Powerful images of a leopard gecko and complex larvae patterns on autumnal leaves have won the RSB Photographer of the Year and Young Photographer of the Year competitions.
The 2018 theme ‘Patterns in Nature’ invited entrants to document the forms, sequences and structures of these fascinating details of biology.
The winner of the Young Photographer of the Year was 17-year-old Jack Olive from Devon who captured the fascinating image.
“The leopard gecko stared down the lens allowing me to take this picture. I wanted to show the yellow and black scale pattern as well as the beautiful eye.” Jack said.
“The array of yellow and black scales contrast brilliantly together” He added.
Leopard Gecko by 17-year-old Jack Olive, winner of the young photographer award
The winner of the Photographer of the Year competition came from Roberto Bueno and was captured on the forest floor in the Yukon valley in Canada. Roberto entry captures the minute detail of trails left by larvae.
“A little larvae is an autumnal surprise in the northern woods of Alaska and Yukon. The feeding behaviour of aspen leaf miner larvae, on the leaves of aspen, make interesting patterns, with intricate trails on every leaf.”
Trails of life won the Photographer of the Year competition. Image Roberto Bueno
Over 2,500 pictures were submitted from more than 900 entrants, and these were narrowed down to a shortlist of four for the Young Photographer of the Year award, and a shortlist of eight for the Photographer of the Year.
Held annually, the Photographer of the Year competition is open to amateur photographers aged 18 and over and the winner receives a prize of £1000. The Young Photographer of the Year competition is open to amateur photographers under 18 years old, and has a top prize of £500.
The shortlisted entries for the Young Photographer of the Year
Runner up: Spots of the Orbea variegata flower taken by Milo Hyde aged 10 in Surrey
A zebra having a drink at a waterhole in Lewa Reserve, Kenya taken by 17-year-old Imogen Smith
Rebecca Keen, 17, spotted this frog and its spawn located near the Southern end of Lake Windermere
Shortlisted entries for Photographer of the Year
Runner up: “Dragonfly wings are incredibly intricate and when viewed close up” A four-spotted Chaser wing by Sean Clayton
Highly Commended: Dinobryon Divergens is commonly known as golden algae. Håkan Kvarnström in Stockholm, Sweden
Flock of seagulls. “I shot this image near the gateway of India.” Viraj Ghaisas.
Steve Lowry captured the suckers on leg of Dytiscus beetle in Portstewart, Northern Ireland
Citric acid in crystal form: Henri Koskinen
Dead leaf or almost: A dead leaf grasshopper in Nován Stráž, Slovakia. Guilhem Duvot
A wide variety of foraminifera photographed using polarised light microscopy. By Steve Lowry