopuses in the shallow seas around the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Photographer Zhou returned four times to capture the mother's determination to protect her young when they're most vulnerable. She hopes her work inspires empathy for marine life, including an animal whose behaviors differ wildly from our own but whose maternal instincts are entirely familiar. Yin Yang, Aquatic Life Finalist, Guraidhoo, Maldives Two reef manta rays engaged in a dinner dance. These rays famously feed in two ways: The first is called cyclone feeding, where hundreds of rays gather in high-density food areas, circling to form a large swirl of predator and prey. This image displays the second way rays feed, a process called barrel rolling. The rays swim with their mouths open, circling backwards in the same spot to feed on as many small fish and plankton as possible. Winged Photo Competition Winners Tiny Tent, Winged Life Winner, Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica At dusk, a family of six Honduran white bats roost on the underside of a leaf, preparing to take off in search of their dinner. As the first one departs, we're given a look at its nearly translucent wingspan, a feature often overlooked due to its unique facial features and iconic white fur. One of the smallest fruit-eating bats in the world, it's roughly the size of a golf ball and the weight of a quarter. Even with its wings outstretched, the diminutive species only reaches around four inches. As one of the more enigmatic species found near the La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica, this species works in teams, biting from the edges toward the mid-rib until the foliage falls in on itself, forming a simple tent that resembles an upside-down V. Groups of four to six bats will nestle together in these verdant shelters to rest until nightfall, when they venture out to find their preferred food – figs. Honduran white bats don't just build their own shelters — they also help shape the forests they inhabit. Queleas, Winged life finalist, Tsavo East National Park, Kenya While watching several mammal species – including an African bush elephant -- gather at a small pond to drink, a massive flock of Red-billed queleas birds suddenly descend. While documenting the breathtaking, swirling mass of birds, the photographer notes that he could feel the rush of air from tens of thousands of wings beating in unison, even from nearly 100 feet away. Baby On Board, Winged life finalist, Myuna Wetlands, Australia This image showcases the maternal instincts of a grey-headed flying-fox as she glides through a canopy with her baby in tow. The largest bat in Australia, grey-headed flying fox mothers keep their pups attached until they become too heavy to carry (at about four to five weeks), and are then left with other pups in 'crèching' trees, where they wait for their mothers to return at dawn after spending the night looking for food. They remain until they're strong enough to forage for themselves. Those initial weeks of attachment are brief and rarely documented in flight. This species is currently listed as vulnerable to extinction, with significant threats including continued habitat destruction and climate-change related events. Grey-headed flying foxes are vital for forest ecosystem health along the coast of Australia, assisting as 'night gardeners' of more than 100 plant species by helping seed dispersal and pollination. Individuals have been recorded as travelling more than 1,600 miles in a single year. The World of Familiar Insects, Winner, Photo Story series, In my backyard, Various Locations, Japan The unexpected beauty of a Common housefly as it shines like a jewel while covered in morning dew. This image is part of The World of Familiar Insects, Photo Story. It was taken in backyard taken in various locations in Japan. It's an undeniable fact that insects live close to humans at all times, but sometimes they are so small we may not even notice them. And even when we do notice them, they're often met with disgust and derision. In this series taken in the photographer's native Japan, we're given an unexpected look into the lives of bugs, in which the photographer uses his own customized lens to capture unique, up-close images of diversely colorful and impressive species. The fly won't be able to fly off until the dew drops evaporate and it completely dries off. Rhino Rebound, Human Nature Winner, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya Wildlife Service Black rhinos once thrived in Kenya. But rampant poaching in the 1970s and 80s drove them to near extinction. Government intervention and conservancy efforts have led to a modest rebound over the past 30 years thanks to anti-poaching enforcement and large-scale sanctuaries. But the work serving the current populations can be arduous and challenging – demonstrated here