Bronze in Nature/Wildlife / 2026 / Nature / Wildlife

• Prize
  Bronze in Nature/Wildlife
• Photographer
  Patrick Ems, Switzerland
• Date of Photograph
  March 2026
• Studio
  Visual Decadence
• Website
  http://www.visual-decadence.com/
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/patrickemsphotography/

Perched on impossible ledges in the Rocky Mountains, the mountain goat watches over the land below. Its thick white fur protects it from biting winds, just as cultural knowledge protects the people. In First Nations traditions, the mountain goat is a messenger of courage and inner fortitude. It symbolizes the sacred duty to stand firm and maintain balance in an ever-changing world.

When the world of photography captured my heart, it changed the way I perceived the world. I realised that experiences in life and the emotions we feel can be captured in a moment to live on forever in a photograph. Chased by emotions and haste, I felt like a child exploring an unknown world; there was no plan of where this journey would take me.

“Photography, a love affair transforming moments into eternal journeys” [Patrick Ems]