Belgian teacher Alex Brackx will be smiling all the way to the bank after he won Ksh500,000 from a photograph he took during his trip to Masai Mara.
The teacher, who enjoys travel and photography, was crowned the winner of the 2022 Africa Geographic Photo Contest whose entries had been opened at the end of April 2022.
Brackx told VRT News, a media outlet in Belgium, that he was inspired to visit the Mara by his girlfriend who has an interest in wildlife.
"I went there with my girlfriend. She wanted to see an animal kill another animal, but so she also said: 'As long as it's not a zebra' because zebras are her favourite animals," he stated.
While at the National Park, the travel enthusiast took a photo of a cheetah attacking a Zebra. The prey's mother was attempting to save it from the attack.
Brackx noted that he waited in the bush, atop his Jeep, for six hours before the moment. He also took the photo fast since the events were happening quickly.
"It was a very special moment. You see the mother still trying to protect her young and get her free from the attacker. But this was to no avail and the cheetah ate the zebra.
"I took the image with a 500-millimeter lens. I barely had time to take the photograph because the animals move very quickly," he added.
Brackx noted that he travels with his girlfriend around the world and are scheduled to visit Botswana, Borneo and Australia.
The 2022 Africa Geographic Photo Contest call for entries was announced on April 30, 2022 which required the entries to be of the African landscape.
The team of winners was announced on June 2, with the winner pocketing Ksh500,000 (USD5,000) while the second and third runners-up get Ksh250,000 each.
The judges noted that the photo was cleverly taken and had a dramatic effect that took a split-second during the Zebra's fight for survival.
"There is something about this dramatic capture of a split-second in the lives of this cheetah and zebras that transcends the many predation photos that we receive for consideration.
"The desperate battle for survival is etched on their faces, and a final goodbye between mother and child emphasises the raw emotional energy of the moment. This is the first predation photo to win Photographer of the Year," read the judgement.
