Winning insect images revealed in RES Photography Competition
The Royal Entomological Society has announced the winners of its 2024 Photography Competition, unveiling a selection of amazing up-close images of fascinating insects.
The annual competition, organised by the UK’s leading insect science charity, celebrates the skill and creativity of amateur photographers, showcasing the diversity of insect life across the world. With interest in macro photography on the rise, the competition received almost a thousand entries from keen photographers from 44 countries.
The overall winner in the ’18 and over’ category is Benjamin Salb for his macro image of a gnat ogre, a species of robber fly. This tiny robber fly in the genus Holcocephala is found throughout the eastern United States. They have characteristic wide-set eyes and get their name because their diet consists almost entirely of gnats. Ben (Instagram: @bens_small_world), from the United States, became interested in macro photography at the start of the pandemic.
1st Place – “Detailed Gnat Ogre”
Photo (c) Benjamin Salb“I love photographing gnat ogres because they’re such a challenge. They’re ridiculously small and very flighty. This is my most successful attempt so far, and I am very pleased with how the detailed eyes came out.”
Benjamin Salb
RES Insect Week 2024 Over 18 Photography Competition Winner
The ‘Under 18’ category overall winner is 17-year old German photographer Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas (Instagram: @naturefold) for his image of a large female jagged ambush bug (Phymata americana) waiting for prey on a flower head.
“While visiting family in Canada, one of my main target species was the jagged ambush bug. I found this one in an urban park in Montreal and was able to get a focus stack of it isolated against a black background.”
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, age 17
RES Insect Week 2024 Under 18 Photography Competition Winner
1st Place – “Jagged Ambush Bug”
Photo (c) Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, age 17
“We had the privilege of reviewing nearly a thousand submissions from photographers around the world, so deciding on the winning entries was never going to be an easy task. It’s inspiring to see so many people capturing these extraordinary and intricate glimpses of insects and celebrating their beauty and diversity. While technology can often distance us from nature, these photographs highlight how it can also bring us closer. With affordable and accessible equipment, and even smartphones now capable of impressive macro photography, it’s easier than ever to explore and marvel at the insect world.”
– Matt Doogue, one of the competition judges and professional macro photographer
The youngest 2024 winner is Flynn Thaitanunde-Lobb, age 10, for the image ‘Sea of Green’ depicting a fly perched on a bright green hedgerow in the front garden.
Talking about the day the image was captured, Flynn said:
“The sun was bright in the morning and I went looking for bees and insects. I spotted a fly perching on the green shrub with the bright sun shining on it. It was eating another insect so I waited for it to climb to the tip of the leaf before I took the photo.”
Flynn Thaitanunde-Lobb, age 10
RES Insect Week 2024 Under 18 Photography Competition Winner
The entries to the Over-18s competition were submitted under the categories: insect behaviour, insect portraits, insects in their environment, and images taken on smartphone. The winner and runner-up in both the over-18 and under-18 category received an OM System camera and a cash prize, sponsored to encourage talent in insect photography.
The 2025 RES Photography Competition is now open for entries, inviting all amateur photographers to submit their favourite images of insects.
ENDS
For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact Clare Johnson at Bloom PR & Communications at hello@bloom-pr.co.uk or call 07815 041635.
