At first glance, the above image looks like a pretty conventional (if exceptionally well-timed) snap of a leopard prowling the savannah at night. But if you take a longer, closer look, you’ll see that something strange emerges. Within the leopard is what looks like reflections of the stars and the night sky. It looks like Photoshop or fancy editing – but it’s a very real, genuine photograph.
So, how did it end up like that? Honestly, we’re not sure. The shot was taken by British photographer Will Burrard-Lucas, with the help of his home-built ‘BeetleCam’ technology. Using a remote control buggy, Burrard-Lucas managed to capture a shot of the leopard: a largely nocturnal animal that’s usually pretty difficult to catch on camera. The result is totally transfixing.
Burrard-Lucas won the ‘living world’ category at the 2021 Travel Photographer of the Year Awards. Featuring categories ranging from ‘landscapes & adventures’ and ‘people & their stories’ to ‘green world’, the winners were as mesmerising as ever. Here are a few more of our favourites:
This impressionist-like snowscape
This exceptionally calm rural scene
This pleasing shot of camels reflected on a beach
This close-up of an icy grizzly
This cute mountain town
This eerie flamingo formation
And this ridiculously brave skier
Looking for more epic photography? Check out these aerial shots from the Drone Photo Awards.
Plus: these award-winning photos have made us really want to explore the world again.