For 30 years, Natures Best Photography has transformed fleeting wildlife encounters into timeless ... More calls to wonder, action and conservation. Here is its story. Thomas Vijayan / Nature's Best AwardsExactly three decades ago, Stephen Freligh was shaping stories as a photo editor for the National Wildlife Federation, while his wife, Deborah, was bringing nature to life as an art director and illustrator.But their love for nature and wildlife ran deeper than their jobs could express.Natures Best Photography (NBP) was born from that desire, a vision to showcase the worlds raw beauty through the power of visual storytelling. Together with their freelance editor, Jim Watson, they transformed an idea into a publication that would soon become a global stage for natures most breathtaking momentsone frame at a time.Our inspiration is the community of nature photographers who travel the globe to document its beauty and diversity, says Stephen, as he talks about the fuel that drives NBP. The powerful images and films they bring home awaken our desire to explore, enjoy and conserve the natural world.A resounding winner from 2017, Thanh Trans photo of two Western grebes shows nature with its best ... More feet forward, opening a window into the world of wonder that NBP seeks to showcase every year. Thanh Tran / Nature's Best AwardsThirty years on, NBP is more than just a competitionit has revolutionized the way we see and connect with the natural world. Beyond showcasing the beauty of nature, these images also ignite conversations, encourage conservation efforts and inspire a deeper appreciation for the world we share.Play Puzzles & Games on ForbesSince its inception, Natures Best Photography Awards has curated the most moving visuals found in ... More naturefrom the depths of the ocean to the towering heights of the blue skies above. MONTSE GRILLO / NATURES BEST AWARDS From breathtaking landscapes to rare wildlife encounters, Natures Best Photography has spent three decades curating a visual archive that chronicles both the splendor and fragility of our planet.Now, as it marks its 30th anniversary, we look back at how this contest became an institutionshaping careers, shifting perspectives and changing the way we experience nature itself.Natures Best Photography Was Always About Storytelling With An ImpactAndy Rouse had the perfect frame, but no animal to complete the pictureuntil this solitary giraffe ... More decided to step in. Rouse ultimately won the African Wildlife category for this stunning click. ANDY ROUSE / NATURES BEST AWARDSStephen and Deborah had spent years immersed in the world of conservation-driven photography at the National Wildlife Federation.But they saw something missinga dedicated platform that didnt just publish nature photography but celebrated it as an art form, giving it the reverence and reach it deserved.Natures Best Photography has produced countless instant classics over the years, like this Grand ... More Prize winner from 2023 taken from the base of Icelands youngest volcano, Geldingadalir. LUIS VILARINO / NATURES BEST AWARDSWhat separated us then from the large assortment of nature-related publications on the market was our close attention to high-quality photography and printing those images with the best papers and inks available, Stephen explains.We felt these dedicated documentarians who spend countless hours in the field deserved their work to be displayed as true to the scene as it was experienced the moment the camera shutter was pressed.Among a variety of contest categories, Natures Best Photography has also reserved a unique honor ... More for photographers who can capture moments where humanity interacts with nature in incredible ways. ROBERT MARC LEHMANN / NATURES BEST AWARDS What began as a vision soon gained momentum. The competition that followed turned Natures Best Photography into one of the most prestigious awards programs in the world.Natures Best Photography Continues To Broaden Our Perspective On NatureEntries to Natures Best Photography have always strived to capture the emotions at play in the ... More natural world and their deeper connection to our own, like Lakshitha Karunarathnas Grand Prize winner from 2017. LAKSHITHA KARUNARATHNA / NATURES BEST AWARDSFrom the very beginning, it was clear that the contest attracted entries that resonated with the community.These were more than photographsthey were entire stories captured in a single frame, capable of inspiring a deeper connection with the natural world.The Grand Prize winner from 2015 caught a sweet moment on camera in its utmost simplicity, but the ... More sentiment it portrays still resonates with viewers today. MEGAN LORENZ / NATURES BEST AWARDSDaisy Gilardini, the 2016 Grand Prize winner, puts it best, As environmental photographers, it is our duty to capture the beauty of places and species at risk and raise awareness through the universal power of imagery.Daisy Gilardinis image of a polar bear with its tiny cubs was a quiet cry for attention at a time ... More when ice is vanishing faster than ever before. DAISY GILARDINI / NATURES BEST AWARDSPhotographers from around the world echoed this sense of responsibility. Luis Vilario, who won the 2023 Grand Prize with a volcanic explosion beneath stormy Icelandic skies, says, Nature photography should inspire changes in society that involve and mobilize people to create a better and more sustainable world.Then come the images that immerse viewers in the scene like Thomas Vijayans electrifying shot of a grizzly bear locked in eye contact with a leaping salmon at Brooks Falls in Alaska. Captured with impeccable timing, the photograph reveals a predators focus in the raw theatre of the wild.Vijayan, who recently won The Nature Photography Contests Photographer of the Year 2024 award, notes, You can even see the eye contact between the bear and the fish.The 2024 winner of Photographer of the Year, Thomas Vijayan, has also contributed many stunning ... More photos to the NBP Awards over the years, like this Highly Honored click from 2018. THOMAS VIJAYAN / NATURES BEST AWARDS And just when you think youve seen the best nature has to offer, the next years submissions