Stunning images unveiled as Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition returns to Sewerby Hall and Gardens in 2024

The world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, will open at Sewerby Hall and Gardens on Saturday, 4 May, featuring exceptional images which capture fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world.

Councillor Nick Coultish, Cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: “The return of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition to Sewerby Hall and Gardens is superb news! The exhibition has rightly proved hugely popular there for the last two years, and its unique mix of powerful and stunning images with underlying important environmental messages will prove another great reason to visit Sewerby Hall in 2024.”

Using photography's unique emotive power to engage and inspire audiences, the images shine a light on stories and species around the world and encourage a future of advocating for the planet.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind, providing a global platform that showcases some of the best photography talent from around the world for nearly 60 years. Launching in 1965, today the competition receives entries from 95 countries all over the world, highlighting its enduring appeal. The 2023 award-winning images are on an international tour that will allow them to be seen by well over a million people.  

The 2023 competition attracted an astounding 49,957 entries from photographers of all ages and experience levels from 95 countries. During an intense week at the Natural History Museum in London, entries were judged anonymously on their creativity, originality, and technical excellence by an international panel of industry experts.

The winning images, including the prestigious Grand Title Award winners, were announced last October during a glittering awards show hosted by wildlife presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin.

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum says: "We are facing urgent biodiversity and climate crises, and photography is a powerful catalyst for change. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of nature’s most wondrous sights whilst offering hope and achievable actions visitors can take to help protect the natural world."

Chair of the judging panel, Kathy Moran says: "What most impressed the jury was the range of subjects, from absolute beauty, rarely seen behaviors and species to images that are stark reminders of what we are doing to the natural world. We felt a powerful tension between wonder and woe that we believe came together to create a thought-provoking collection of photographs."

The brand new exhibition will run from 4th May until 14th July. Details are online now at: https://www.sewerbyhall.co.uk/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year/

Photo Credit - Winner of Young Photographer of the Year 2023 : Carmel Bechler from Israel, with this picture of barn owls nesting in an abandoned roadside building.