Wildlife / Animals 1st place winner

A grizzly bear and her second-year cub out on the mud-flats of the Alaskan coast at low-tide searching for razor clams. Mother bears have to be particularly cautious venturing out into the open due to the threat to their cubs posed by the local male bears at this time of year - hence the title, 'Exposed'. As a photographer, I was also a little vulnerable, of course, with nowhere to retreat to!

Richard is an award winning wildlife and landscape photographer and author of books on photography. His work does encompass other genres of photography but his primary focus remains rooted in the natural world. His up-bringing in Uganda and the Sudan no doubt helped generate his passion and fascination for wildlife and for the wild animals of that continent in particular. He is now based in Greece, but regularly returns to Africa leading photographic safaris. Like many nature photographers he is deeply concerned about our impact on the environment. He hopes his work will communicate to others the complexity, beauty and design inherent in this part of our existence and encourage immersion in and interaction with its wonders. He also hopes it will in some way help nurture a respectful relationship rather than one based on exploitation and control.