Young Gun

In October, the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 was announced as Gideon Knight. He talks to Oliver Atwell about his dreamy shot of a carrion crow.

- Oliver Atwell

Each year, much of the focus on the Wildlife Photographer of the Year can tend to land on the overall adult winner (this year it was Tim Laman). However, that does a massive disservice to the always excellent overall youth winner, which this year was announced as 16-year-old nature enthusiast Gideon Knight. We talked to him about his winning shot and how he achieved it.

Can you tell me all about your winning shot? 

It was taken in London’s Valentines Park. It was only January, but this was already my sixth visit of the year – I was looking for the great light that often comes with a winter sunset. On this particular afternoon I had been shooting by the lake, which had frozen over, and was on my way home when I was struck by the beauty of a carrion crow, perched among the spindly branches of a sycamore and silhouetted by an almost full moon rising through the blue twilight. It was an image I knew I had to capture, and so with the light fading fast, I got into position.