Audun Rikardsen wins BigPicture photography grand prize

Tromsø-based biologist and nature photographer Audun Rikardsen has won the grand prize at the BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition. The winning image captures a polar bear peering into a seal breathing hole in the sea ice of Svalbard.

Rikardsen, who previously won the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ award, expressed pride and humility regarding the win, noting that BigPicture is one of the largest nature photography competitions in the United States. His work in the competition also included an award in another category for a photograph of a humpback whale in contact with a fishing boat.