Shutterbugs, short filmmakers dive deep into nature, win big time

Stop messing with the environment and do everything to conserve it. Sending out this message through arresting visuals and videos, a bunch of photographers and filmmakers dived deep into nature. Many of their works were so striking that awards came calling.

The Nature inFocus Film and Photography Awards 2020 announced recently showcased that creative outburst, dwelling deep into environmental issues, and wildlife and conservation efforts.

Of the 14,000 images in competition from 1,600 photographers worldwide, Yashpal Rathore won the top honour — the Photograph of the Year.

Rathore’s entry was a stunning shot of a bat frozen in flight against the urban sprawl of Bengaluru. The image also won the top prize in the ‘Wildscape & Animals in Habitat’ category.

Swedish photographer Magnus Lundgren won the Special Jury Award, while Sitara Karthikeyan was adjudged the Best Young Photographer.

The winners this year were chosen by a five-member jury comprising wildlife photographer Dhritiman Mukherjee, conservation scientist Divya Mudappa, senior journalist Prem Panicker, wildlife photographer Jayanth Sharma, and biologist and photographer Tasneem Khan.

The Conservation Film Category was won by Nitye Sood and Malaika Vaz for their film ‘Peng Yu Sai’.

The film ‘Kadar’ by Faraway Originals & Pollachi Papyrus won a Special Jury Award. The Natural History film category didn’t see a winner.

However, three films were awarded Special Mention Prizes: ‘The Birds of Play’ by Upamanyu Das, ‘Wings & Wetlands - A Story of Migration’ by Raghunath Belur and Sugandhi Gadadhar, and ‘Capuchin Culture’ by Luca Antonio Marino.