Norwegian photographer Audun Rikardsen won the 2026 'OurNature' Environmental Photography Photo of the Year award for an image titled 'Seal Nightmare,' documenting a polar bear emerging from a breathing hole in the sea ice used by seals, staring directly into a camera mounted underwater.
A long documentation journey
The photography-specialized website '121clicks' reported two days ago that Rikardsen spent years attempting to document polar bear hunting methods from the seals' perspective before successfully capturing the image at 83 degrees north latitude, amidst vast areas of floating sea ice.
Patience and perseverance
The website explained that the photographer waited for approximately eight hours until a polar bear appeared and made its way through a thin layer of ice, before approaching the camera and looking directly into the lens, providing the scene the photographer had long sought to document. Afterward, the bear settled in the spot and slept for about nine hours, forcing Rikardsen to delay retrieving his equipment.
Competition details
The winning image features a shooting angle that places the viewer in the position of a seal that might encounter a polar bear at a breathing hole, offering a rare view of one of the Arctic's most prominent predators' behavior, while highlighting the importance of patience and perseverance in documenting wildlife. The 'OurNature' competition is organized by the 'Vértes Kozma' Foundation, aiming to highlight the beauty of nature, biodiversity, and environmental challenges through photography. The 2026 edition saw participation from over 2,100 images from 35 countries.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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