Last weekend the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition opened at Tonbridge School’s OBS Gallery. On until November 6, it is on loan from the Natural History Museum and is already proving a huge success…
MORE than 100 award-winning images have gone on display at Tonbridge School at its renowned OBS Gallery, which has the honour of hosting the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
On loan from the Natural History Museum in London, the show features a range of incredible photographs which have been selected by an international panel of experts.
“More than 50,000 entries were sent in from all around the world for this year’s competition,” a spokesperson for the school tells the Times.
“The show will be on every weekend until November 6 to the general public but should individual schools want to arrange a weekday visit they can do so by contacting the gallery’s administrator,” they add.
Entries to this year’s competition range from a metallic looking octopus caught underwater by Cristobal Serrano, to a beautiful kingfisher with multicoloured wings taking flight, as captured by Christian Spencer.
The origins of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition go back to 1965, when BBC Wildlife Magazine , then called ‘Animals’, attracted around 600 entries across three available categories. It was the leading event of its kind for nature photographers and grew in stature over the years. In 1984, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, as it is known today, was created and it is now run by the Natural History Museum.
The exhibition at the OBS, which includes an accompanying video and self-guided gallery trail, is free to enter and will also be open during October half term.
Claire Hart White, OBS Gallery Administrator and Curator comments: “We are delighted to host this extraordinary exhibition, which showcases what an eye can see and a camera can capture. Each image portrays a potent moment in the natural world, imbued with emotion, and our attention is held and subtly challenged at the same time.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors and hearing what moves them most. With a hundred images to reflect upon, there is something for everyone,” she adds.
During its time at the OBS Gallery there will be a free, family ‘Drop-In Workshop’, on Sunday October 9 between 12pm and 4pm in Big School, next door to the OBS Gallery.
On the evening of Thursday November 3, Henley Spiers, an award-winning underwater photographer, writer and expedition leader, will be the speaker for the School’s Art Talk. This is a free, but bookable event and places can be reserved via the EM Forster Theatre website at: emftheatre.com
