12 Award-Winning Nature Photos to Remind You That Outside Exists

As a child, I spent most of my time entranced by the pure world. There had been the anthills I’d discover on miniature yard safaris and the newts I’d scoop up from the stream behind my elementary faculty. There had been the fish on the aquarium, and the hours-upon-hours of Discovery Channel and Animal Planet content material I absorbed. I had an illustrated encyclopedia of life on Earth, and I might flip to any web page to fulfill a brand new pal. But as an grownup, it’s uncommon to take a look at something in awe. Most of the information revealed about our planet isn’t good, and often focuses on what’s gone incorrect: Climate change, species extinctions, plastic air pollution, environmental injustice. All of that’s undeniably essential. But typically, taking a break from the crises and appreciating what we nonetheless have is essential, too. After all, it’s onerous to maintain up the nice combat should you can’t keep in mind what you’re preventing for.

These pictures, all finalists and winners from the 2022 Big Picture News: World Photography Competition, function a pleasant reminder. Take a deep breath, take a minute to decelerate, and check out some unimaginable footage of our planet and its inhabitants.

This gallery was initially revealed in bioGraphic, an unbiased journal about nature and conservation powered by the California Academy of Sciences, and media companion of the BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition.