Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 Winners: The World’s Hidden Details

The Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 (CUPOTY 2024) Awards have once again brought the intricate beauty of our world into the spotlight. With over 11,000 entries from 61 countries, this sixth edition has unveiled breathtaking close-up, macro, and micro photography. From delicate insects to mesmerizing fungi, this competition highlights the artistry and skill of photographers who transform nature’s smallest wonders into captivating masterpieces.

Here’s a detailed look at this year’s winners, their stories, and their techniques.

Overall Winner: Clash of the Titans by Svetlana Ivanenko

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 Overall Winner: Clash of the Titans by Svetlana Ivanenko
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 Overall Winner: Clash of the Titans by Svetlana Ivanenko

Category: Insects

Prize: £2,500 cash prize, Universal License for Affinity apps, and the CUPOTY Trophy

Svetlana Ivanenko, a talented photographer from Russia, captured the top prize with her dramatic image of two male stag beetles battling for dominance in the oak forests of Voronezh. Her photograph, titled “Clash of the Titans,” was a result of careful planning and incredible patience as she journeyed over 700 kilometers to find the elusive creatures during their brief mating season. Using natural lighting and creative framing, Svetlana emphasized the raw intensity of the beetles’ encounter.

“Witnessing this battle for dominance was mesmerizing,” she shared. “I wanted to bring attention to the fragile ecosystems that sustain these magnificent creatures.”

Young Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Spring by Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Young Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Spring by Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Young Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Spring by Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco

Prize: SIGMA 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO Art Lens, Universal License for Affinity apps, and the Young CUPOTY Trophy

At just 14 years old, Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco from Spain amazed the judges with his photograph of a European Bee-eater mid-flight, carrying an insect in its beak. His image, “Spring,” showcases the vivid beauty of the bird and its intricate relationship with its environment. Andrés spent countless mornings observing and photographing the bee-eaters in southern Spain, honing his craft with remarkable dedication for his age.

Other CUPOTY 2024 Category Winners

Animals: J. Monroy García

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 (CUPOTY 2024) God in the Shadows by Santiago J. Monroy García
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 (CUPOTY 2024) God in the Shadows by Santiago J. Monroy García

Santiago J. Monroy García, from Colombia, captured a haunting image of an Andean bear, known locally as “Nariz de Calavera,” in the dense forests near Bogotá. Taken with a camera trap, this image evokes the eerie beauty of the Andean rainforest. Rain droplets on the lens added texture and depth, immersing viewers in the bear’s environment.

Butterflies & Dragonflies: Yong Miao

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 (CUPOTY 2024) Damselfly by the Waterfall by Yong Miao
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024 (CUPOTY 2024) Damselfly by the Waterfall by Yong Miao

Chinese photographer Yong Miao became the first-ever winner from China in this category with a serene image of a damselfly resting on a rock near a waterfall in the Tianmushan Nature Reserve. The photo beautifully balances stillness and motion, capturing the damselfly’s quiet grace against the backdrop of flowing water.

Arachnids: Pierluigi Rizzo

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Queen of Hearts by Pierluigi Rizzo
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Queen of Hearts by Pierluigi Rizzo

Pierluigi Rizzo from Italy won with a composite image of a Mediterranean black widow spider. By blending two exposures—one highlighting the spider’s distinctive red spots and another focusing on its predatory behavior—Rizzo created a visually stunning and storytelling photograph.

Invertebrate Portrait: Aran Gibbs

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024)Bark is Worse than its Bite by Aran Gibbs
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024)Bark is Worse than its Bite by Aran Gibbs

Aran Gibbs, hailing from Ireland, captured an intricate bark spider during a nighttime trek in the jungles of Malaysia. “I captured this shot using a 50-image handheld focus bracket set. The spider rested on a stick while I steadied my camera on my backpack for additional stability»”.

Underwater: Gabriel Jensen

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Everything’s A-OK by Gabriel Jensen
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Everything’s A-OK by Gabriel Jensen

Gabriel Jensen from the United States documented a lizardfish grappling with a doctorfish off the coast of South Florida. The comical juxtaposition of predator and prey, paired with the vibrant underwater colors, made this image a standout in the underwater category.

Intimate Landscape: Jean-Philippe Delobelle

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) A Network of Life and Death by Jean-Philippe Delobelle
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) A Network of Life and Death by Jean-Philippe Delobelle

French photographer Jean-Philippe Delobelle documented the network of tunnels carved by bark beetle larvae in the French Alps. The image represents the simultaneous forces of life and death, showcasing how the beetles’ activity nourishes some life forms while ending others.

Fungi & Slime Moulds: Barry Webb

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Ear-Pick Fungus by Barry Webb
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Ear-Pick Fungus by Barry Webb

Barry Webb from the UK captured a tiny ear-pick fungus growing on a pinecone. His meticulous focus stacking technique brought out the intricate details of this uncommon species, emphasizing its unusual teeth-like gills.

Plants: Piet Haaksma

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Mosses by Piet Haaksma
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Mosses by Piet Haaksma

Dutch photographer Piet Haaksma found beauty in the micro world of mosses after a foggy spring night. Using a macro lens and creative adjustments to color temperature, Piet created a dreamy, ethereal image that showcases the overlooked beauty of these tiny plants.

Studio Art: Rob Blanken

Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Artificial Landscape by Rob Blanken
Close-Up Photographer of the Year 2024(CUPOTY 2024) Artificial Landscape by Rob Blanken

Dutch photographer Piet Haaksma found beauty in the micro world of mosses after a foggy spring night. Using a macro lens and creative adjustments to color temperature, Piet created a dreamy, ethereal image that showcases the overlooked beauty of these tiny plants.

About CUPOTY 2024

Close-Up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) was founded in 2018 by Tracy and Dan Calder to celebrate the intricate beauty of the natural world. This year’s competition showcased the work of photographers from diverse disciplines, all united by a passion for uncovering the world’s hidden wonders. From battling stag beetles to delicate damselflies, each image tells a unique story about nature’s resilience, fragility, and artistry.

For aspiring photographers, CUPOTY offers a platform to share their work on an international stage. The competition’s seventh edition opens in May 2025, inviting submissions across a range of categories, including macro and micro photography.

Explore More Photography Competitions

If you’re inspired by CUPOTY 2024 and want to explore more photography contests, visit our comprehensive guide to nature photography competitions and macro photography contests to discover opportunities that match your interests.

For a complete gallery of this Close-Up Photographer of the Year winners and more stunning close-up photography, visit the CUPOTY official website.

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