People’s Choice Photo Winners
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice winners were announced this week, featuring striking images from polar bears to an Iberian lynx — a reminder that awards still drive authority and partnership potential for photographers. Entering contests can raise visibility for creators pitching brands. (discoverwildlife.com)
Austrian photographer Josef Stefan won the Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026 with his image titled "Flying Rodent," shot in Torre de Juan Abad, Ciudad Real, Spain. (nhm.ac.uk) The public vote drew a record-breaking 85,917 responses, and Stefan’s picture beat 23 other shortlisted images chosen from 60,636 entries submitted from 113 countries and territories. (nhm.ac.uk) The winning photograph will be included in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London, which runs through 11 July 2026. (nhm.ac.uk) Four images were named Highly Commended by voters: Alexandre Brisson’s flamingos against power lines, Christopher Paetkau’s "Family Rest" of a mother polar bear with three cubs, Will Nicholls’ play-fighting bear cubs, and Kohei Nagira’s sika deer carrying an interlocked severed head. (nhm.ac.uk) Stefan spent two weeks in a hide to capture the scene and reported the lynx played with its prey for about 20 minutes before eating it, a sequence he used to make the award-winning frame. (nhm.ac.uk) The Natural History Museum noted the Iberian lynx population has recovered to more than 2,000 individuals after intensive conservation work, a context the museum and photographers highlighted around Stefan’s image. (nhm.ac.uk) The People’s Choice vote and exhibition are supported by lead corporate sponsor Nuveen, which is named on the competition and exhibition materials. (nhm.ac.uk)
