Wildlife Photographer of the Year

An absolutely breathtaking exhibition - I can't believe I've never attended before. The photographers are insanely talented - especially those in the kids category - and the order of the photos along with the blurbs paint a powerful story. 100% recommended even if you don't think of yourself as an art lover.

This is a truly incredible exhibition about mother nature, earth, human beings and animals that will make you fall in love with our wonderful world over and over again. 

Most of the photographers are non professionals and very young, which proves that sometimes to take extraordinary shots you only need a very curious eye. The numerous photos about our planet and many species inhabiting it, are like windows that open up in front of your eyes to show you that beauty is everywhere. The stories about the shots are very interesting, I wish I had more time and less crowd around to read them all.

I usually don't like paying to go to exhibition, but this is worth every penny. Don't miss it! 

As a lover of wildlife and photography, I was really looking forward to this exhibition and wasn't disappointed. It had a superb range of photographs from stunning landscape shots through to animal potraits. I especially liked the heaven on earth and urban fox photos. I also recommend checking out the 17 and under categories work. There's so much talent there. I couldn't give the exhibition five stars due to the NHM cramming too many people in the exhibition space so you couldn't thoroughly enjoyed it. Such a shame.

As a professional photographer I make sure I try and go to photography exhibitions when I can to see what my peers are putting out there and to often to get inspired. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year however is exceptional for me as it's the only one I've attended for seven years in a row (perhaps longer - my memory fails me) and don't plan to stop!

What keeps me coming back every year is the sheer beauty of the photography and the dedication and talent of the photographers who kindly share their images with us. Most are not professionals and lots of them live in places so far removed from London, you can't even imagine the life they lead but all of them have two things in common - their absolute love of nature and their talent at capturing it through a lens.

From gorgeous fluffy animals (this year my favourite on the cute factor was a beautiful white Hare captures in mounds of white snow) to stunning landscapes and abstract prints, the variety of photos is extensive. As you go through all the different categories, you will learn something new about the world, see something that makes you laugh and no doubt feel sad too and say 'wow' a lot. 

As a photographer I also enjoy reading the blurb under each photo to see how the shot was taken and, in particular, read the story of the photographer and how they got their shot. I'll give you a bit of a spoiler here, a lot of them built hides, got up at silly-o-clock and returned to the same places over and over again until they got what they wanted. That's dedication.

From scientific revelations to wonderfully clever new angles and an opportunity to see places you probably won't see in person, visiting this fantastic exhibition will take you on a photographic journey of our beautiful planet. A wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon in London!

(Allow 1.5-2hrs if you like to wander slowly and enjoy and 2-3hrs if you're geeky like me and like to read all the techy stuff. Also, if you can go on week day or book in advance and go early on a weekend to beat the crowds). 

There's something rather magical that happens in a corner of South Kensington as December rolls along; when the ice rink is aglow with fairy-lights from the Christmas carousel and the sound of swishing skaters echoes off the elegant stone walls of the Natural History Museum, a certain beauty falls over this part of town making it the perfect place for a wintry date with friends or loved ones and for the past 3 years, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition has made it even more of a must-visit part of town.

First thing's first, this is a popular exhibition and when I tell you to get there early, trust me. Don't think 'oh but it's the weekend' and trot along at lunchtime because frankly, unless you're in possession of a go-go-Gadget neck or some Bond worthy binoculars, you'll find it hard to get close enough to see the photos & read the accompanying text. Saturday at 10am is the perfect session to book - you'll be the first people in there and when you leave - approximately 90 minutes later after a leisurely amble round - you'll be full of wonder at the beauty you've just seen, not exhaustion from fighting your way through the crowds to see it.

Dropped lighting and quietly respectful murmurs from fellow photography fans all add to a peaceful atmosphere in each area of the vast-but-not-overwhelming gallery which is split into different categories, including a heart-wrenching look at humans interacting with nature - this year's glimpse of drugged, interbred big cats in China made me want to weep with both rage & sorrow - and an inspiring peek into the talent of those under the ages of 17, 14 and 10. The photographs span both global geography with settings as diverse as Namibia, British Columbia and Spain and subject matter with skulking foxes, curious bears & comedic chameleons proving some of the most unforgettable images. 

There are so many galleries, museums & shows fighting for a share of both your attention & your wages in London - it's just a tiny part of what makes this the greatest city in the world - and sometimes you don't know which ones are worth giving up £13.50 and a weekend morning for but I promise you, this one is. It has been for many years past and I guarantee it will be for many years to come...in a world where the emphasis is increasingly on instant & disposable fame as opposed to talent crafted through time & hard work, the skill of this global community of photographers will stay with you long after you've left.

The Wildlife photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum is great recommendation for anyone who loves nature, photography and travel. This is a regular event that occurs yearly and has been going strong for the last 40 years. Well presented and offers the ideal setting with each picture accompanied with a story behind the shot. Go and feel totally inspired by all the pictures and it is great to see such great works coming from younger photographers as well. This provides an ideal opportunity for a bit of escapism from the everyday realities of life and really makes the viewer, appreciate the natural world at its very best.

As much as I love exhibitions and galleries, I have always been reluctant to pay and see ticketed galleries especially when the other free stuff around the museum is already pretty amazing.  But boy, was this gallery incredible.

Showcasing some of the most incredible shots of mother nature and how it interacts with some of the most amazing species on earth, the picture on display is diverse ranging from urban animals, to arctic bears and underwater marvels. 

Accompanying each photograph are short paragraphs explaining the story behind each shot: what's happening in the photo, what each image is trying to capture, and to the budding photographer out there, helpful information about the camera setting and equipment used which helped capture the shot.

The gallery is housed in a darkened room which I felt helped me immerse myself in the gallery and the photographs were presented really nicely on backlit panels which really helps illustrate the clarity of the images as well as make the image and it's subject really pop out. 

I was amazed at the clarity of the photograph and even more so at the age of some of the photographers - as young as 10! It was also amazing to see pictures captured from the most desolate of places and it's just amazing the lengths these talented photographers went to capture these pictures for our viewing pleasure

With such a diverse range and large number of photos on display, you can be sure you'll find an image that will stick with you.

Like I say, I have for most part been reluctant to pay for ticketed exhibition. Having seen this, I think I'm more willing to pay and see more galleries and exhibitions like this in the future. This is an exhibition definitely worth seeing.