as the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team can be seen springing into action after a rhino reacted badly to anesthesia. Black rhinos can weigh as much as a small sedan and are known to gore people, which makes moving them a daunting task. Officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service undertook a massive mission: translocating 21 black rhinoceroses to a region where they hadn't lived for half a century when Kenya's 16 existing rhino sanctuaries became too crowded. Black rhinos suffering from overcrowding is one sign of an improbable success: Kenya's black rhino population plummeted from 20,000 individuals in the 1970s to fewer than 300 by the 1980s, mirroring the species' plight across central and eastern Africa as poachers killed the animals for their horns. Today, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists black rhinos as critically endangered. Photographer Ami Vitale was documenting the translocation of this female from the OI Pejeta Conservancy in central Kenya to the Loisaba Conservancy in the north when the rhino reacted poorly to anesthesia and stopped breathing. Veterinarians and handlers initiated a special resuscitation for large animals and administered drugs to reverse the effects of the anesthetic, saving the animal's life. Vitale says this image captured the moment the rhino recovered speaks to the danger that people are willing to face to bring back an imperiled species. The Art Of Nature Photo Competition Floating Upwards, Winner, Art of Nature category, Rügen, Germany When wind blows across the ocean's surface, it forms a wave. A single wave can travel thousands of miles before breaking on land. For example, some waves generated off the coast of New Zealand roll all the way to the West Coast of North America, taking up to two weeks to reach their final destination. And while small waves can move as slowly as five miles per hour, tsunamis in the middle of the Pacific Ocean reach speeds of 600 miles per hour. As they move across the planet, waves transport nutrients, plankton, and other building blocks of marine life. They also carry larger animals, including baby sea turtles, who use waves to orient themselves perpendicular to the shore as they push out to sea after hatching on beaches. People, too, use waves to navigate. Some Pacific Islanders are reviving a traditional practice called 'wave piloting', in which navigators chart a course in part by feeling the waves beneath their boat. Waves also impact life on land, tossing sediment onto shore that eventually becomes beaches and dunes where shorebirds and other wildlife find refuge. In Germany, where photographer Sandra Bartocha made this long-exposure image at sunrise, waves deposit up to 13 feet of sand per year in some locations and erode more than eight feet per year in others. Ghost of the Reef, Art of Nature, Finalist, Marsa Alam, Egypt A ghost goby conspicuously camouflages against coral. While small and unassuming, these cryptic fish are abundant and protein-rich, making them a critical part of reef food chains. But they've evolved naturally to evade predators. The ghost goby in particular, being partially translucent, can blend perfectly with surrounding coral. Landscapes, Waterscapes Icy Stare, Landscapes, Waterscapes, & Flora Winner. Southern Polish city of Rybnik A frozen lake photographed from a drone showcases one of nature's unblinking eyes, freckled by the footsteps of creatures unknown. I n this image, we're likely seeing the process in action of how lakes freeze from the perimeter to the center. This explains the staggered transition of coloration from snow, to ice, then ultimately open water. Taken in the photographer's hometown in the southern Polish city of Rybnik, the image would have been nearly impossible to take and it could become impossible again: Rybnik is one of Poland's largest producers of coal, and with that abundance has come rampant consumption. Until recently, most homes and residential buildings burned coal for heat, cloaking the city in a thick layer of pollution and giving it the unenviable title of the 'smog capital of Poland.' In 2010 alone, Rybnik experienced 130 days where the pollution was both hazardous and visible to the naked eye. Such smoggy conditions aren't conducive to the kind of drone-based photography that Marcin Giba uses in his work. Fed up with the government's inaction, a group of residents created Polish Smog Alert, an advocacy organization pushing for legislation to suppress the smog. Since their formation a decade ago, the group has helped enact policies that have replaced nearly 10,000 coal boilers across the city. Rybnik has experienced 11 years of above-average winter temperatures, leading to scarcer snowfall and fewer frozen lakes each year, prompting the photographer's conclusion: 'I feel that I'm documenting a vanishing beauty.' Desert