Spanish photographer José Miguel Palao Quílez, with ‘Jardín secreto’, has won the first prize in the Nature Photography Contest ‘Wild Birds’, organized by FIO 2022.
The winning image, in which a gray heron can be seen among cypresses on the Atchafalaya River (United States), was chosen by the jury from among the 5,821 photos received from 33 countries in Europe, America, Africa and Asia.
The awards ceremony for the 17th edition was held this afternoon in Villarreal de San Carlos, in the Monfragüe National Park.
‘Jardín secreto’, winner in the category ‘C2 Birds in their environment’, prevailed over the other three that opted for the first prize:
- ‘La mirada del alcatraz’, by Javier Murcia Requena, winner in the category ‘C1 Portraits of birds’.
- ‘Alcaudón al ataque’, by Gertjan de Zoete, in ‘C3 Birds in action’.
- ‘Hijos del sol’, also by José Miguel Palao Quílez, in ‘C4 Artistic vision of birds’.
‘Ocaso’, by Jesús Mata Santamaría, won in the ‘Young photographers’ category (under 18).
The special prize ‘Extremaduran Photographer’, for all those participants born or registered in the region, has been for Joaquín Figueredo González for ‘Sobra alguien’.
This contest grants a total of 5,000 euros in prizes, of which 1,650 euros correspond to the absolute winner. In addition, the winners receive different prizes from the sponsors (Skua Nature, Foto Técnica Import, Olympus OM System and CEFNA-Collective of Nature Photographers from Extremadura).
The jury, made up of nature photographers José-Elías Rodríguez, Adriana Sanz, Pablo Bou Mira, María Luisa Martínez Vicente and Mario Suárez Porras, has awarded honorable mentions to:
- Jorge de la Cruz Martín, for ‘Carantoñas’ in the ‘C1 Bird Portraits’ category.
- Julián Fernández Quílez, for ‘A dos aguas’ in ‘C2 Birds in their environment’.
- Javier Murcia Requena, for ‘Fishing under the rainbow’ in ‘C3 Birds in action’.
- Rafael Armada, for ‘Baywatch’ in ‘C4 Artistic vision of birds’.
- Serafín Robert, for ‘Sombras’ in ‘C5 Young Photographers’.
The award ceremony was presented by the journalist Roberto Brasero, head of the meteorology department of Antena 3 Noticias TV.
