Maksym Breus, 17, won the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s 2026 Nature Photography Competition with this amazing picture taken at Redgrave and Lopham Fen.
The image freezes a life-or-death moment in a high-speed chase, as a predator pursues its prey across the wetlands on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.
And it required incredible patience from the talented young photographer.
He said: “For three years I’ve attempted to capture a legendary shot of a hobby chasing a dragonfly.
“After more than 200 hours spent observing, the delight of achieving my dream shot was absolutely indescribable.
“For me, wildlife photography was never just about showing an animal, I want to show people the behaviour, story and fleeting moments that make each encounter special.”
The competition, open to Norfolk residents and visitors of all ages, attracted more than 1,200 entries during June and July.
Twelve winning images were selected for the trust’s 2027 calendar, with the overall winner chosen through a public vote.
16-year-old Tia Pardon won the Young Person award in the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s 2026 Nature Photography Competition, for this image of a little egret backlit by the sun at NWT Hickling Broad (Image: Tia Pardon)
Other winners included 16-year-old Tia Pardon, who received the Young Person award for her beautiful image of a little egret backlit by the sun at NWT Hickling Broad.
And Clifford Wicker took home the Mobile Phone prize for his “wonderfully shot photograph” of a banded demoiselle damselfly at Ingoldisthorpe Water Recycling Centre.
The overall winner will receive a prize from competition sponsor ZEISS, while the Young Person and Mobile Photography winners will receive gift vouchers from John Lewis Norwich.
The 2027 calendar will be available to buy online and at Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centres at Hickling Broad, Holme Dunes, and Cley Marshes from late September.
And a free exhibition featuring the winning and highly commended photographs will be held at NWT’s Cley Marshes reserve throughout October.
For more details see www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/events.
Clifford Wicker won the Mobile Phone prize in Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s 2026 Nature Photography Competition for this photograph of a banded demoiselle damselfly at Ingoldisthorpe Water Recycling Centre (Image: Clifford Wicker)