The winning images in the Academy’s 11th-annual BigPicture exhibition are a love letter to the natural world. Journey to where life is lush, unusual is beautiful, and animals inspire us to be more human.

Golden light bathes a monarch butterfly-cloaked forest. A school of tadpoles becomes a soaring squadron when seen from below. A long exposure transforms an Alaskan wolf into an ethereal specter.

Each of the winning images in the BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibition enshrines a fleeting moment that might otherwise escape our attention. Visit the exhibition at the Academy to embark on a visual odyssey around the world, where the triumphs, tragedies, and textures of our planet are on dazzling display.

BigPicture: Natural World Photography is open daily through April 13, 2025. Find it in the Piazza.

BigPicture: Natural World Photography wordmark

This year's winners

2024's winning photographs were selected from more than 7,300 submissions from 70 countries. Visit BigPicture to learn more about the eight winning images and 40+ finalists from all seven competition categories.

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BigPicture Peoples Choice winner Hunting Cape Gannet by Wayne Lai shows a diving gannet encircled by a school of sardines

The votes are in...

This year's competition included an all-new category: People's Choice. Nearly 5,000 total votes were cast for the 20 finalists, with Hunting Cape Gannet by Wayne Lai receiving the most votes. Congratulations, Wayne!

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BigPicture finalist A Moment In The Sun by Kathleen Borshanian shows an Arctic fox pup sitting on a lush cliffside in Alaska

Beyond the captions

Visit bioGraphic, the Academy’s online magazine about nature, conservation, and regeneration, for a showcase of 11 winning images paired with captivating backstories about the science behind the scenes.

Above: Terrestrial Wildlife finalist A Moment in the Sun by Kathleen Borshanian

 

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Photographer Suzi Eszterhas

Eyes on the prize

Chaired by world-renowned wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas, BigPicture's esteemed panel of seven judges includes international photo editor Sophie Stafford and award-winning nature and conservation photographers Jahawi Bertolli, Sandesh Kadu, Karen Kasmauski, Jo-Anne McArthur, and Kiliii Yuya.

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