June 2024 Wildlife Photography Contest Beginner Winner

This photo was taken in springtime when my family and I were visiting Kalkalpen National Park in Austria. We spent a few days hiking in the area. On this rainy day, we were hiking to a small waterfall in the woods. As usual, I had my camera and at least one lens with me. On the way back, my eye caught this delicate snail making its way across a big rusty pipe of a small power plant nearby. Despite the snail’s unhurried pace, time was of the essence to immortalize this charming scene. I wanted to capture the snail in the middle of the pipe, but I did not want to disturb its journey.

I took the image with my Nikon D850 and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens set at 24mm. This allowed me to include the surrounding environment and create more depth in the image. The camera settings were ISO 800, 1/125 sec, and f/4.0 to blur the background and accentuate the snail’s graceful journey. The low aperture and higher ISO also helped in these low light conditions in the middle of the forest.

I am very proud of this image as it encapsulates the essence of a peaceful moment in the heart of nature’s embrace, inviting viewers to appreciate the beauty of the small wonders that surround us.