Incredible Beetle Battle Wins 2024 Close Up Photographer of the Year Contest

Two stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) battle for dominance in the Voronezh region of Russia.

“Clash of the Titans” by Svetlana Ivanenko (Russia). Overall Winner and 1st Place, Insects
Two stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) battle for dominance in the Voronezh region of Russia.

After releasing its shortlist last autumn, the Close Up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) contest has now revealed the winners of its 2024 competition. Photographer Svetlana Ivanenko was named the overall winner for her fascinating photo of two stag beetles battling for dominance. Seemingly emerging from the shadows, their horns lock as they clash.

“For a brief period in summer, stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) engage in fierce battles for mating rights,” shares Ivanenko. “These elusive creatures inhabit oak forests, making them difficult to find. I traveled 700km to witness this beautiful event and I want to share it with everyone.”

The sixth edition of the competition, which is organized in association with Affinity Photo, attracted over 11,000 photos from 61 countries. To select the winners of the 11 categories, as well as the top 100 photos, an expert jury of 25 photographers, scientists, journalists, and editors spent over 20 hours deliberating.

Fifteen-year-old Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco of Spain was named Young Close Up Photographer of the Year for his incredible photo of a European Bee-eater with an insect in its beak. Caught mid-flight, the photo results from Blanco's careful observation skills, as he'd monitored the bird with binoculars to see its flight path after hunting.

One stand-out photo is Pierluigi Rizzo‘s image of a Meditteranean black widow spider feasting on its prey, which won the Arachnid category. The final image is actually the result of two overlapping photos, which allowed Rizzo to emphasize the spider's red abdomen and it enjoying its meal.

Scroll down to see all of the category winners, and then head over to the CUPOTY website to view all top 100 photographs from this year's contest.

Here are the winners of the sixth annual Close Up Photographer of the Year contest.

A European Bee-eater in mid-flight with an insect in its beakSouthern Spain

“Spring” by Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco (Spain), 14 years old. Winner, Young Close-up Photographer of the Year
A European Bee-eater in mid-flight with an insect in its beak. Southern Spain at the end of spring 2023.

A female Mediterranean black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) feeds on its prey

“Queen of Hearts” by Pierluigi Rizzo (Italy). 1st Place, Arachnids
A female Mediterranean black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) feeds on its prey in Pollino National Park, Calabria, Italy.

A 15mm tall ear-pick fungus growing on a pine cone.

“Ear-Pick Fungus” by Barry Webb (UK), 1st Place, Fungi & Slime Moulds
A 15mm tall ear-pick fungus growing on a pine cone. New Forest, UK.

A damselfly (Archineura incarnata) rests on a rock amidst a flowing waterfall in Tianmushan Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, China

“Damselfly by the Waterfall” by Yong Miao (China). 1st Place, Butterflies & Dragonflies
A damselfly (Archineura incarnata) rests on a rock amidst a flowing waterfall in Tianmushan Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, China

Andean Bear stands amidst the dense foliage of a highland rainforest

“God in the Shadows” by Santiago J. Monroy García (Colombia). 1st, Animals
An Andean Bear stands amidst the dense foliage of a highland rainforest. Ecopalacio Nature Reserve, La Calera, Colombia, about 30km from Bogotá, Colombia.

The photo contest attracted over 11,000 photos from 61 countries.

A doctorfish struggles in the jaws of a lizardfish.

“Everything's A-OK” by Gabriel Jensen (USA). 1st Place, Underwater
A doctorfish struggles in the jaws of a lizardfish. Kona, Hawaii.

Garden moss covered in dew drops.

“Mosses” by Piet Haaksma (Netherlands). 1st Place, Plants
Garden moss covered in dew drops. Sneek, Netherlands

A leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) swims with a school of rough bullseye fish (Pempheris klunzingeri)

“Search for the Dragon” by Jenny Stock (UK). 2nd Place, Underwater
A leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) swims with a school of rough bullseye fish (Pempheris klunzingeri) in Rapid Bay, South Australia.

