CUPOTY CHALLENGE:
Death & Decay

WINNERS GALLERY

Winner

Willem Kruger | Hyena Portrait Zebra

‘Early one morning during a game drive in Kruger National Park, South Africa, my wife and I came across three spotted hyenas walking along the road. One was carrying the head of a zebra, presumably from a nearby lion kill, and was heading straight towards us. We parked at the roadside as the hyena approached and walked past our vehicle. We followed for a while, hoping it would lead us to the den. After a short distance, the hyena left the road and melted into the bush. In nature, almost nothing goes to waste – even hyenas have a family to feed, and they do it with remarkable commitment.’

Technical information:
Nikon Z6
Nikkor 600mm f/4 ED AF-S VR

f/4, 1/2000sec, ISO 800

Gimpro head on Gimpro window mount attached to vehicle

Further information:
willemkruger.wordpress.com

2nd Place

Juan J. Gonzalez Ahumada | True Love

‘When the breeding season arrives, common toads congregate in ponds to mate. Often, several males court a single female, and sometimes she can die from suffocation, unable to surface for air amidst the throng of males surrounding her. In this case, several males had courted the female unsuccessfully and when tragedy struck, they all abandoned the scene. Only he remained, embracing her body – his true love.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS 6D
Canon 70–200mm f/2.8L USM
f/6.3, 1/640sec, ISO 200

Further information:
Instagram: @jjgahumada

3rd Place

Gaël Modrak | Dead Chick of the Pond

‘We were diving in a pond near Paris, and I was searching for interesting subjects in this rather barren setting when I discovered the body of a waterfowl chick lying on the bottom. The scene, though macabre, inspired me. I switched to my wide-angle lens to capture the sombre atmosphere, positioning myself to incorporate rays of light filtering down through the murky water, lending a mystical, almost reverential quality to the image.’

Technical information:
Nikon D300s
Nikon 10.5mm fisheye
f/13, 1/60sec, ISO 640

Further information:
Instagram: @oceanographismes
Facebook: gael.modrak.3

Finalist

G Ramaprasad | The Fly Wing Trophy

‘While searching for interesting insects to photograph in my backyard in Honnavar, Karnataka, I came across a fascinating trashline orb weaver spider. These spiders have always captivated me with their intricate and uniquely designed webs. On this occasion, the spider had incorporated the delicate wing of a fly into its web, almost as if it were a trophy from a recent hunt. The scene felt like a natural work of art, showcasing both beauty and predation in perfect harmony.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS M50 Mark II
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
f/10, 1/200sec, ISO 200
Godox TT520II flash with Radiant diffuser

Further information:
Instagram: @ramprasad.g_photography

Finalist

Alex Pansier | A Warning from the Wild

‘I was photographing the structures and textures of old fishing nets in Iceland when I noticed a crow’s foot emerging from the tangled ropes. At first glance, the scene appeared as an abstract composition of lines and patterns, but the dark claw revealed a more unsettling detail. The contrast between the sharp black foot and the pale woven nets transforms the image from a study of texture into a subtle reminder of how wildlife and human activity intersect in unexpected ways.’

Technical information:
Sony A1
Sony FE 24–70mm f/4
f/14, 1/400sec, ISO 500

Further information:
Website: alexpansier.com
Instagram: @alexpansier

Finalist

Juan J. Gonzalez Ahumada | The Souls of the Swamp

‘On the edge of the Zahara de la Sierra reservoir in southern Spain, the remains of a fallen tree take on the appearance of a gnarled, talking face. Beyond it, standing in the dark water, another dead tree rises like a ghostly apparition – its counterpart on the shore seemingly praying for its soul. To capture this image, I employed a complex in-camera technique, combining two focal lengths in a single long exposure. Working on a completely dark night with no moon or light pollution, I began at 70mm, using a halogen flashlight to illuminate the foreground wood. Then, in total darkness, I zoomed to 200mm and lit the distant tree for a few seconds, giving it greater prominence in the frame.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS 6D
Canon 70–200mm f/2.8L USM
f/4, 33sec, ISO 100
Tripod, halogen flashlight

Further information:
Instagram: @jjgahumada

Finalist

Emanuele Biggi | Eyed Food

‘I was photographing tadpoles and froglets around a shallow stream pool on the island of Nosy Komba, Madagascar when I caught a rapid movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see this large fishing spider (Nilus sp.) clutching a freshly caught froglet. I began shooting this tiny but dramatic scene of predation in the middle of the Malagasy forest. The spider fed from the back of its prey, so the lifeless eye of the froglet remained visible almost to the end of the feast.’

