Rajan Desai

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the Natural History Museum's annual competition and exhibition highlighting the unique and beautiful relationship between photography, science, and art. This competition is one of the most prestigious and well-respected competitions that illustrate the precious beauty of our planet. 

I am incredibly honored to share the news that my image "Tiny Spider vs Little chick" has been awarded highly commended in the Behaviour: Invertebrates category in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 58 competition. 

This competition has been my favorite for two decades, and I have always admired the photos showcased in it. This year the competition received around 40,000 entries from all over the world. Out of all of those images, only 100 images are accepted into the exhibition, and only 50 are awarded highly commended honor. 

The award ceremony was held on October 11, which happens to be my father's birthday. I lost my father to covid last year. This photo was one of my favorite photos taken in 2020. I used to get up at 3 AM and drive to my favorite beach to spend time with piping plovers and least terns. I remember talking to parents in India while driving to the beach. He was worried about my early drives but was very supportive of my hobby/passion. It is a beautiful coincidence that the award ceremony is held on his birthday this year. 

Awards

🏆   Highly Commended - WPY58