Flood, Ladscapes, Waterscapes and Flora, Merzouga, Morocco In September, 2024, southeastern Morocco experienced a rare Sahara Desert flood caused by an extratropical cyclone. Villages including Tagounite were inundated with more than four inches of rain within just 24 hours, leading to flash floods that disrupted infrastructure and daily life. The deluge dramatically transformed the arid landscape, even filling Lake Iriqui — a dry lake bed untouched for more than 50 years. This extraordinary event highlights the growing impact of climate change as rising global temperatures increase atmospheric moisture and fuel extreme weather events. These changes are reshaping the Sahara Desert's environment, underscoring the urgent need for climate action to address intensifying weather patterns and their effects on fragile ecosystems. See all the winners and finalists of the BigPicture Nature World photo competition categories here. The 2026 competition will open for entries on December 1, 2025. MORE FROM FORBES
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Your photos of the West Midlands: Cathedral, cattle and composer
We love to feature your photographs showing the beauty of the West Midlands and here are some of the best from the past your images via BBC Weather Watchers or email us at midlandstoday@ inspiration, view some top tips from three of England's Big Picture photographers. When emailing pictures, please make sure you include the following information:The full name of the person who took the pictures (as this person owns the copyright)Confirmation that the copyright holder gives permission for the BBC to use their pictures across all its outputsThe location, date and time the pictures were takenYour telephone number so we can get back to you if we have any further other details about the pictures that may be useful for us to knowPlease note that while we welcome all your pictures, we are more likely to use those which have been taken in the past week. Follow for more pictures on Instagram from BBC Birmingham, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, BBC Hereford & Worcester, BBC Shropshire, BBC Stoke & Staffordshire and BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country.
Kuwait Times
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
Into the wild: Turning nature into art
Kuwaiti photographer Mohammad Murad's award-winning wildlife nphotography captures emotion, motion and the raw beauty of untamed life Into the wild: Turning nature into art In a rapidly changing world, the magic of wildlife is not just amazing — it's essential. Kuwaiti photographer Mohammad Murad captures what lies beneath the surface of the wild, transforming fleeting moments into hauntingly beautiful works of art. Since leaving his career as a communications engineer in 2015 to pursue photography full time, Murad has quickly risen to international acclaim. With over 60 awards from some of the world's most prestigious photography platforms — including BigPicture, World Nature Photography Awards, and Xposure — his work continues to inspire awe and admiration across continents. Kuwait Times: Tell us about yourself. Mohammad Murad: My journey into photography began as a personal curiosity and grew into a life-changing passion. I've always been drawn to the wild — to the raw, unscripted stories of animals living in the harshest environments. Today, I feel incredibly fortunate to be a Canon EMEA Ambassador and to have my work recognized on international platforms. KT: When did you start your photography journey? What inspired you? Murad: I started in 2014, but it was in 2015 that I fully committed to wildlife photography. The turning point came when I saw a fox crossing a road in the Kuwaiti desert. Something clicked — I realized there were untold wild stories right outside our cities. That encounter sparked a passion that's never left me. KT: How did you get into wildlife photography? Murad: I began by observing and photographing birds of prey during migration season in Kuwait. It was a steep learning curve — understanding animal behavior, lighting, timing and the importance of silence. Eventually, my curiosity took me beyond borders — from Kuwait's desert to Mongolia's tundra and Iceland's frozen terrain. Shivering Look "This Arctic fox decided to take a nap just behind some dry yellow planets covered with snow. I always wanted to get close to an animal to fill the frame with it .. but I don't want to scare it or make it uncomfortable. The fox looked right into my lens whilst covering his nose with its tail. This shot was taken in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve .. a remote place that you only get there using a boat! it was a rough ride in the sea going to this island." A Sword in the Chest "Two white-cheeked terns fighting for territory in Kubbar Island in Kuwait, one is pushing its beak to the