Italian Photographer Federico Veronesi Wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 With Moving Elephant Image in Namibia

Italian photographer Federico Veronesi has taken the grand title at the 62nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 awards. The Natural History Museum in London announced the winning entries on October 13 to celebrate global conservation storytelling. 

Veronesi became the Wildlife Photographer of the Year with The Aftermath. The Aftermath is a monochrome portrait documenting complex animal emotion in Namibia's Huab River Valley. Jury chair Kathy Moran called the image an emotionally heartbreaking reflection of wild animal intelligence.

How Federico become Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026

Veronesi followed a group of elephants after spotting peculiar drag marks on a river bed in Namibia. The researcher recorded an instance of a mother elephant carrying her baby elephant...its leg trapped between the mother’s tusk and trunk.

According to wildlife researchers, it is through such documented cases that valuable information on how wild animals handle death is generated.

For the first time in the history of the Wildlife Photography competition, both adult and young overall titles went to black-and-white shots. 

Top Category of Wildlife Photographer Winners at 2026 Natural History Museum Awards

The jury evaluated thousands of international entries based on ethical field practices, technical precision, and narrative originality.

1. Federico Veronesi's Image The Aftermath

Photo: nhm.ac.uk

2. James Lewin's Image The Meeting Place

Photo: nhm.ac.uk

3. Aaron Sander's Image A Watchful Eye

Photo: nhm.ac.uk

4. Sitaram Raul's Image the Shifting Sand

Photo: nhm.ac.uk

5. Amelie Davis's Image Flight of the Bumblebee

How Wildlife Photographers are Mastering Ethical Fieldwork and Visual Storytelling

Wildlife photojournalism that has an impact requires accuracy, discipline, patience, and high ethical standards. Conservation photographers utilize various techniques in their work:

• Observing Without Interference: Using long range lenses and natural blinds, artists are able to watch the animals without affecting their normal behavior.

• Knowing Animal Psychology: In-depth knowledge of animals enables photographers to predict certain behavior.

• Ambient Light Mastery: Dealing with bright sunlight and insufficient light in the underbrush demands precise manual exposure control.

All the winning pictures will be officially exhibited in the Natural History Museum of London, after which they will travel around the world. These visual accounts keep inspiring important debates on biodiversity conservation.