Crystals of amino acids (beta-alanine and L-glutamine) under a microscope.

“Artificial Landscape” by Rob Blanken (Netherlands). 1st Place, Studio Art
Crystals of amino acids (beta-alanine and L-glutamine) under a microscope. Veenwouden, the Netherlands.

A Caerostris spider rests on a stick in the Malaysian jungle.

“Bark is Worse than its Bite” by Aran Gibbs (Ireland). 1st Place, Invertebrate Portrait
A Caerostris spider rests on a stick in the Malaysian jungle. Semenyih, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros) return to an abandoned iron ore mine.

“Moonlight” by Imre Potyó (Hungary). 2nd Place, Animals
Lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros) return to an abandoned iron ore mine. Börzsöny Hill, Hungary.

A Lobster moth caterpillar (Stauropus fagi) on a tree branch in my garden in Spain.

“Stauropus Fagi” by José Manuel Lois Rial (Spain). 2nd Place, Invertebrate Portrait
A Lobster moth caterpillar (Stauropus fagi) on a tree branch in my garden in Spain.

The photographers submitted their best work into 11 different categories.

Danube mayflies (Ephoron virgo) swarm above the Danube in Hungary.

“Mayfly Arena” by Imre Potyó (Hungary). 2nd Place, Insects
Danube mayflies (Ephoron virgo) swarm above the Danube in Hungary.

A robber fly (Asilidae sp.) feeds on a flesh fly (Sarcophagidae sp.).

“Afternoon Snack” by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas (Germany), 17 years old. 2nd Place, Young
A robber fly (Asilidae sp.) feeds on a flesh fly (Sarcophagidae sp.). Brandenburg, Germany.

Puffball mushrooms release spores in a chestnut forest

“Storm of Spores” by José Luis Gigirey González (Spain). 2nd Place, Fungi & Slime Moulds
Puffball mushrooms release spores in a chestnut forest in Covas, Spain.

A giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) frond in the water of Channel Islands National Park, California.

“Flowing Kelp” by Sigfrido Zimmermann (USA). 3rd Place, Plants
A giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) frond in the water of Channel Islands National Park, California.

Dead Jack Pine branches cross-cross vibrant huckleberry plants

“Fall Matrix” by Andrew Mielzynski (Canada). 2nd Place, Intimate Landscape
Dead Jack Pine branches cross-cross vibrant huckleberry plants. Jackpine-Crowberry Barrens, Nova Scotia, Canada.

A winter moth flies in a Hungarian forest at twilight.

“Sphere” by Ferenc Kocsis (Hungary). 2nd Place, Butterflies & Dragonflies
A winter moth flies in a Hungarian forest at twilight.

A scorpion glows under UV light on the sand of the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India

“Fire Stream Scorpio” by Avilash Ghosh (India). 2nd Place, Arachnids
A scorpion glows under UV light on the sand of the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India. Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India.

The etched tunnels of bark beetle larvae (Ips typographus) beneath the bark of a spruce tree.

“A Network of Life and Death” by Jean-Philippe Delobelle (France). 1st Place, Intimate Landscape
The etched tunnels of bark beetle larvae (Ips typographus) beneath the bark of a spruce tree. Le Monal in the French Alps.

Close up black and white photo of oil drops on water

“Drift 5” by Matt Vacca (USA). 2nd Place, Studio Art
Oil drops on water. Los Angeles, USA.

CUPOTY: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by CUPOTY.

Related Articles:

Photo Contest Winners Give a Close-Up Look at the Beauty of Water

Glowing Frog on a Bioluminescent Mushroom Wins Science Photography Contest

Macro Photography Highlights Beauty of Extinct and Endangered Insects [Interview]

Pair of Resting Cuckoo Bees Wins the Royal Entomological Society’s Insect Photo Competition

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.

Sponsored Content