BBC Wildlife Competition 1987

by Brian Pitkin

Reproduced from in focus 25 (December 1987)

This annual competition is sponsored by Prudential Assurance, in association with BBC Wildlife Magazine, the Flora and Fauna Preservation Society and the Natural History Museum, London.

The competition comprises several categories including The Underwater World, Winner of this category was New Zealander KIM WESTERKOV, who was runner-up in last year's Animal Behaviour category with an underwater shot of a Jellyfish in Kelp. Kim, a marine biologist, turned writer and photographer was diving at Hydra Rock, a submerged reef off Otago Peninsula, South Island, when he took his winning shot (see front cover) of a Blue Maki fish swimming amidst a forest of bladder kelp, Macrocystis. This kelp is the fastest growing plant, capable of up to 50cm growth per day. The original colour slide was taken with a Nikonos II with an 18mm lens set at 1/50th at f5.6 using strobes. Kim's prize of £250 and membership of the Flora & Fauna Preservation Society for one year was presented by Heather Angel.

Runner-up was BSoUP member MIKE WONG with a photograph of a Butterfly fish taken in the Red Sea using a likonos 11 and 15 mm lens, strobes, 1/60th at f4. Nike won £100 and a year's membership to FFPS, Specially commended was a second shot by KIM WESTERKOV, this time of a fur seal, also taken with a Nikonos Il but with an 18 mm lens at 1/250th using natural light.

An exhibition of prints of the winning slides in each category and some of the other slide entries is an show at the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road. London, SW7 until 1st February, 1987. when the exhibiiton will tour the U.K. Admission to the Museum and exhibition is free between 4.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. Monday to Saturday (at other times their is a small admission charge) so why not pop in?

Wildlife Photographer of the Year