A Vancouver Island photographer has won top prize in the third annual Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) Photo Contest.
This contest is held annually as a way to highlight the stunning beauty of Canada’s wildlife and their habitats, which Jeremy Mathieu managed to bring to life in a photo he took of herring spawn, just off Vancouver Island.
Mathieu took his photo of herring spawn on Cleland Island, just northwest of Clayoquot Sound.
With his photograph, Mathieu’s aim was to highlight the importance of the herring spawn for west coast ecosystems as they help support a huge range of diversity and abundance of marine and terrestrial life.
“Coming to the contest new this year, I was blown away by the talent demonstrated by photographers from all across the country,” said guest judge Shane Gross.
“Choosing a grand prize winner was a particular challenge for the entire panel, but the scale of the biological event taking place just beneath the waves in Jeremy Mathieu’s stunning seascape really accentuated the awe-inspiring beauty of British Columbia’s coastline.”
In addition to the grand prize, several other photographers were awarded prizes for their photos of flora and fungi, fauna, landscapes and people involved in protecting Canada’s natural beauty.
Aside from Mathieu’s big win, two other photographers were given awards for their work in this year’s KBA Photo Contest.
Deborah Freeman won first in the flora and fungi category for a photograph she took in the Carmanah Walbran Forest KBA.
Michael Bezener took second place in the flora and fungi category for a photo taken in the Okanagan, while also winning first in the landscapes category.
See their photos below:
According to the organizers of the contest, this year was the hardest to judge yet, as over 400 submissions were made.
“We received breathtaking photos from every province and territory, showcasing the diversity, beauty, and resilience of Canada’s KBAs,” said Peter Soroye, Key Biodiversity Areas Assessment and Outreach Coordinator at WCS Canada.
“We’re grateful to every photographer who participated and made the judging process both challenging and inspiring.”
In addition to sharing the winners in each category, the KBA Photo Contest also shared a number of stunning photos that were deemed worthy of an honourable mention.
To see more KBA photos, click here.
