{"id":189520,"date":"2025-11-19T19:49:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T19:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/189520\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T19:49:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T19:49:21","slug":"nanpa-showcase-2026-features-the-worlds-best-nature-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/189520\/","title":{"rendered":"NANPA Showcase 2026 Features the World’s Best Nature Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

The North American Nature Photography Association<\/a> has revealed the winning photos for its 2026 Showcase<\/a>, featuring stunning landscape images, action shots of wildlife, eye-popping macro photos, and powerful conservation work. <\/p>\n

Best in Show Winner Michelle Valberg Explains Her Winning Photo <\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Best in Show Winner is Canadian photographer and Nikon Ambassador Michelle Valberg<\/a>, who PetaPixel interviewed<\/a> in 2023. <\/p>\n

Valberg earned the NANPA Showcase 2026 \u201cBest in Show\u201d title for her incredible long-exposure black-and-white photograph, Wind & Stone. Valberg captured the stunning landscape, which also took top honors in the competition\u2019s \u2018Scapes (landscapes) category, in the iconic Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile. <\/p>\n

\"BlackBest in Show \u2014 \u2018Wind & Stone\u2019 by \u00a9 Michelle Valberg, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile | 2026 NANPA Showcase <\/p>\n

\u201cI am honored to receive the NANPA Showcase 2026 Best in Category and Show award,\u201d Valberg tells PetaPixel. \u201cIt means more than recognition for a single photograph. It reflects the values that guide my work in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNANPA promotes nature photography as a way to communicate, to deepen appreciation for the natural world, and to encourage environmental protection. That mission echoes everything I strive for when I step into wild places with a camera. Their commitment to education, inspiration, and opportunity mirrors the path I\u2019ve walked throughout my career,\u201d Valberg continues. <\/p>\n

\"APhoto of Michelle Valberg by Sandy Sharkey <\/p>\n

Valberg says she captured this photograph after finishing a week-long workshop in Patagonia that she co-led with National Geographic photographer and Canon Explorer of Light, Keith Ladzinski<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day we watched the Torres del Paine breathe and shift,\u201d Valberg recalls. \u201cEvery second reshaped this incredible scene. The wind carved its own rhythm across the sky and the clouds raced with a kind of wild grace. I was enamored by that constant change.\u201d <\/p>\n

When Ladzinski left after the workshop, he lent Valberg his NiSi filter kit, saying, \u201cUse the filters, you won\u2019t regret it.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/blockquote>\n

Valberg admits she\u2019s never been much of a filter person and hesitated to accept them. She eventually relented and said she\u2019d give them a try as she continued working in Patagonia. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile creating a time lapse, I saw how quickly the clouds were moving so I grabbed the kit and used a polarizer and a 10-stop ND and gradient filter,\u201d Valberg says. \u201cThe mountain stood firm while the sky streamed above it, around it\u2026 I wanted to reveal that feeling.\u201d <\/p>\n

The final \u201cBest in Show\u201d photo was a 30-second exposure shot at ISO 40 and f\/22 on Valberg\u2019s Nikon Z8<\/a>. She used her Nikon Z 24-120mm f\/4 S lens. <\/p>\n

It took her a few tries to capture the exact flow and motion she wanted, but she nailed it and knew, while shooting, that this would ultimately be a black-and-white conversion. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis scene belonged in black and white,\u201d Valberg knew. \u201cThe language of tone and texture spoke more clearly [in black and white] than color.\u201d <\/p>\n

The experience also sparked a new love for filters. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the image appeared on the back of my camera, I felt a shift in my own approach. It reminded me that stepping outside my comfort zone can open new creative paths. Wind & Stone became the photograph that really changed my mind about filters. I am now even a NiSi Ambassador!\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cPatagonia is a magical place. It holds a gravity that pulls you in and stays with you long after you leave. I am returning with my family in December for the holidays and I can\u2019t wait to experience this amazing place with my husband and son,\u201d Valberg says. <\/p>\n

The photographer will also be returning to co-lead another winter puma workshop next July and another workshop in February 2027. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt keeps calling,\u201d she says. \u201cAt first, I was consumed with the idea of seeing pumas. \u00a0It was my dream. \u00a0Within the first seconds of being in Patagonia, I felt something larger rise around me.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/blockquote>\n

Valberg loves the raw beauty of the landscapes and how the wind shapes every moment in the region. \u201cIt feels like a living canvas, always shifting, always surprising. Patagonia feeds creativity.\u201d <\/p>\n

For a wildlife and nature photographer like herself, Patagonia delivers a sense of scale, texture, and spirit that is often so elusive. <\/p>\n

Wind & Stone also reflects Valberg\u2019s broader commitment to nature. <\/p>\n

\u201cAt the heart of my work is a desire to listen to the land and to the animals. Every photograph begins with presence, patience and respect. I try to move quietly, let the place speak, and follow the feeling rather than the expectation (not so easy to do). Wind & Stone reflects that intention. It represents the moment when nature reveals something honest and you rise to meet it with your own honesty.\u201d <\/p>\n

Valberg is a big believer in showcases like the one NANPA does annually, as \u201cPhotographs can educate, inspire and open doors into places many will never see in person.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cContests like NANPA help make that possible. They shine a light on the beauty and fragility of our natural world and invite people to step into these stories with understanding and curiosity,\u201d Valberg explains. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs nature photographers, we all want our images to help people feel more connected to the wild world that shapes us. I am always searching for the pulse that binds us to these places. If a photograph can stir wonder or spark a desire to protect the places we hold dear, it carries the purpose I care about most. Everyone who is part of NANPA holds that same belief and that shared commitment strengthens the work we all do,\u201d Valberg concludes. <\/p>\n

