A panel of judges has selected the first monthly winner in a photography competition aimed at showcasing the beauty of the Maasai Mara.
Many congratulations to Italian photographer Paolo Torchio who beat off other photographers to win with his incredible shot of a Thomson’s Gazelle being chased by a cheetah (sadly – for the Thommie at least – the chase ended a few seconds later).
“The last few seconds of the hunt, when all will be decided by small hesitations, in one way or the other. Both of them are totally absorbed by what they are doing. A matter of life and death,” said Paolo, describing the moment.
A few months ago, The Angama Foundation in partnership with Nomad Magazine launched a competition seeking to find the Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer Of The Year, with each monthly winner going forward to a Grand Final with a $10,000 prize and five-night safari for two at the Angama Mara.
‘Run for life’ by Paolo Torchio
Accompanied by Paolo was Julius Kimani, his guide from the Mara Bush Camp, who also stands a chance to win a new Suzuki Maruti Gypsy.
Federico Verones, one of the competition’s judges, said of the shot: “Ä perfect hunting shot with dust and the cheetah’s eyes locked on her prey. The tension is palpable in both animals’ eyes.”
The judges had a challenging time as they had to choose a winner from a pool of exceptional images from other photographers. Below are the runners-up.
‘Cheetah Cubs Playing At Sunrise!’ by Mario Vigo
‘Cornered’ by Paras Chandaria
‘Flying Queen!’ by Paras Chandaria
‘Unlucky!’ by Diana Knight
The search for February’s winner has already kicked off, so submit your entries and stand a chance to be The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of 2018.
For further details on the competition and terms and conditions, visit www.thegreatestmaasaimara.com
