A board member of the Farallon Islands Foundation, Bob Lewis has taught birding classes in the Bay Area for over 25 years. In his Around the World in 80 Birds presentation, he shares ornithological photos from his travels to Madagascar, Borneo, Hawaii, Indonesia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and Cuba.
The Nature's Best Photography Awards 2025 once again showcase breathtaking moments from the wild, captured across the globe. This year's winners highlight how patience and timing can transform fleeting encounters into timeless visual poetry. Steve Mattheis of the USA won the Bird Photography category with his stunning shot of Grey Crowned Cranes mid-dance, a scene he describes as "a flirtatious ballet."
The Bird Photographer of the Year 2025 contest drew over 33,000 global entries, showcasing the stunning diversity of birdlife through captivating images. Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman claimed the top honor with his solar eclipse-framed frigatebird shot, earning both the grand prize and Gold in the Birds in Flight category. The competition also celebrated excellence across various categories, highlighting emotionally resonant and technically brilliant moments in avian photography.
The result of more than a year of planning and about a week of in-person scouting along the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, a precisely timed portrait of a Magnificent frigatebird flying in front of a total solar eclipse was captured by Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman. Winner of the 2025 Bird Photographer of the Year competition, Gertsman's image demonstrates the effort and time that goes into documenting some of the world's most remarkable birds.
The SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year competition serves to honor the exceptional skill of photographers who capture the intricate beauty of birds and their habitats.