Outdoor Photography Canada

Lünen – The European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010 is London-based photographer Britta Jaschinski with the black and white image of a cheetah. She is the first woman in the history of the GDT to be  nominated overall winner.

"Cheetahs are a highly endangered species - loss of habitat and direct persecution being among the principal causes. I think, this photograph reflects this very well; it gives a feel for this species' vulnerability", says Britta Jaschinksi. The unusual and powerful style of her photograph has made a deep impression on the jury.

This nomination wins Britta Jaschinski the Canon-sponsored award with a prize money of 2000 Euro. Her photograph succeeded in a field of more than 11000 entries from 29 countries.

The GDT (Society of German Nature Photographers) awarded this prize for the 10th time, which is open to professional and non-professional photographers from all over Europe.

About the winning photograph: "In Ndutu (Tanzania) a bushfire had destroyed much of the region. Many large acacias lay in flames. The acrid smell of smoke was still in the air and there were the many animal victims of the fire: burnt out turtle shells, apparently disoriented dik-diks and impalas looking for cover in a scorched landscape. Suddenly a cheetah appeared on the charred savannah. The fire really should have been a stroke of luck for the big cats: confused prey everywhere deprived of their cover. But the cheetah, too, seemed restless and uprooted, almost ghostlike. I took a picture and watched as the animal slowly disappeared on the scorched savannah", explains Britta Jaschinski about the origin of her winning image.

The international special prize Fritz Pölking Award, which the GDT hosts together with Tecklenborg publishing house and likewise with a prize money of 2000 Euro, was won by Solvin Zankl from Germany. His photographically demanding report on sea turtles in Costa Rica deeply impressed the jury. The Fritz Pölking Junior Award 2010, with 1500 Euro in prize money, was won by seventeen year old Michal Budzynski, whose photographs depict the beauty of his native Poland in unusual perspectives.

Patron Prof. Dr. Beate Jessel (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation) says: "As I discovered the jury was in particular looking for atmospheric subjects of great symbolic value and photographs with unusual details. In my opinion they did very well as can be seen in the overall winning photograph: a cheetah, as a shape of light, moves along the edge of an otherwise dark, mysterious background. His vigilance seems almost tangible, the source of it remaining unknown to the observer. A certain amount of confusion may also be read in his eyes. At any rate, it is a photograph that allows your imagination to draw up many interpretations." She continues, "To me this picture brings home the responsibility we humans have for the Creation".

The contest 'European Wildlife Photographer of the Year' is presented annually by the GDT. Photographs could be entered in eight different categories as well as the Fritz Pölking Award and Fritz Pölking Junior Award.
Again, this year's top-class jury consisting of Jesper Tønning (wildlife photographer, Denmark), Georg Kantioler (wildlife photographer, Italy), Kathrin Müller (photo editor National Geographic Germany), Klaus Echle and Sandra Bartocha (both wildlife photographers from Germany) did not take their decisions easy.

The winners of individual categories are as follows:
In the category 'Birds' the winning photograph is "Kaakkuri – Red-Throated Diver“ by Finnish Markus Varesvuo. The photograph “Bouquetins dans la tempête de neige - Ibex in a Snowstorm" by Christophe Sidamon-Pesson from France succeeded in the category 'Mammals'. "Tavaszi fototaxis – Phototaxis in Spring" is the winning image  of Hungarian Gönye Csaba in the category 'Other Animals'. Gabi Reichert from Germany won the category 'Plants and Fungi' with her photograph "Tang in Licht und Zeit" - Seaweed in Light and Time". The category 'Landscapes' was won by Juan Pavón from Spain with the image "El Sonido del silencio - The Sound of Silence". Solvin Zankel from Germany also won the category 'The Underwater World' with his photograph "Young Olive Ridley Turtle Surfing the Wave". "City Centre Living" is the name of Paul Hobson's winning image in the category 'Man and Nature'. With "Skeidararsandur" Hans Strand from Sweden won the category 'Nature's Studio'.

Contact information „European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010“

Britta Jaschinski
britta.2@btinternet.com
mobil: +447818037261