CARMEL BECHLER
THE STORY BEHIND THE IMAGE:
After an unsuccessful evening searching for barn owls, my dad and I were driving back home empty handed. I insisted on driving with no music, so I could keep looking out for wildlife better. for a split second as we passed this building which I have known and seen for years, I saw a small shadowy figure. Using a torch we discovered this incredible story. After many return visits and many silent hours spent in the car, I made this image. This image is the Young Grand Title Winner in the NHM Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2023. This was an incredible experience and a dream come true.
FROM THE JUDGES OF THE COMPETITION
Kathy Moran, Editor and Chair of the Jury, notes how ‘this photograph has so many layers in terms of content and composition. The eye travels across the road, through traffic before spotting the owls. It simultaneously screams habitat destruction and adaptation, begging the question: if wildlife can adapt to our environment, why can’t we respect theirs?’
Richard Sabin, jury member and Principal curator mammals of the NHM notes: "These old buildings are so recognizable in the Landscapes you know, you're traveling out of the city and into the country… The thing that really did it for us was the fact that Carmel wanted to show the beauty and the nature that was right on his doorstep, he was exploring his local environment and wanted to share it with people… there's just something really captivating about it, it speaks to me”
Dhritiman Mukherjee, jury member, and one of India's most accomplished photographers, and conservationists : "During our judging we discussed, we fought, we argued, it was a long process, and a lot of things happen. But for selecting this Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year it was an easy task. Actually we didn't fight. It was absolutely unanimous...The photograph we selected, it was an amalgamation of everything. You could see the art, you can see the natural history, you can see the signs, and finally the image has a great message."