Technical information:
Nikon Z8
Nikon Z 50mm Macro
f/22, 1/100sec, ISO 64
Flash with custom diffuser

Further information:
Website: anura.it
Instagram: @emanuele_biggi

Finalist

Jacek Hensoldt | Parasite

‘IThis is a cluster of shield bug eggs parasitised by the wasp Trissolcus semistriatus. The females lay their eggs inside the host eggs, where the larvae feed on the contents – the death of one becoming the prerequisite for the life of another. Through the translucent eggshells, the tiny heads of the developing wasps are already visible; in some, you can even distinguish compound eyes and antennae. One adult has already emerged but seemed in no hurry to leave without its siblings, which allowed me to photograph the scene at a relaxed pace. The adult wasps are only 0.9–1.3mm long and completely harmless to humans. What fascinates me most is how symmetrically the eggs are arranged. The final image is a focus stack of 32 frames merged in Helicon Focus.’

Technical information:
OM System OM-D E-M1 Mark III
OM System Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS + MC-20 2x teleconverter
f/13, 1/50sec, ISO 200
Godox V860III flash with diffuser

Further information:
Website: macrobyphotojack.de
Instagram: @macro_by_photojack

Finalist

David Silsbee | The Grip of Winter

‘Walking along a river on a cold January morning in Connecticut, I had planned to photograph the icy water. Instead, my attention was drawn to swirling patterns of ice in woodland pools away from the river. The ice was unsupported in places where the water had receded and was extremely fragile – I couldn’t step on the edge or even slide a tripod out without it cracking or collapsing. The challenge was to lean out as far as I could over the ice to photograph it from above without breaking anything. I couldn’t compose carefully in that awkward position, so I shot wider and cropped afterwards.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS R5
Canon 24–70mm
f/11, 1/80sec, ISO 1600

Finalist

Pål Hermansen | Mallard in Ice

‘I discovered this dead mallard lying in a small Norwegian lake that had just frozen over. I realised it could make an interesting image, so I decided to cut out a piece of ice including the bird and take it up onto the bank. There I could make a portrait of the duck, seen from below – the ice acting as a window into death, preserving every feather in perfect detail.’

Technical information:
Hasselblad 203 FE
50mm
Fuji Velvia 50
f/16, 1/125sec
Tripod

Further information:
Website: palhermansen.com
Facebook: Pål Hermansen

Finalist

Ken Bluma | Marionette Serenade

‘While exploring my local state park in Illinois, I noticed a small object hanging in the vegetation at the edge of the trail. After a closer look, I could see it was an acorn weevil, or rather what remained of one. Looking through the macro lens revealed it had died some time ago and all that was left was its hollowed-out exoskeleton, suspended on a strand of silk. The scene slightly resembled a string puppet performance, the tiny body twirling gently in the breeze. I kept my lighting low, which I felt matched the sombre mood of the scene.’

Technical information:
OM System OM-D E-M1 Mark III
OM System 60mm Macro
f/10, 1/160sec, ISO 200
Godox V350 flash with Cygnustech diffuser

Further information:
Instagram: @kbmacroart

Finalist

Jason Gilbody | Feathers in the Wind

‘This American kestrel and its family reside in a cemetery in Massachusetts. It habitually hides its prey in the flowerpots placed at the gravestones. On this occasion, the kestrel pulled a sparrow from one of those pots and brought it to a nearby gravestone to feed. It was a windy day, so as it plucked the sparrow, the feathers floated away in the breeze, a fleeting, almost poetic scene set against the stillness of the cemetery.’

Technical information:
Canon EOS R5
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM
f/4, 1/320sec, ISO 4000

Further information:
Instagram: @jgwildphoto

Finalist

Martin Malies | Crazed Paint

‘This is part of an abandoned shipping container on Dungeness Beach, Kent. I was fascinated by the chaotic, abstract patterns of the dilapidated paintwork, which were conveniently and very effectively framed by the dark metal edges of the container. The cracked and peeling surface had taken on a life of its own, with layers of colour and texture that felt more like an abstract expressionist painting than the side of a rusting box.’

Technical information:
Nikon D750
Nikon 70–200mm f/4G at 70mm
f/8, 1/125sec, ISO 100
Tripod, cable release

Finalist

Pete Burford | Bee Meal

‘Near the beach by my hotel in Crete, I discovered a cluster of flowers inhabited by several flower crab spiders. These spiders can change colour to match their surroundings, and bees were constantly visiting the flowers for nectar, giving the spiders the perfect opportunity to ambush any that ventured too close. When I found this particular spider feeding on a bee, I wanted to capture the moment from the bee’s point of view as most crab spider predation shots focus on the spider, not the prey. Because both spider and bee were hanging downward, I flipped out my LCD screen and positioned the camera directly underneath, shooting upward to frame the bee head-on. The Cretan sunlight was so intense it blew out the background completely, so I used a card behind the flower to control the backdrop. Focus stacking was challenging in the sea breeze, and I had to time each burst carefully between gusts.’

Technical information:
OM System OM-D E-M1 Mark II
OM System 60mm Macro
f/5.6, 1/200sec, ISO 200
Godox V350 flash with Cygnustech diffuser, background card

Further information:
Instagram: @pbmacro