A mother lion carrying her cub by the scruff of its neck, elephant silhouettes from the sky, the sleek image of a leopard on the prowl, the bright colours of the Himba traditional dress… if you love nature and all things African, then pay a visit to Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town to view the winners of the Nature’s Best Photography (NBP) Africa competition.

The display comprises 70 photographs that the capture the magic of the continent. Photographers from all over the globe were invited to enter the competition, which was organised by NBP Africa, in partnership with Nikon South Africa, NBP USA and Iziko Museums of South Africa.
Hamish Robertson, Director of Natural History, Iziko Museums of South Africa, says: “The preservation of our natural resources is not an activity we can or should leave for future generations. Museums have an important role in educating, creating awareness and providing solutions-based platforms of public engagement. It is acutely apt, on the eve of its 190th year of existence, to host this phenomenal photographic exhibition at the oldest Natural History Museum in Southern Africa.”

After showing at Cape Town’s Iziko South African Museum, the winning photographs from NBP Africa will be showcased as part of the African category in the Natures Best Photography USA exhibition, hosted annually at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

“I had been in the Namib Desert for weeks, wildlife was scarce. I had spotted this gemsbok, but was in the wrong position to shoot into the light, as I wanted strong shadows from the sand dunes, being sure not to spook him I took a wide ark of around 1 km, it was steep & tough going, but the reward was great.” – Ken Dyball

“Our core objectives are to encourage photographic excellence among existing photographers, to attract new audiences to photography, to foster an appreciation for and conservation of our natural resources and to promote the continent of Africa to a massive global audience”, says Craig Mark, Director of NBPAfrica.
The winning categories include: African Landscapes, African Culture, Wild Cats of Africa, Birds of Africa, Mammals of Africa, Reptiles of Africa, Africa Underwater, Africa Up Close, Africa Wildlife Story, Youth Award (Under-13 Years), Youth Award (13-18 years).

All images courtesy Nature’s Best Photography (NBP) Africa. To find out more or to order the catalogue, email: info@naturesbestphotographyafrica.com