prove otherwise.Year after year, I would summarize our latest competition as the best we had ever seen, Stephen reflects, only to be corrected by the following years entries and another amazing new collection of images.The Real-World Impact Of Natures Best PhotographyOne of the most tangible examples of NBPs impact in action was their 22-year partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. For over two decades, award-winning photosoften printed nearly life-sizewere displayed in grand halls visited by millions.The exhibitions reach was staggering, and its impact deep. Those were truly Nights at the Museum that celebrated people with passion and purpose, Stephen recalls.Natures Best Photography also displays a gallery of its best images at the Childrens National ... More Hospital in Washington, D.C., bringing patients, families and the staff a little closer to the wonders of our natural world. Nature's Best AwardsIn more recent years, the contest has extended its footprint to global venueswith exhibitions from Europe to Asiaand a permanent home at the Wonders of Wildlife Museum in Missouri.But perhaps more impressive than the geography is the consistency of its mission to ignite conversations that endure beyond the gallery.Photographers also bring a personal touch to their clicks, like this image of one of Connor ... More Stefanisons favorite owlsthe great gray owl. CONNOR STEFANISON / NATURES BEST AWARDS Youth Photographer of the Year, Ashleigh Scully, for example, began giving presentations on environmental issues before finishing high school.I have watched many grow from early success in their teens to great accomplishments in their twenties and beyond, says Stephen. Both Deb and I often feel like proud parents, blessed to be part of their journey.Photos like Ashleigh Scullys image of bear cubs play-fighting in an Alaskan meadow could spark ... More discussions about wilderness preservation and species protection. ASHLEIGH SCULLY / NATURES BEST AWARDSAlongside their flagship international competition, theyve launched initiatives like Natures Best Backyards and Natures Best National Parksinvitations for photographers to see wonder right outside their doorsteps.I wish more people understood they are truly making a difference in the way the general public views nature, remarks Stephen. They are the messengers who will motivate action.Captures like this Highly Honored picture from the African Wildlife category humanize even the most ... More ferocious creaturesa result of the countless hours spent watching them closely. KAREN HANSON / NATURES BEST AWARDS10 Photos That Capture Everything That Natures Best Photography Stands For TodayAs Natures Best Photography celebrates its 30th anniversary, Stephen and Deborah Freligh are focused on carrying their vision forward without losing the core values that made it thrive.Greg Lecoeur captured the oceanic whitetip shark in all its fearsome glory, surrounded by pilot fish ... More as it made its way through the deep blue. GREG LECOEUR / NATURES BEST AWARDS This image required a lot of patience and skill at maintaining my underwater buoyancy in order to ... More capture the clownfish looking straight into my lens, says Jon Cornforth about his Highly Honored photo from 2011. JON CORNFORTH / NATURES BEST AWARDSLee Slabbers patience paid off as he sat in wait on a lazy day for this pride in the Kalahari, ... More giving him and the world this intimate moment between lion and cub. LEE SLABBER / NATURES BEST AWARDS LEE SLABBER / NATURES BEST AWARDSBut looking ahead, the founders know evolution is essential.Our most important objective, Stephen says, is to involve a new generation of Natures Best advocates who share our same principles, yet bring new ideas that will evolve and grow NBP for the next 30 years and more.Vanessa Mignon swam with humpback whales during their annual migration to warm waters, earning this ... More gracefully framed underwater ballet in the process. VANESSA MIGNON / NATURES BEST AWARDS Stefan Christmann caught these emperor penguins practicing, with a snowball, the passing of an egg ... More from the female to the malea crucial moment in their reproductive cycle. STEFAN CHRISTMANN / NATURES BEST AWARDSThat future is already beginning to take shape. Past youth winners like Ashleigh Scully and Zander Galli have grown into articulate ambassadors for wildlife and the environment.Meanwhile, the global reach of the contest continues to growwith more submissions, more categories and more diversity of perspective than ever before.Zander Galli captures the moment of desperation where a polar bear needs to dive off the iceberg it ... More was resting on to search for food. ZANDER GALLI / NATURES BEST AWARDSYouth Photographer of the Year 2018, Isaac Spotts, caught this rare moment where three bull moose ... More were sparring in the watersubmerging himself in 20F weather to get it right. ISAAC SPOTTS / NATURES BEST AWARDS Robert Irwin captured this photo of a tundra swan at the age of 14, brilliantly showcasing its ... More majesty in flight as it zoomed overhead. ROBERT IRWIN / NATURES BEST AWARDS A year later, Robert documents a poignant moment with the last remaining male northern white rhino ... More in existence, drawing focus to the immense sense of loneliness surrounding the great creature. ROBERT IRWIN / NATURES BEST AWARDSYouth Photographer of the Year 2009, Alex Mody captures the magnificent barred owl staring directly ... More at the cameraand the world. ALEX MODY / NATURES BEST AWARDSStill, at its core, the ethos remains unchangedcelebrate nature, honor those who document it and remind the world whats worth preserving. Perhaps the first step today should be to encourage everyone reading this feature to join us on the journey to bring nature into focus, says Stephen.Natures Best Photography is accepting submissions for its 2025 edition now until the end of March, and people of all ages and levels of expertise can enter here.Do these amazing photos from 30 years of Natures Best Photography draw you closer to the natural world and the wonderful creatures around us? Take a 2-minute quiz to see where you stand on the Connectedness to Nature Scale.