From fascinating portraits of spiders to an incredible look at slime mold, the 2024 Close-up Photographer of the Year shortlist gives us insight into worlds we often never see. The competition, which awards excellence in close-up, macro, and micro photography, drew over 11,500 entries from photographers around the world.
In the end, an expert panel of judges that includes award-winning photographers like Karine Aigner and Greg Lecoeur, as well as magazine editors, conservationists, and authors, created a shortlist that highlights the best of these entries. While the category winners and top 100 photos won't be announced until January 2025, the contest has given us a treat by releasing this shortlist.
Broken down into 11 categories, which range from Animals and Arachnids to Intimate Landscape and Plants, the shortlist is an amazing way to view the world. Looking at the images is a reminder of just how much is happening under our noses, and that if we just take a closer look, there's so much to discover.
Scroll down to see our favorite images across the categories, and then head over to the official website to see all the shortlisted images.
The 2024 Close-up Photographer of the Year Contest has revealed its shortlist.
“Emerald Gem” by Louis Guillot. Animals, Shortlist
“Gnat Ogre with Mites” by Benjamin Salb. Insects, Shortlist
“Let There Bee Love” by Joris Vegter. Insects, Shortlist
“Birmingham Mycena On Pine Cone” by Jay Birmingham. Fungi & Slime Moulds, Shortlist
“Chicory” by Johannes Kottonau. Plants, Shortlist
“Carnivore” by Anna Vailmaki. Plants, Shortlist
“Freshly” by Jamie Hall. Invertebrate Portrait, Shortlist
Over 11,500 images were entered into the contest, which awards excellence in close-up, macro, and micro photography.
“Tidal Flats” by Ulrike Unterbruner. Intimate Landscape, Shortlist
“Monarchs” by Pal Hermansen. Butterflies & Dragonflies, Shortlist
“Kissing the Competition” by Laurent Hesemans. Arachnids, Shortlist
“Delias Butterfly Scales” by Adalbert Mojrzisch. Butterflies & Dragonflies, Shortlist
“The Match” by Ferenc Lorincz. Underwater, Shortlist
“Wallaby Baby” by Pedro Jarque. Animals, Shortlist
The winners and top 100 images will be announced in January 2025.
“Eresus Walckenaerius” by Aris Kolokontes. Invertebrate Portrait, Shortlist
“Holding On” by Ofek Liepaz. Underwater Shortlist
“Tiny Host” by Aloys Pichard. Animals, Shortlist
“Resilience”by Jeannet van der Knijff. Intimate Landscape, Shortlist
“Banded Alder Borer Sunset” by Thomas Barbin. Invertebrate Portrait, Shortlist
“Bathroom Guests” by Gustav Parenmark. Arachnids, Shortlist
“Lamproderma on a Holly Spike” by Barry Webb. Fungi & Slime Mould, Shortlist