other chest in what it look like a sword in the chest! Kubbar is famous for its large summer colonies of breeding terns. The white-cheeked terns build their nests in a more elevated area and these scrapes are either found either on the bare ground or in areas where there is some patchy grass cover, but all with no shelter at all from the brutal summer sun." Night Killer Arabian horned vipers are famous in Kuwait, specially where I work. I work in the transmitter station for both TV and radio. The station is in the far north of Kuwait, and it's filled with scorpions and snakes! I decided this night to go for a walk behind our building, and while I was on a walk with my torch searching for wolf spiders to try micro-photography, this is when I spotted this snake under a small plant. I started taking pictures when it decided to take a walk too on the sand dunes." Glowing Scorpion "They say an untrampled scorpion troubles no one. I found this black-tailed scorpion in a small farm in the Kuwait desert at high noon! I thought it would be more creative to put an ultraviolet light on it to make it pop up and glow against this big tree trunk fallen on the ground." Impression of Africa "Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and sometimes in the middle of nowhere you find yourself! I see myself in this lion wandering between trees, bushes and sands protecting its territory or finding life or even making one in this gorgeous God-made heaven -- Africa: The place I found myself in." They say the world of art is limitless! Unusual Forms of Art for a baby elephant and its mother taken in Tanzania I have this inside desire to photograph in slow shutter .. something about it just fascinates me and i'm not talking about panning technique here .. i'm talking about reinventing the scene .. adding a touch of mystery to it .. something to represent me .. something to reflect my inner self It's like when a violinist plays his melody in his own way to express something inside him .. maybe a feeling .. a happy or a sad feeling .. Maybe you will not understand .. and maybe you will .. but that won't affect the violinist at all .. he just want to be heard .. he will leave the interpretation to whom ever they are Photography is an Art form that represent me well .. every image that i take is like reinventing a part of me .. adding a touch of mystery to it .. something to reflect my inner self Desert Racer "Captured in the Kuwait desert in 2022, this Arabian toad-head agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus) braves extreme weather conditions with remarkable composure. Known for their 'sit-and-wait' hunting strategy, these desert reptiles rely on sharp visual orientation to locate their prey. This particular agama struck a dynamic pose, perched atop desert vegetation, as if mimicking the stance of a rider on a racing motorcycle. The image brings together the creature's resilience and our imagination as photographers, showcasing a rare moment of nature's artistry in the heart of the arid landscape." Domination "A lappet-faced vulture attacking white-backed vultures. More than 15 white-backed vultures were eating a dead animal when this lappet-faced vulture came and attacked them all and took the dead animal for itself! It is such a big bird comparing to them, and they are really afraid of it!" Yellow Between the Stars "This was taken in South Africa at a drinking station were small birds and sometimes animals come to drink and take a bath. It is designed to be used in the morning so the sun will be behind you and hits the birds. but i went there in the afternoon to get the light behind the birds, specially when they take a bath. This starling was a dark blue already, so with the light from behind, it turns into a silhouette. The idea is to go under in the exposure to darken everything and keep the water drops shiny." Urban Glow and Wild Spirit 'I spent over two months documenting a family of Arabian red foxes near the shore in Doha. Visiting several times a week, I used handheld lights and streetlight reflections to capture nighttime shots as the mother fox and her five cubs emerged to retrieve hidden food. Over time, the cubs grew comfortable with me, even approaching and licking my camera. As a father of five, I felt a personal responsibility to protect them, especially given the threats foxes face in Kuwait. My visits were about more than photography — they were about trust and ensuring the animals' safety.' The Rising Trunk "Unusual forms of art of a baby elephant and its mother taken in Tanzania. This illustration is a take on the saying 'If you stand too close to the elephant, you don't see the elephant'. In abstract photography, often there aren't the usual frames of reference for the viewer; they are not looking at anything immediately recognizable or discernible. This lack of context in which to evaluate an image