WWF photo competition celebrates South Africa’s beauty beyond the selfie

A FEW years back, I was privileged enough to visit New York City, the actual Big Apple. And what an experience that was.

The residence where I stayed was in Brooklyn Heights, just a hop, skip and a NYC shuffle from the Brooklyn Bridge. So there I was able to hoof it between Brooklyn and Manhattan whenever my heart desired; it was a thrill … every single time!

One day, on one of my frequent trips over the iconic bridge, I was looking at the brickwork, the cables, the cars on the motorway below where the pedestrians and cyclists commute. As always, I was awestruck!

Off in the distance, just off to the left, I could see the Freedom Tower raking to the wispy clouds in the chilly October sky, slightly to the right, there were the Chrysler and the Empire State Buildings.

‘Perfect’ Photo Opportunity

As I was walking in wonder, drooling at the concrete jungle, each step making it loom larger ahead of me, I had to slow my gait, even stop one time, because a young man who had been walking ahead of me, in typical Millennial Zombie mode – headphones over the ears and eyes fixed to the device in his hand – glanced up, and must have noticed the Freedom Tower, and how the light was catching the glass surfaces making them an even deeper blue.

He stopped, turned around, cracked the biggest smile I had seen in Grumpy NYC and snapped a selfie with the skyline in the background and an expression of wonder, enthusiasm and thrill on his face.

Immediately after taking the selfie, his expression went back to neutral, he slipped his headphones back on, and he continued his cellphone zombie plod over the bridge.

Now my brother, an avid photographer, spoke about this to me one day a number of years ago. He lamented how what used to be “photographs” – where the world was viewed through a lens, and the resulting pictures shared with family and friends in albums – have now become “selfies” where your face dominates a picture, while landmarks, scenery and the wonders of architecture, nature and other beauty of the world plays second fiddle.

So what am I getting at? What’s the point of all this?

Beauty beyond ourselves

Simply this, I am concerned that people these days are so intent on capturing that perfect picture of themselves, that they are so inwardly focused, so self-absorbed, that they are failing to look around and see the beauty of the natural world out there.

And believe me, living in South Africa, there’s a LOT of beauty to see around us.

Fortunately, there are those shutterbugs out there who are not completely self-focused; sometimes they’re not at all interested in selfies because they are too busy gaping in wonder at the beauty around them – this is a rare bunch, and they should be celebrated.

And they were.

Yes, recently, South Africans picked up their cameras and showed the world what’s worth protecting. After receiving over 1,430 entries and 1,530 votes from the public, WWF South Africa announced the winners of its ‘Our Country, Through Your Lens’ photo competition. This nationwide visual movement captured our natural heritage through the eyes of our people.

The competition, which ran from May 12 to June 27 2025, invited South Africans to document the places, people, and wildlife that make our country one of the most biodiverse on Earth. It forms part of WWF’s broader Believe in Better movement, a call to recognise what's worth protecting. 

This year, submissions documented the full spectrum of natural diversity, from cascading waterfalls and ocean depths to majestic leopards and moments of human connection with nature.

Picture Perfect: Meet the Winners

Captured by Freda Jansen, from Hoedspruit in the Limpopo province, the winning photograph featured two giraffe bulls in a silent dance of dominance, captured on a crisp March morning in the Kruger National Park. This image stood out as a moment of raw strength and grace - a reminder that nature’s balance is fragile, and worth protecting if we truly believe in a better future.

She will receive a luxury two-night photo safari for two at Madwaleni River Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal's Babanango Game Reserve, complete with meals, accommodation, and guided game drives led by a professional photographer. Now if that’s not an incentive for other photographers to stop doom scrolling, I don’t know what is!

Four other photographers earned runner-up recognition, each capturing unique aspects of South Africa's natural heritage.

•       Putri Martosudarmo from Johannesburg photographed a majestic lion soaking up golden sunlight, its magnificent mane blowing in the wind.
•       Hendrik Louw from Centurion framed a brilliant green praying mantis against nature's perfect palette, positioned delicately on violet petals beneath a clear azure sky.
•       Christoff Theunissen from the Western Cape meticulously tracked the celestial dance above Hangklip Peak, layering 175 photographs taken over an hour and a half to reveal the stars' graceful arcing paths across the night sky.
•       Kristin Rockhill from Cape Town created a powerful portrait of resilience, showing a burn survivor and mother holding her daughter close amid green growth emerging from fire-blackened protea fields – a testament to both nature's and the human spirit's ability to heal and flourish.

These diverse perspectives demonstrated the range of talent and viewpoints that emerged from the competition. Each planet protector has won a Sealand Gear Recycled Buddy Backpack, valued at R2,695.

Drawing on his dual expertise as both photographer and conservationist, competition judge Angus Burns, WWF's Lead for Area-Based Conservation, explains what made these entries stand out: 

“What's important to me is the emotion I get from looking at a photo. When I reviewed the entries for this competition, beyond all the technical considerations, I was specifically looking for whether that photograph convinced me to believe in better and see a planet where people and nature thrive together.”

A chance to see the Winners Up Close

This September, during Heritage Month, Cape Town's Sea Point Promenade will be transformed into an outdoor gallery, showcasing the winning and runner-up photographs for the public to experience.

The photographs will also travel to Johannesburg for an exhibition later in the year, with venue and dates to be confirmed.

“These photographs remind us that conservation isn't an abstract concept; it's deeply personal. Every entry received in this competition represents someone who stopped, looked around, and decided that what they saw was worth preserving for future generations. 

“When people connect with nature through their own lens, they become its most effective advocates. These aren't just beautiful pictures; they're declarations of love for the only planet we have, and reminders to ensure it thrives long after we're gone,” concludes WWF CEO Dr Morné du Plessis.

 About WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent environmental organisations, with a global network active in more than 100 countries, including South Africa. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving our biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.