The winners of the National Biodiversity Week biodiversity photographer of the year competition have been announced.
The awards showcase the work of amateur photographers and celebrate Ireland’s diverse wildlife.
All photographs were taken in May. The contest again featured an Ocean category this year for marine life.
The winning image in the General category, taken by Lorraine Kelly, of a four-spotted chaser dragonfly in Co Meath impressed the judges, who were Frank Miller, former picture editor of The Irish Times, and Nick Bradshaw, photographer with The Irish Times.
RM Block
They said her photograph was “an obvious winner … beautifully captured with excellent composition, crisp and clear”.
Second place was of a photograph of startled squirrel in Ballyseedy Wood, Co Kerry, and was taken by Karol Waszkiewicz.
It was described as “a super capture of a fairly elusive and fast-moving subject”. They said they loved the creature’s expression and said “the wild garlic, moss and ivy all add to the success of this image”.
A photograph of two meadow pipits with caterpillars in their beaks, taken by Chris Howes, at the duck pond in Arklow town, Co Wicklow, took third place.
“Bird photography needs plenty of patience, photographic craft and, indeed, luck – a single bird portrait can be captivating, but to get the pair in the same frame is a bonus for the photographer,” the judges said.
The exhibition runs until August 31st at Sonairte Eco Centre, Laytown, Co Meath.
