A record year and a first glimpse of the shortlist

The Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has released a preview of its 2026 shortlist, offering a first look at some of the 100 images selected from more than 65,000 entries. The competition, now in its 62nd year, is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London, according to the Evening Standard and TechRadar.

Kathy Moran, chair of the jury, said: “Every year I think the entries to our competition can’t get any stronger and every year I am proven wrong!” In a statement reported by both the Daily Mirror and the Evening Standard, she added: “Selected from a record-breaking 65,403 images, this preview presents just a small insight into the 100 incredible images in store for visitors to our exhibition in October. These images pave the way for a deepened appreciation and commitment to our natural world.”

The images: from bullfrog to polar bear

Among the previewed entries is Jens Cullmann’s split-second shot of an African bullfrog lunging—and missing—an African baboon butterfly, a moment the Daily Mirror describes as captured at eye level with the aggressive amphibian. Also featured is Ernest Porter’s “Mutual Friends,” showing an oxpecker cleaning its bill against a rhino’s skin in South Africa, and Allegra Hutton’s image of a young leopard chasing a squirrel up a tree in Botswana.

Audun Rikardsen’s photograph depicts an inquisitive polar bear gazing down a seal’s breathing hole in Arctic sea ice, as reported by the Evening Standard. Jack Crockford, a young photographer in the 15–17 years category, captured a swift in flight with its silhouette echoed by a plane approaching Heathrow Airport, a detail noted by both the Evening Standard and TechRadar. Ralph Pace’s image shows a sea hare gliding through an eelgrass meadow in Monterey Bay, California.

Judging and winners’ announcement

The photographs were judged anonymously on creativity, originality, technical excellence, and storytelling by an international panel of experts across wildlife photography, filmmaking, science, and conservation, according to PetaPixel and the Evening Standard.

The category winners and the Grand Title and Young Grand Title awards will be announced on Tuesday 13 October 2026 at a ceremony hosted at the Natural History Museum, which will be live-streamed on the museum’s YouTube channel, as reported by PetaPixel. The ceremony will be hosted by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin, according to the Evening Standard. The full set of 100 winning images will be exhibited at the museum in South Kensington from October 16, 2026 to July 11, 2027, as stated by the Evening Standard.

Camera gear in the spotlight

TechRadar’s analysis of the preview images notes that the most-used cameras among the sixteen shots on the list are two Nikon DSLRs: the D500 and D850, each used for two images, representing a quarter of the list. Dewald Tromp’s “Eye of the Storm,” depicting a chameleon in a sandstorm, was captured on a Nikon D850, as was Ralph Pace’s sea hare image. Jack Crawford’s swift photograph was shot on a Nikon D500, and Shane Gross used a Nikon D500 in an Aquatica underwater housing for his image of a school of bigeye trevally. TechRadar describes the Nikon D850 as a 2017 full-frame camera with 45.7MP and a 153-point AF system, while the D500 is noted as a ten-year-old APS-C model. The full camera list also includes a DJI Mavic drone and a Leica Q3 43 compact.

Perspectives

Museum director Doug Gurr

Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said: “At a time when nature is under more pressure than ever before, these photographs remind us of both what is at stake and what is worth protecting.” This quote was reported by the Evening Standard.

Sponsor CEO Bill Huffman

Bill Huffman, CEO of Nuveen, the lead corporate sponsor, said: “Each entry shares a unique perspective and challenges us to consider powerful themes, including the bonds between nature and humanity.” This quote was also reported by the Evening Standard.