Environmental Photography Award 2021

Main image: Gorilla by the water, ©Kathleen Ricker

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has announced the winners of the first edition of its PA2F Environmental Photography Award, launched to mark the foundation’s 15th anniversary.

The theme for the awards was Humanity & Wildlife: Crossed Destinies, Shared Territories.

The annual award had a prize fund of €10,500, and over 1,300 photographers globally responded to the call for entries.

5,600 images were submitted across three categories: Incredible Wildlife, Wildlife in Crisis and Reasons for Hope.

Participants were able to capture the beauty of wildlife and the harmful impact of human activities on nature, and demonstrate through their images that harmonious cohabitation is possible.

Gorilla by the water

The grand prize winner and PA2F Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021 is Kathleen Ricker for her photograph Gorilla by the water (main image).

Committed and passionate, Kathleen Ricker has been photographing gorillas of the Ugandan mountains during her numerous treks. She will receive a cash prize of €6,000.

Jean-Michel Krief, photographer, member of the jury and co-founder of the Sebitoli Chimpanzee Project in Uganda said: ‘the photographer has perfectly captured the magic of the moment when the gorilla forgets her presence to concentrate on crossing the river in the heart of the sumptuous Ugandan forest.’

The jury, made up of professional photographers and representatives of organisations committed to sustainable development, was responsible for choosing the grand prize winner of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Environmental Photography Award 2021, as well as the winners in each of the three categories.

The general public was also invited to choose their favourite image from each category’s shortlist.

The winning and shortlisted photographs from the competition will be presented in May 2021 in the Boulingrins Gardens, Monaco.

The exhibition is also available to view online here.