WildArt 2022 Competition Winners

2022 was another amazing year for WildArt Photographer of the Year. The competition received over 10,000 submissions from all over the world, the standard of which was simply awe-inspiring. Our judges certainly had a really tough job on their hands to choose the winners, and they spent weeks deliberating before a decision was made. Our sincere thanks go to everyone who entered the competition and made it such a success, and huge congratulations go to our WildArt Photographer of the Year winner for 2022 Jan Piecha from Germany and his incredible image of a Blackbird. This was our Founder’s Choice from Abstracts. Congratulations also go to Simone Baumeister, also from Germany, who wins our Best Portfolio Award. Our WildArt Young Photographer of the Year is Anton Trexler who makes it a clean sweep for Germany this year! His image of Starlings was a big favourite among the judges. All our winners epitomise the very essence of the competition which seeks to celebrate the artistic side of wildlife photography. Scroll down the page and feast your eyes on all our 2022 winners. Watch our awards presentation below to enjoy all the images, plus interviews with our winners, or click here to go directly to it on our YouTube channel.

WildArt Photographer of the Year 2022 Winner, ‘Flooded with Light’

Jan Piecha, Germany.

A common blackbird is singing during the evening hours. Actually I was waiting for a raccoon in the evening. However, he took his time, which is why I became aware of this blackbird. Sometimes special moments just happen unplanned and spontaneously.

Jan Piecha, WildArt Photographer of the Year Winner 2022.

WildArt Photographer of the Year 2021 winner **Csaba Tökölyi**

WildArt Photographer of the Year Best Portfolio 2022 Winner

Simone Baumeister, Germany.

I was born in 1969, and I live in a small town in Hungary with my family where I teach geography and physical education in an elementary school. I’ve been interested in nature photography for about 30 years. However, with my work and family commitments, I do not have much time to devote to nature and tend to concentrate on local subjects during the weekends. I don’t have a favourite subject or species, preferring to take pictures of everything I experience that provides an opportunity for an interesting and creative photograph. I enjoy taking part in photographic contests and I have won the title of Nature Photographer of the Year five times in Hungary, but I have also won many awards in other international competitions. I am extremely happy and proud that I have been awarded with the Best Portfolio Prize in the inaugural WildArt Photographer of the Year. Csaba Daróczi.

WildArt Young Photographer of the Year 2021 Winner

D’Artagnan Sprengel, New Zealand.

My name is D’Artagnan Sprengel and I am from Aotearoa, New Zealand. I have been taking photos since I was 10. For my 11th birthday I got my first DSLR (a Nikon D3400) and from there, photography became my passion. I mostly take photos of birds and insects as we have very few land mammals down here, but I also love doing astro-landscape photography. D’Artagnan Sprengel.

Our thanks go to Swarovski Optik for sponsoring this award.