Vote for the 2023 Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award

The season of looking back at the best-of events and moments of the year has arrived. Editorial boards and experts in specific fields usually compile these lists for us, leaving only the chance to debate their merits.

But ordinary people have the chance to vote in one of the most prestigious annual photography contests: the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. This honor, sponsored by the National History Museum in London, gives the general public a rare look at our planet through the lens of some of the best photographers in the world.

Twenty-five photos made the final cut for the Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award from nearly 50,000 entries from 95 countries, according to the National History Museum in London.

“Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s People’s Choice Award always offers an astounding selection of images, and this year is no different,” Douglas Gurr, Director of the National History Museum, said in the contest’s press announcement. “We invite the public to join the jury and vote for their favorite; whether breathtaking beauty or a powerful story, it’s sure to be a difficult decision!”

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year initiative aims to provide the world an inside look at “a planet under pressure.” By using photography, people get rare views of how our planet and its natural inhabitants are impacted by our actions and scientifically documented ecosystem changes.

The People’s Choice Award is an extension of the museum’s larger Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which has already awarded its two major prizes:

First, Laurent Ballesta won the Grand Prize (his second win in three years) for his photograph “The Golden Horseshoe.” Contest judges announced Ballesta’s win and shared the incredible photograph on the Natural History Museum’s social media on Nov. 27.

Seventeen-year-old Carmel Bechler won the museum’s Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year Grand Prize with his “Owls’ Road House” image. The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum’s official Facebook page showcased Bechler’s photo and Ballesta’s winning image.

This year’s 25 finalists for the people’s choice award feature everything from an up-close view of many different animals, including a polar bear napping on an iceberg, a group of socializing penguins, a red fox cub “negotiating” with a tiny shrew after a rough play moment and a pair of luminescent moon jellyfish aglow beneath the Aurora Borealis.

Look through all 25 finalists on the contest’s official website and vote for your favorite before Jan. 31, 2024. The winner and honorable mentions will be announced on Feb. 7, 2024.