Celebrating the art of close-up photography: a glimpse at the “Close-up Photographer of the year” shortlist

The prestigious photography competition recently revealed the shortlist from which the winners will be drawn in January 2025. It's time to vote!

Every year, the “Close-up Photographer of the Year” competition recognizes the best in close-up, macro, and microphotography with breathtaking nature shots across 11 categories.

This year’s theme, “Something Beautiful“, saw a remarkable 11,681 entries from more than 60 countries. The jury has just announced the shortlist, with the winners due to be announced in January 2025.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout entries from the shortlist.

Young talent: “Can I help you?”

Jamie Smart’s fanciful photograph, titled “Can I Help You?”, is a highlight in the Young category. It captures a curious little mouse peeking through stalks of wheat with much charm and playfulness.

Underwater wonders: “Baby Manatee”

Baby Manatee” by Remuna Beca is among the stunning photos in the Underwater category, as it is a shot of a baby manatee sleeping in the freshwater springs of central Florida. These gentle giants huddle together in those freshwater springs during winter.

Avian masterpieces: “A male satin bowerbird with a cricket”

Keith Horton’s “A Male Satin Bowerbird with a Cricket”, in the Animals category, showcases the satin bowerbird’s (Ptilonorhynchidae) artistic flair. These large passerines are known to adorn their nests with predominantly blue and sometimes yellow objects to entice females.

Rainforest beauty: “Emerald Gem”

Another interesting entry in the Animals category is Louis Guillot’s “Emerald Gem”. This breathtaking picture depicts an emerald tree boa in its natural habitat from the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.

Marsupial charm: “Wallaby Joey”

Pedro Jarque offers a sensitive portrayal of a young wallaby in the attempt of getting a comfortable position inside its mother’s pouch-not an easy job at this already substantial size for the joey!

Insects in focus: “Damselfly Blue on Blue”

Insects: “Damselfly Blue on Blue” by Benjamin Salb – A blue damselfly poses in perfect harmony against a contrasting blue background.

Fungi magic: “Mycena Safran”

The mystical realm of the fungi is captured in “Mycena Safran”, a bewitching image by Thomas Vanderheyden, entered in the Fungi & Slime Moulds category. This ethereal picture was shot in tranquil French forests.

Battling beetles: “Clash of the Titans”

In Svetlana Ivanenko’s “Clash of the Titans”, two male beetles are dramatically fighting over a female. Shot in the oak forests of the Voronezh region in Russia, this is an intense testimony to the power of wildlife.

Dragonflies at dawn: “Demoiselles at Dawn”

In the Butterflies & Dragonflies category, Jay Birmingham’s “Demoiselles at Dawn” impresses with its two dragonflies precariously balanced on a blade of grass at sunrise, symbolizing peace and rejuvenation.

A Winter’s fury: “Toronto Storm”

Last in the showcase: The phenomenal landscape shot by Andrew Mielzynski, during a storm of extreme proportions that hit Toronto, Canada, during the pandemic; it shows the pure strength of nature. “Shocking surreal, as if it was from some movie,” the photographer described it.

To see the full shortlist and vote for your favorite, visit the official competition website.