For photographers who would love to learn photography skills directly from Michelle Valberg, she offers wildlife photography tours and workshops<\/a>. For those who cannot attend in-person workshops, Valberg also offers an online wildlife photography course<\/a> alongside filmmaker Joel Haslam. <\/p>\n

NANPA Showcase 2026 Category Winners <\/p>\n

Alongside Valberg\u2019s top honors, NANPA Showcase 2026 also features winners, runners-up, and judges\u2019 choice photos across its eight categories. These 28 winning photos and two videos are featured below, organized by category. <\/p>\n

Birds \"AFirst Place \u2014 \u2018Spartina Baby\u2019 by \u00a9 Kelley Luikey, Beaufort, South Carolina | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"ARunner-Up \u2014 \u2018Symmetry in Motion\u2019 by \u00a9 Lee Greengrass, Shoreline at Mountain View, Mountain View, California | 2026 NANPA Showcase
\n \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Brandt\u2019s Cormorant Diving\u2019 by \u00a9 Kevin Lohman, Fisherman\u2019s Wharf, Monterey, California | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Echoes in Flight\u2019 by \u00a9 Yoshiki Nakamura, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan | 2026 NANPA Showcase Judges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Owlet in Paradise\u2019 by \u00a9 Amy Marques, Central Florida | 2026 NANPA Showcase Mammals \"AFirst Place \u2014 \u2018Fox Kit With Helper\u2019 by \u00a9 Marcia Walters, San Juan Island National Historic Park | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"ARunner-Up \u2014 \u2018Bat Bath\u2019 by \u00a9 Hira Punjabi, India | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"Close-upJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018African Elephant in Red Dust\u2019 by \u00a9 Kevin Lohman, Tsavo East National Park, Kenya, Africa | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018A Coyote in San Francisco\u2019 by \u00a9 Karthik Subramaniam, San Francisco, California | 2026 NANPA Showcase
\n \u2018Scapes \"AbstractRunner-Up \u2014 \u2018Coastal Flow\u2019 by \u00a9 Mary Louise Ravese, Cape Cod, Massachusetts | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AerialJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Tasman Braids\u2019 by \u00a9 Greg Vaughn, South Island, New Zealand | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"Smooth,Judges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Mesquite Sand Dunes\u2019 by \u00a9 Randall Dunn, Death Valley National Park | 2026 NANPA Showcase Macro\/Micro\/All Other \"Close-upFirst Place \u2014 \u2018Calleta Silkmoth\u2019 by \u00a9 Bruce Taubert, Arizona | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"ARunner-Up \u2014 \u2018Communal Feeding\u2019 by \u00a9 Karen Campbell, Woodland in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Gentle Glider\u2019 by \u00a9 Angela J. Sanchez, Sea of Cortez, Baja California Sur, Mexico | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"Close-upJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Blue Ice Beauty\u2019 by \u00a9 Carol Grenier, Iceland | 2026 NANPA Showcase
\n Conservation \"AFirst Place \u2014 \u2018A Fistful of Frogs\u2019 by \u00a9 Ryan Wager, Lassen, California | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"ARunner-Up \u2014 \u2018To Save a Salamander\u2019 by \u00a9 Ryan Wagner, Vancouver, Washington | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018We Need Salmon\u2019 by \u00a9 Ray Pfortner, Maury Island, Washington | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Speed Kills\u2019 by \u00a9 Karen Blackwood, Kruger National Park, South Africa | 2026 NANPA Showcase Altered Reality \"AFirst Place \u2014 \u2018Kaleidoscope of Monarchs\u2019 by \u00a9 Bruce Leventhal, Natural Bridges State Park, California | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"ARunner-Up \u2014 \u2018Wildebeest Dreams\u2019 by \u00a9 Betty Sederquist, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AbstractJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Leaf Dance\u2019 by \u00a9 Wendy Kaveney, Garfield Park, Indiana | 2026 NANPA Showcase
\n \"SeveralJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Blue Birches Fantasy II\u2019 by \u00a9 Maryellen Stone, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Massachusetts | 2026 NANPA Showcase Comedy\/Humor \"AFirst Place \u2014 \u2018The Wildlife Photographer\u2019 by \u00a9 Deena Sveinsson, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"ARunner-Up \u2014 \u2018Warbler in Mirror\u2019 by \u00a9 Marta Cody, Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Florida | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"TwoJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Who Are You Wearing?\u2019 by \u00a9 Brian Clopp, Dugway, Utah | 2026 NANPA Showcase \"AJudges\u2019 Choice \u2014 \u2018Clueless in Alaska\u2019 by \u00a9 Mark Kelley, Anan Creek, Wrangell, Alaska | 2026 NANPA Showcase Video First Place \u2014 \u2018Bighorn Lambs, Badlands Nursery\u2019 by David and Shiela Glatz, Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA
\n Runner-Up \u2014 \u2018The Lakeside Puma Nursery\u2019 by David and Shiela Glatz, Lago Sarmiento, Patagonia, Chile <\/p>\n

The NANPA Showcase 2026 competition also includes Top 100<\/a> and Top 250 Showcase Winners<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Image credits:<\/strong> North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). All photographers are credited in the individual image captions. <\/p>\n