Hungarian Photographer Csaba Daróczi Wins Close-up Photographer of the Year Contest
Csaba Daróczi, a Hungarian photographer, has been named the overall winner of the Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) contest. His unique composition of a Eurasian nuthatch in flight taken from inside a hollow tree stump earned him the grand prize. Daróczi also won three different categories, making it an incredible accomplishment considering the competition received almost 12,000 entries from 67 countries.
Csaba Daróczi's Unique Composition
Csaba Daróczi, a photographer from Hungary, was awarded the grand prize at the fifth edition of the Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) contest. His winning photograph featured a striking black and white image of a Eurasian nuthatch in flight, taken from inside the hollow of a tree stump. The composition of the photo is truly unique and showcases Daróczi's talent and creativity.
Daróczi's winning photograph was not only named the overall winner, but it also took first place in three different categories—Butterflies & Dragonflies, Animals, and Intimate Landscapes. This is a remarkable achievement considering the fierce competition the contest received, with nearly 12,000 entries from 67 different countries.
The judges of the contest, a panel made up of 23 photographers, scientists, naturalists, journalists, and picture editors, spent over 20 hours collectively on Zoom calls to select the winners and the Top 100 photos.
Young Close-up Photographer of the Year
In addition to the overall winner, the contest also named 17-year-old Spanish photographer Carlos Pérez Naval as the Young Close-up Photographer of the Year. Naval's photo of a Moorish gecko climbing a wall captivated the judges and earned him the prestigious title.
Naval shared his experience of capturing the gecko in his village in Spain. He had been wanting to photograph these creatures in his 'petrified forest' for a long time, and climate change has now made it possible for them to survive in his area. The judges were impressed with Naval's ability to capture the gecko in its natural habitat and the striking composition of his photo.
The Young Close-up Photographer of the Year competition highlights the talent and creativity of young photographers and provides them with a platform to showcase their work.
Other Standout Photos from the Contest
Aside from the winning photographs, the Close-up Photographer of the Year contest featured many other incredible entries. Photographs capturing the beauty and intricacy of nature, both seen and unseen, were submitted across various categories.
Some noteworthy entries include Ria Bloemendaal's 'Reflexion' photo, which captures a beautiful reflection in the water of Trompenburg Botanical Garden in Rotterdam. Chris Gug's 'Pinkaboo' showcases a golden damselfish against a background of red sea whip coral, a vision that Gug had been working towards for many years. Victor Tyakht's 'Dune Wrestling' captures a fascinating moment of territorial conflict between toadhead agamas in the Kalmyk semi-desert.
The range of subject matter and the skill exhibited by the photographers in capturing the intricacies and beauty of their surroundings is truly remarkable.
