FRITZ PÖLKING PRIZE AND FRITZ PÖLKING JUNIOR PRIZE 2024

Hector Cordero from Spain wins the Fritz Pölking Prize 2024 with a documentary on the dangers of light and glass for migratory birds. The Fritz Pölking Junior Prize 2024 goes to Gianluca Damiani from Italy, whose portfolio "Urban Jungle" addresses the increasing urbanization and its impact on wildlife.

Within the context of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, the German Society for Nature Photography (GDT) and Tecklenborg-Verlag have awarded this prize 17 times since the death of Fritz Pölking in 2007. The prize is awarded annually for an outstanding photographic work. Nature photography stories and portfolios are eligible.

Jury commentary

by Hans-Peter Schaub (on behalf of the jury)

In most photo competitions, it is the jury’s aim to select the best individual image in each of a number of categories. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this. In fact, to a certain extent, this results in the democratisation of photography. A one-off "lucky shot" by an amateur photographer has the same chance of success as a single image from a larger reportage that has been professionally photographed with great effort. What counts is the impression made by the image on a jury that may have only a few seconds to assess at each photograph in the first round. All in all, prestigious competitions provide a good overview of popular themes and current visual styles, and the associated competition catalogues are certainly impressive. Equally impressive are the portfolios awarded the Fritz Pölking Prize and the Fritz Pölking Youth Prize in recent years. Unlike the above-mentioned competitions, these two prizes focus on portfolios presenting self-contained collections of work. Not only are individual images expected to be of high quality, it is crucial for the portfolios to illustrate many different aspects of a theme and possibly even tell a consistent story. While luck coupled with technical skills and creativity can lead to a single spectacular image, a winning portfolio results from a deeper and more rigorous engagement with the subject - often over a longer period of time. This may be the main reason why comparatively few photographers take part in these two prestigious competitions despite their attractive cash prizes. Thinking in terms of a portfolio is much more difficult than creating a single image. This is regrettable because well-told, profound photo stories are powerful means of drawing attention to planet Earth’s environmental problems and natural wonders. Again in 2024, the winners of the Fritz Pölking Prize and the Fritz Pölking Youth Prize impressively illustrate this potential.

With his collection of photographs, Hector Cordero from Spain tells the story of the countless birds that collide with building glass on New York City skyscrapers every year. According to a survey by the Audubon Society, around 230,000 birds die in this manner every year in New York City alone. Hector used just a small number of images to successfully tell his story without the need for accompanying text. The jury particularly liked the fact that Hector does not limit himself to dramatic and sad aspects but also shows how the problem can be ameliorated, even if not completely solved.

There were only seven entries for this year's Fritz Pölking Youth Prize. The winner, Gianluca Damiani from Italy, is currently working on his doctorate about bird behavioural adaptations to urban areas. His portfolio provides insights into the astonishing diversity of wildlife in Rome's ancient ruins and city centre. Using various techniques and a wide range of perspectives, he shows what remains hidden to most tourists. His portfolio is also a good example of how rewarding it is to pay attention to subjects in one's own environment.

This year's winning portfolios approach the topic of urban environments in very different ways. Each tells an interesting story with carefully composed images. All who take photographs in nature are witnesses to what is happening around us. Our cameras represent a powerful tool with which negative and positive developments can be documented and brought to the attention of a broad audience. We can only hope that in the future more photographers will undertake this admittedly time-consuming form of storytelling and perhaps decide to take part in the competition for the Fritz Pölking Prize.