What it takes to capture an award-winning wildlife image

Although Josef has consistently reached the finals, which sees the field narrowed down to approximately the top 0.2%, and in 2004 received a Highly Commended award in the Birds category, an outright win had eluded him until now. “What makes this success even more meaningful is that there were two major hurdles,” he says. “First, you have to beat more than 60,000 submitted images to be selected by the jury as one of just 24 images that have a chance of winning this award, and then the worldwide public votes to decide who wins, so it feels simply incredible. It felt like I had to hug the whole world, because you really only win an award like this once in a lifetime. It's something very special.”

With that in mind, Josef shares some of the most important lessons he has learned over a quarter of a century in pursuit of one of the competition’s most coveted prizes, revealing what it takes to create an image that resonates with both the panel and the public alike.

Winning tip 1: Patience (and perseverance) is a virtue

Patience and perseverance are crucial. Flying Rodent was taken in Andalusia, Spain, where I’d travelled to in the hope of finding and photographing the rare Iberian lynx, a long-held dream of mine. After finally spotting one, I spent three days in a camouflaged hide. One afternoon a young lynx suddenly appeared with a freshly caught rat about 50m away and began playing with it, tossing it into the air then catching it over and over, remaining highly focused. At one point, it stood up on its hind legs with its gaze fixed on the rodent – a moment that demonstrated both its playfulness and its hunting precision. But photographing this moment was far from simple. I was working from a difficult angle, which made it harder to create a clear and balanced composition, plus the lighting conditions of strong contrasts and uneven brightness were less-than-ideal. And yet everything came together and shows that good results take time. So stick with it even if it doesn’t work right away, because capturing these truly rare and special moments – moments that don't appear staged, but are authentic and unique – are images worth taking.

Winning tip 2: Look for the extraordinary

Document rare behaviour, because a truly powerful image is far more than a quick snap. It must capture a special moment, something not everyone can witness or photograph every day. It’s this uniqueness that makes a photograph truly fascinating. Part of this comes from paying special attention to unusual or rare moments, and part of it can be luck, being in the right place at the right time. I think one of the reasons my image resonated with the public is because you don’t see encounters like that very often. Although this behaviour is typical of cats, as it sharpens their senses and improves their hunting technique, it’s a sight rarely observed in the wild, especially with the Iberian Lynx, which was once on the brink of extinction, and is rarer still to photograph. That’s what makes the image so special.

Winning tip 3: Tell a story

An award-winning image has to tell a story that emotionally engages the viewer. It should convey something. Be it the beauty of nature, a dramatic moment or an important message about the protection of animals and habitats, this emotional or narrative layer gives the image depth, makes it memorable for viewers and allows the audience to develop a positive connection. The backstory surrounding the Iberian lynx seems to have played a particularly important role in winning – in documenting the return of a once critically endangered species, now considered a symbol of successful conservation. It is this combination of a dramatic moment and a hopeful message that makes the image so special for me. It speaks of the fragility and, at the same time, the resilience of nature. It’s also worth knowing that overly graphic or gruesome depictions tend to deter, while harmonious or even slightly playful moments are more appealing. Flying Rodent captures nature not brutally, but rather playfully, which speaks to people emotionally. In that moment, instinct, the struggle for survival, and the raw beauty of the wilderness unite in a way that is almost impossible to put into words.

Winning tip 4: Use a camera you trust

High-quality equipment can make a big difference. The moment with the lynx was extremely intense, that lightning-fast toss of the rat, a blink of an eye that decides success or failure. This is where the Z9 shows its true strength. With its 20 frames per second, it gives me the confidence of not missing a single crucial moment. It's almost as if it extends my own reaction time. Add to that the incredible dynamic range of the 45.7-megapixel sensor, especially in the challenging lighting conditions with this constant interplay of light and shadow, it captured details that I could barely perceive with the naked eye. Ultimately, the Z9 gives me freedom. I can work silently when silence is essential. I can react incredibly fast when everything is in motion. I can change settings before others even notice that anything has changed. One touch, and the camera reacts exactly as I need it to, no searching, no hesitation.

Winning tip 5: Pick the right lens for the job

For the winning image I used the NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S lens, which delivers a sharpness that is simply breathtaking – every detail is perfectly rendered. The integrated 1.4x teleconverter, which can be activated with just the touch of a finger, is an absolute game-changer in situations like these and, despite its enormous focal length, the lens is remarkably well balanced. The image stabiliser works so effectively that I can move freely, and often I don't need a tripod anymore. This gives me a sense of closeness and flexibility in wildlife photography that simply feels right. It also gives me enough distance to avoid disturbing the animal, yet stay close enough to capture every nuance. This combination of speed, precision and freedom makes all the difference. It doesn’t just let me take photos – it lets me truly experience every moment.

Winning tip 6: Set your camera up for success

Pay attention to technical perfection because sharpness, light and composition must all be perfect for the impact of the moment to truly shine. For Flying Rodent, I used 1/2000 sec to freeze the fast movement in sharp focus, and f/4.5 to give me the balance of enough light, but with that wonderfully soft, blurred background that practically isolates the subject. With +0.3 EV, I added a touch more brightness to the image; just enough to preserve the atmosphere without looking unnatural. ISO 2000 was a deliberate compromise to capture enough light even in this fleeting moment, and I set the White Balance to automatic, because in RAW format I knew I could bring out every detail later. Autofocus was continuous, combined with Animal-Detection AF and Highlight-Weighted (WC1) metering mode. There was no second chance in that moment, and these settings ensured the focus was exactly where it needed to be: on that one, vibrant gaze. But perhaps most importantly, I used Silent Mode. No noise, no click, so that the lynx remained completely undisturbed and I could be part of that serene moment. Later, I edited the image in Nikon NX Studio, adjusting the shadows and highlights and slightly optimising the sharpness.

Winning tip 7: The ‘wow’ factor

What makes the difference between a good image and a winning one? More often than not it’s the so-called ‘wow effect’ – that certain something that immediately captivates the jury, something so compelling that the image remains in the memory for a long time. It’s what makes the image instantly appeal to the viewer. My advice is to focus on originality rather than copying trends. After capturing my image, I glanced at the display and was immediately filled with joy. Not only because the image was technically successful, but because in that moment I felt that I had achieved something truly special. It was one of those rare moments when everything just clicked, and I knew immediately that this was more than just a good photo, it’s a unique moment in which everything came together: technique, intuition, emotion, story, and patience. And that’s how Flying Rodent was born.

For all the latest information about the competition and its winners visit the Natural History Museum website.