Written by: Bella White, Account Director
London’s Natural History Museum describes it as ‘nature like you’ve never seen it before’ – and they wouldn’t be wrong. Having visited the world-renowned museum in the past for various natural history and earth exhibitions, I have never had the opportunity to visit the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition despite the museum staging it each year. I now would avidly recommend adding it to your list of must-see exhibits in the capital, whether a tourist or native Londoner, and I will certainly be back again in 2024.
The extraordinary exhibition showcases many of the remarkable winning and commended photographic entries to the competition, accompanied by brief videos, excerpts from jury members and photographers, and enlightening perspectives from the Museum’s scientists. Whether it be polar bears caught looking out of an abandoned building in rural Siberia, a zoo worker cradling a dying gorilla during the Covid pandemic or a flamboyance of majestic pink flamingos stood with perfect reflections on the Bolivian salt flats, it is both moving and astonishing to have the opportunity to see such snapshots in time – and delve into the enthralling stories behind each image.
It can sometimes feel overwhelming to consider the scale and enormity of our planet and the ever increasingly worrying need to protect so many parts of it, but this exhibition perfectly captures its strength and delicacy and allows you to immerse yourself in the details that make up such abundant biodiversity. Discover the breathtaking beauty of places you may never have heard of, and the vulnerable nature of countless species that inhabit our planet.
For someone that is much more of a ‘people person’ than an animal one, I found myself immediately drawn into a melting pot of experiences, satiating my curiosity and thirst for knowledge – where these photographers had been and what they had intentionally or unintentionally experienced in photographing these moments – and certainly left feeling a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the delicate balance between humans and animals.
