More than 300 participants took part in the nature photo contest organised by the Stelvio, Gran Paradiso, Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise and Vanoise National Parks

The international jury members of the contest “Fotografare il Parco” (Photograph the Park) have declared the winners of the 11th edition. The contest is organized by: the Stelvio, the Gran Paradiso, the Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise and the Vanoise National Parks with the financial support of Swarovski Optik Italia.

The winner of the first prize for all categories is the wonderful picture “Gallo forcello. Il canto d’amore” (Black grouse. The love song) taken by Denis Bertanzetti di Idro. On this picture, the author brings the observer into the natural habitat of the Black Grouse during the sunshine with the mountains as a background. Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola, from Milan, is at the second place with the picture “Amori sommersi. Rospo comune” (Submerged loves. Common Toad). This underwater photo shows the hug of two toads spawning. The dynamic photo “Cervo volante” (Flying Deer) from Lorenzo Shoubridge di Lido di Camaiore has been ranked third. The picture shows two males of deer fighting.

The best picture for the category “Park’s landscape” is “Ultime luci ai Lacs Perrin” (Last light at Lacs Perrin), taken in the Vanoise National Park by Marco Ferrando di Mombercelli. The warm colors of the clouds are reflected on the lake when the night is coming. For the category best pictures taken in a protected area have been awarded : “Opi al mattino” (Abruzzo Lazio e Molise National Park), foggy atmosphere, by Alessandro Baldetti di Ariccia; “Momenti di riflessione” (Gran Paradiso National Park) - picture with mountains  and clouds reflected in the Dres Lakes - by Andrea Bazzarone di Caluso (Gran Paradiso National Park); “Porta glaciale dei Ghiacciaio dei Forni” (Stelvio National Park) - shows the changes of the alpine glaciers - by Mauro Lanfranchi from Lecco; “Bleu polynésien au Lac Supèrieur du Mont Coua”Vanoise National Park) -  snow melting in a mountain small lake - from the French Fabrice Ygrie di Challes Les Eaux.

In the category “Wildlife fauna”, the first prize has been assigned to Valter Pallaoro di Ora for the picture “Concorrente in arrivo” a sort of meeting/fight between two birds of prey. The “Moscardino” eating blackberries, of the photographer Fabrizio Moglia di Moncucco, is arrived second. The third prize is assigned to the picture showing a chamois in the mountain “Là, dove osano i camosci”, by Davide Ferretti di Atri.

For the category “Microcosmos” the jury assigned the first prize to Lorenzo Shoubridge with “Marasso. Rituale” a picture that takes two Marassi coupling. The second prize is assigned to Massimo Arcaro with the picture “Caccia grossa” a fight between a mantis and a butterfly. The third prize is assigned to the picture named “Ladybug ready to fly” showing a ladybug flying from a Crocus albiflorus taken by Paolo Mignosa di Felino.

Massimo Arcaro wins as well the first prize in the category “Natural habitat” with the picture “Il bacio sulla bocca”. The second prize has been assigned to Franco Fratini di Novate Milanese with the photo “Spettinato dal vento”, where the moved picture stress the flowers movements. Thanks to a good control of the focus, Roberto Zuolo from Ronco Scrivia , wins the third prize.

This year as well, for the category “Digiscoping del Parco” the winner is Andrea Roverselli from Bormio with the picture “Luci ed ombre”, a winter picture of a mountain hare. 

Moreover, the jury assigned two special prizes. One, has been assigned to the couple “Picchi neri” by Giancarlo Giudici di Tovo Sant’Agata because of the technique used (digiscoping with smartphone). Franco Paolinelli di Falconara Marittima is awareded with “premio simpatia” for the photo “Il salto della civetta” because of the night picture showing a bird prey funny position.

The jury members mention the pictures of Christian Simon, Jean-Luc Viart and Paolo Mignosa.

Once again, the contest registered a great participation of many amateur as well as professional photographers. Besides the 300 participants, around 2500 works have been presented by photographers from all the Italian Region, form France and from other European countries (United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria and Germany).

The panel of judges, composed of the representatives of the four protected areas, of professional people and nature photographers, noticed the images' high quality, both in terms of documentary value and of noteworthy technical as well as artistic quality.

The winners of the different categories will be award at the award ceremony planned in July in the Gran Paradiso National Park. The prizes are supplied by the protected areas, by Swarovski Optik Italia (leading producer of high-quality tools to observe and photograph nature, and exclusive supplier of the three Italian Parks), by Nikon (world leader in the imaging field), by Photogem (professional photographic laboratory) and by Edinat (publisher of "Natura", the magazine regarding nature and environmental themes and partner of the event).

Bormio, 5th May, 2016