The Best Shots Of The Animal Kingdom, As Announced By The EISA Maestro Awards 2023

The Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) has announced the winners of its Maestro Awards 2023! This year’s theme, “The Animal Kingdom,” saw Swedish photographer Magnus Berggren take first place for his incredible bird photos. Angi Wallace from the United Kingdom secured a well-deserved second place, while the third spot was claimed by Pål Hermansen from Norway. The People’s Choice Award was earned by Mirjam Radke from Germany.

Scroll down to discover the captivating photographs! Don’t forget to upvote your favorite ones and share your thoughts in the comments!

More info: Instagram

16 PHOTOS

1. 1st place – Magnus Berggren, Sweden

Image credits: Magnus Berggren

Magnus Berggren started photographing in 2007, but it was not until 2018 that he decided to focus on wildlife photography. “I started photographing small birds and just got hooked,” he says. “But I also like to photograph other animals, of course.”

2. Image credits: Magnus Berggren

His image style is distinctive and dramatic. “I try to plan how the background looks as I try to get the animal separated from the background. I want to try to show the beauty of the animal by editing the photos a bit dramatically and bring out their soul in the photos,” he explains. “I’ve been developing my style for a few years and it’s still evolving.”

3. Image credits: Magnus Berggren

Magnus uses a Sony Alpha A7 IV with a Sony 400mm F2.8 lens, but he hopes to upgrade to a Sony 600mm F4 soon. “It would be better suited to smaller birds,” he says. He edits his photos on a PC with Lightroom Classic and Topaz Sharpen.

4. Image credits: Magnus Berggren

5. Image credits: Magnus Berggren

6. Image credits: Magnus Berggren

7. 2nd place – Angi Wallace, United Kingdom

Image credits: Angi Wallace

“I am an ex-nurse turned multi-award-winning photographer with a passion for close-up and macro, nature, still life, creative portraiture, landscapes, and gig photography,” Angi Wallace says. Over 18 years of enjoying photography, she has relished learning various genres, concentrating initially on capturing images of amphibians and reptiles (another hobby of hers).

z Image credits: Angi Wallace

More recently, Angi has been focusing on floral, fungi, and other close-up nature images as well as honing her skills in still life, focus stacking macro, and food photography. “I produce a lot of my photography from home, using a mini studio set up in our dining room, simply because my health does not allow for energy-demanding activities,” she explains.

8. Image credits: Angi Wallace

9. Image credits: Angi Wallace

10. Image credits: Angi Wallace

11. Image credits: Angi Wallace

12. Image credits: Angi Wallace

13. Image credits: Angi Wallace

14. 3rd place – Pål Hermansen, Norway

Image credits: Pål Hermansen

Pål Hermansen works as a photographer in the field of nature and arts. He was educated at Robert Meyer College of Art, Oslo, in addition to having degrees in dentistry and homeopathy. In his work, he is mainly focused on the interaction between man and nature, existential landscapes, and creative wildlife photography.

15. Image credits: Pål Hermansen

Pål has written and/or illustrated 40 books and is represented in the 2013 international portfolio book, Masters of Nature Photography (BBC/Natural History Museum, London 2013). His images have appeared in publications such as National Geographic Magazine, ORION, GEO, and BBC Wildlife Magazine. He is a member of FFF, The Norwegian Art Photographer’s Association, and is represented in the group 100 Norwegian Photographers (100norwegianphotographers.no).

16, Image credits: Pål Hermansen

Pål is also a member of the art collective HAM together with Mats Andersson and Erik Malm and is an honorary member and member of the board of NN, The Association of Norwegian Nature Photographers.