is one of the reasons why abstract photography can be so challenging and equally enthralling. I tried here is to zoom in and take out the baby elephant out of the picture by cropping the image. You can't get close to the elephant for your own safety and for the elephant and not make them uncomfortable. I stayed with this baby and its mum for about two hours just to try to get close at a safe distance to get this shot once the baby elephant wanted to nurse milk." Photographer Mohammad Murad Between My Feathers "A white-tailed eagle landed and rushed toward a fish caught by crows. I spent 12 hours a day in a hide to get this exact shot. I've always dreamed of capturing a bird's eye peeking through its feathers in flight — it's incredibly difficult and takes a lot of luck. I believe I was lucky to catch this moment just as the eagle was landing." Murad's award-winning pic Kuwaiti wildlife photographer Mohammad Murad has won first place in the Wildlife category of the 2025 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition held in California. His winning image, titled 'No Eyes', features a frost-covered Pallas' cat in Mongolia and was selected from over 8,000 global entries. The photo will be exhibited at the California Academy of Sciences starting October 2. Murad, the first Arab wildlife photographer to join the Canon Ambassadors Program, dedicated the award to Kuwait's leadership and emphasized the role of visual storytelling in environmental awareness. No Eyes "This photo captures a Pallas' cat in eastern Mongolia, completely covered in snow after a harsh storm in -35°C temperatures. Adapted for extreme conditions, the cat uses its flat ears and high-set eyes to blend into its surroundings and remain alert while hidden. Used to Kuwait's heat, I endured the freezing weather to capture this rare moment. Pallas' cats face threats from hunting, habitat loss and deep snow that limits their mobility, contributing to high winter mortality. Despite these challenges, improved research led to the species being reclassified by the IUCN in 2020 from 'Near Threatened' to 'Least Concern.' The image highlights both the cat's resilience and the dedication required to document such wildlife." KT: Why do you use slow shutter speeds and intentional motion in your photography? Murad: I didn't want to simply document wildlife — I wanted to express its emotion, energy and soul. Slow shutter speed and intentional motion let me do that. They turn a moment into a mood, a photo into a feeling. For me, motion blur reflects nature's poetry — the chaos, the grace the rhythm of life. KT: You've photographed in extreme environments. What was one of the most challenging shoots? Murad: Photographing the elusive Pallas' cat in Mongolia was one of the toughest. I worked in temperatures as low as -34°C, with biting winds and minimal shelter. At one point, I captured a cat whose eyes were completely covered in snow — yet it was fully aware of its surroundings. That moment reminded me how resilient nature is, and how much we can learn from it. KT: What does international recognition mean to you? Murad: It's a great honor, but more importantly, it validates the stories I'm telling. These awards bring attention to the animals, the environments and the fragile beauty of the wild. Personally, it keeps me going. Professionally, it opens doors and connects me with creatives and conservationists around the world. KT: Is there one award that holds special meaning? Murad: Definitely. Being selected as a finalist in the 2025 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition for my image 'No Eyes' — taken in Mongolia — was especially meaningful. The photo came after enduring a brutal snowstorm. It captured both the resilience of the animal and my own journey beyond limits. Being the only Arab finalist made it even more powerful. KT: What has wildlife photography taught you? Murad: Patience, humility and presence. Every animal has its own rhythm, and to photograph it, you have to tune in. I aim to tell a story — not just about the animal, but its environment, its struggle and its beauty. Stories spark empathy, and empathy leads to protection. KT: What advice do you have for aspiring wildlife photographers? Murad: Start close to home. You don't need to travel far to find wonder. Learn your subject's behavior, be patient and ethical and stay persistent. Most importantly, remember — photography isn't just about taking pictures; it's about making people feel something. KT: What's next for you? Murad: I'm preparing for a 21-day expedition to a snowy wilderness where I'll explore the intersection of ice, wildlife and motion. I'm also working on an article that explores my slow-shutter, abstract storytelling approach. Beyond that, I hope to keep pushing creative boundaries and inspire others from the Middle East — and beyond — to tell their own wild stories.
