Africam’s Virtual Wildlife Photography Competition: May 2026 Winner!

Posted in: Competitions

Congratulations to this Month’s Winner! 

May’s Photo Competition theme, Big & Small, challenged the Africam community to showcase the incredible diversity of life found across our wild spaces. From towering giants that dominate the landscape to the tiniest creatures often overlooked, photographers were invited to celebrate animals of all sizes – either on their own or sharing a single frame.

We’re delighted to announce that Katelyn Mae is our May winner with the striking image titled Giraffe Looking Into the Distance, captured at ol Donyo. The photograph perfectly embodies the theme, drawing attention to one of Africa’s most recognisable giants. Framed against the vast landscape, the giraffe’s calm, watchful pose creates a powerful sense of scale while celebrating the quiet beauty of these remarkable animals.

Why This Photo Stood Out 

At first glance, Giraffe Looking Into the Distance is a striking portrait of one of Africa’s most iconic animals. Giraffes are the tallest land mammals on Earth, and within the context of our Big & Small theme, they are an obvious representative of the continent’s larger wildlife. Yet what elevates this image beyond a simple wildlife portrait is the way it challenges our perception of scale.

Standing in the foreground, the giraffe appears tall and commanding, its elongated silhouette immediately drawing the eye. However, having Mount Kilimanjaro in the background transforms the narrative. Suddenly, this giant of the animal kingdom appears small against the immense mountain rising behind it. The image serves as a powerful reminder that even Africa’s largest creatures exist within landscapes of extraordinary grandeur.

From a compositional perspective, the photograph is beautifully balanced. The giraffe is positioned off-centre, creating a sense of space and inviting the viewer to follow its gaze toward the distant horizon. The sweeping form of Kilimanjaro anchors the opposite side of the frame, creating harmony between the giraffe and the landscape. The monochrome treatment further enhances the image, emphasizing texture, shape, and contrast rather than colour, and allowing both subjects to stand out with equal impact.

Ultimately, this photograph captures the essence of the theme in a thoughtful and unexpected way. It celebrates both the scale of Africa’s wildlife and the vastness of the environments they inhabit, placing them together in a single frame that is as much about perspective as it is about size. It is a powerful reminder of the incredible wildlife and landscapes that make Africa so unique, and a worthy winner of our May Photo Competition.

Read more on how to enter our photo competition here.