A Once-in-a-Lifetime Encounter
Some images take your breath away; others stop your heart. Italian photographer Paolo Della Rocca’s mesmerizing capture of two snow leopards in India’s Spiti Valley does both.
Winning the 2024 Nature Photographer of the Year (NPOTY) wasn’t just about technical brilliance—it was the culmination of a lifelong dream. These elusive “ghosts of the mountains” have captivated Della Rocca since childhood. To not only find them but witness an unfiltered moment of wild play? That was beyond imagination.
The Shot That Became Legend
Let’s set the scene:
❄ A canyon buried in snow
❄ Temperatures plunging to -25°C
❄ A relentless blizzard
For six hours, Della Rocca waited, motionless, at the edge of this frozen wilderness. Nearby, a brother and sister leopard dozed in a cave, undisturbed by the freezing artist crouched in their world. Then, the storm lifted. The moment arrived.
When they started chasing each other, I thought I was hallucinating. It was surreal. I had dreamed of this since I was a child, and here it was, unfolding before me.
— Paolo Della Rocca
The winning shot captures the apex of their playful duel—two leopards, claws bared, bodies sculpted like marble statues against a pristine white canvas. It’s raw and poetic, primal yet delicate.
NPOTY Chairman Tin Man Lee called it “the holy grail of wildlife photography.” Why? Because snow leopards are notoriously elusive. Their natural camouflage and remote, rugged habitat make sightings rare. Capturing two mid-action, in perfect clarity? Almost mythical.
🖼 “Games Between Siblings” by Paolo Della Rocca (Italy) – Overall Winner
This isn’t just an award-winning photograph; it’s a story of patience, passion, and the fragile beauty of nature.
More Than a Contest: A Call to Action
While Della Rocca’s snow leopards stole the spotlight, the NPOTY 2024 awards were filled with images that do more than inspire—they urge us to act.
Spanish scientist and photographer Hector Cordero received the Fred Hazelhoff Award for his haunting series on migratory birds colliding with urban glass. His work reveals a silent crisis—over one billion birds die each year in the U.S. alone due to glass collisions, a consequence of unchecked urban expansion.
Other Category Winners:
- “Besties” by Marcia Walters (USA) – Animal Portraits, Winner
- “Colorful Seagull” by Mathijs Frenken (Netherlands) – Nature of “De Lage Landen,” Winner
- “Brace!” by D’Artagnan Sprengel (New Zealand) – Youth, Winner
- “Giant Octopus Dofleini” by Andrey Shpatak (Russia) – Underwater, Winner
- “My Pet Tiger” by Aaron Gekoski (UK/Philippines) – Humans and Nature, Winner
- “Black Lava Beach” by Baard Næss (Norway) – Landscapes, Winner
Each photograph is a testament to nature’s wonder—and its vulnerability.
Photography as a Mirror to the Wild
The Nature Photographer of the Year competition is more than a showcase of talent; it’s a mirror held up to the world—reflecting both its breathtaking splendor and its fragile state.
From the playful defiance of snow leopards to the silent tragedies of migratory birds, these images remind us that nature is both resilient and vulnerable.
Editor’s Choice
The NPOTY, year after year, becomes more than a contest. It’s a mirror held up to the wild, showing us both its splendor and its fragility. From playful snow leopards to the plight of migratory birds, the stories these images tell go beyond art—they’re calls to action.