Top Comedy Honors Go to Hilarious Kangaroo Snapshot
The renowned Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, celebrated as the premier international showcase of humor-infused photography, has reached a delightful climax. We are thrilled to unveil Jason Moore as the triumphant recipient of this year’s top honor for his outstanding snapshot titled ‘Air Guitar Roo,’ featuring a kangaroo in a moment of whimsical brilliance.
This captivating shot not only claimed the top spot overall but also secured victory in the highly contested Creatures of the Land category.
In a field teeming with creativity and talent, Jason’s image stood out among 5300 remarkable entries from 1842 participants spanning 85 countries worldwide, triumphing in the closest voting battle ever witnessed.
Captured in the outer suburbs of Perth, Australia, the photo features a female Western Grey Kangaroo in a moment of grace. Jason ventured into a field adorned with wildflowers, creating a picturesque setting where numerous adult kangaroos and playful joeys provided the perfect subjects for his lens.
He said: ‘I had been out with my camera photographing some waterfowl at a nearby lake. I had been up at sunrise to take advantage of the “golden hour” light, but it turned out to be a disappointing morning on the water. After leaving the lake, somewhat dejected, I decided to swing past an area of open bushland that I know of, because there are often a “mob” of Kangaroos feeding and sunning themselves in a field close to the road (it’s on my way to and from work so I drive past it every day)
“When I arrived, there were a number of Kangaroos in the field. The morning light was still favourable so I grabbed my camera and headed off to a spot where I could get down to eye level with my subjects, amongst the biting ticks (the lengths we go to, just to get that perfect image.) I ended up shooting about 40 or 50 frames of the Kangaroos with various content including Mum’s, Joey’s and also some action shots of them bouncing along through the yellow field‘.
As the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Jason receives a prize package including a unique handmade trophy from the Wonder Workshop in Tanzania, a top-notch photography bag from THINK TANK, and an exclusive safari in the Masai Mara, Kenya, with Alex Walker’s Serian.
Commenting on that day back in August 2021, Jason said: “The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured. Not many people know that Kangaroosare normally fairly docile and even a bit boring most of the time, if I’m honest. However, when I saw this Roo striking the air guitar pose, it immediately brought a smile to my face,and I knew that I had captured something really special.“
This winner resonated strongly with all the judges, embodying a genuine ‘happy vibe and feel-good factor’—the essence of Comedy Wildlife.
Founded in 2015 by professional photographers and devoted conservationists Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, the competition offers a refreshing and free platform for showcasing seriously funny images of the world’s most incredible wildlife.
The competition featured six category winners, including the young photographer Jacek Stankiewicz, whose image ‘Dispute’ not only secured the Junior Award but also triumphed in the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award, winning the public vote comprehensively. This marks a significant milestone, as it’s the first time a junior entry has claimed this honor, showcasing the ever-increasing standard of photography and humor in the competition each year.
The dynamic blend of humor and photography opens the door to a diverse array of winners, and we are delighted to present the PCA title to Jacek this year, as expressed by Tom Sullam, competition co-founder.
In addition to this, other category winners include Vittorio Ricci, securing the Creatures of the Air Award with his photo capturing a striated heron ironically taking an ‘Unexpected Plunge’ from the sky into the water.
Photo above – @Vittorio Ricci
Otter Kwek topped the Under Water Category with his charming Ballerina Otter taken in Singapore.
Photo above – @Otter Kwek
Timea Ambrus won the Portfolio Award with a collection of 4 images showing a ground squirrel, looking like he is trying to fly or taking a winning catch!
Photo above @Timea Ambrus
The Video Award was claimed by Lily Bernau for her captivating film featuring a penguin seemingly hesitant to venture into the sea, titled ‘Too Cold.’
Alongside the Category Winners, 10 outstanding entries earned recognition as Highly Commended Winners: Tzahi Finkelstein, John Blumenkamp, Zoe Ashdown, Brian Matthews, Lara Matthews, Delphine Casimir, Pratick Mondal, Wendy Kaveney, Jacques Poulard, and Dakota Vaccaro.
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