Skye Meaker
Skye Meaker's picture of Limpy, aka the "Lounging Leopard," won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award in 2018. "She is the calmest leopard around vehicles that I've ever seen," Meaker says. "She lets you get really close to her, which is how I managed to show the peace that she must have felt at that moment in time, just as she woke up."
Skye Meaker
While on a safari with his family in Botswana's Mashatu Game Reserve, Meaker, 19, says he observed an almost human-like intelligence in this massive crocodile. "It had strategically placed itself under one of the drainage pipes that were made for the dam," says the South African photographer, "and waited for the water to drop just past its mouth so that when it found a fish, it could catch it."
Shawn Meaker
After years of trying to define his style, Meaker realized all he needed to make the ordinary look extraordinary was a change of perspective. "My style of photography is to showcase the moment," he says, "whether through taking a picture to show how I felt in that moment, trying to convey how I think the animal felt in that moment, or simply how the moments blend together with my slow shutter-speed work."
Skye Meaker
Meaker took this image on his Canon EOS-1DX using a 500mm f4 lens. "Equanimity: calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation. This is a word that sums up what this picture stands for to me," he says.
Skye Meaker
Meaker, who began taking photos at age seven, credits a host of wildlife photographers who have inspired him. One in particular is also an award-winner. "When I got told by Greg du Toit, a highly accomplished photographer and friend, that I had some talent and that I should give competitions a go, it sparked something within me," Meaker says.
Skye Meaker
This image "captures the beauty of everything that I had seen that day, everything that I love about our planet personified -- the bright colors of nature, the calmness of our water and the beauty of our sky," Meaker says.
Skye Meaker
The young photographer describes the way he views his images as "a mixture between art and nature, and also trying to spread a message of how beautiful our wild world is and (how) people should spend more time appreciating it and try and protect it."
Skye Meaker
"Conservation has always been a core aspect of my photography," he adds. "I realized that the animals I loved to see and photograph were disappearing at a rapid rate ... I decided to show my work to the world by entering competitions. I hoped that this could show people why nature is so beautiful and why we should be protecting it."
Skye Meaker
Meaker hopes to encourage others to use their photography to raise awareness for conservation. "It's just a great opportunity to not only create actual art but to spread a message that needs to be heard," he says.
Skye Meaker
During a holiday in Botswana, Meaker and his family went to the Okavango River to take pictures of the catfish migration, "which is how I managed to get this shot of a white egret getting ready to look for food further down the river," he says.
Skye Meaker
"What makes the art of photography special to me is capturing the moments left unseen to the naked eye which can only be seen through the eyes of a camera," Meaker says. "You can make art out of what you see and create something different that can last forever."
CNN  — 

If you were to ask a photographer the recipe for the perfect shot, you’ll likely get a list of ingredients that include time of day, lighting, framing and a dash of luck. South African wildlife photographer Skye Meaker sees things differently.

“For me, the perfect shot is one where I feel as if I’m not really there. It’s one where the animal is comfortable enough to behave as if I’m not there,” says Meaker. “I like to feel immersed in the moment and capture nature at its most natural.”

And after countless photos, Meaker nabbed his version of the perfect shot when he was just 17 – featuring a leopard he calls “Limpy” that he had been following for many years and holds a special place in his heart. “I’ve grown alongside her,” he says.

That image, titled “Lounging Leopard,” won Meaker the 2018 Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award, hosted by the Natural History Museum in London.

Meaker, now 19, began photographing wildlife at the age of seven on frequent family trips to local game reserves and nature parks. “As a youngster, I was always fascinated by my dad’s camera and how it could make the things I saw in front of me magically turn into a picture that you could look at on a tiny screen. I remember constantly asking him if I could take pictures with his camera,” he explains. “My parents eventually decided to give me a little camera which I referred to as the ‘pocket rocket.’”

Skye Meaker
Skye Meaker began taking photos when he was just seven years old. A decade later, he was named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Ten years later, after plenty of practice and patience, he would capture his award-winning image. Meaker says winning the prize has changed his life in more ways than one.

“I’ve been able to tell my story at the World Economic Forum in both Davos, Switzerland and in my home country of South Africa. I’ve been able to share my passions in photography and wildlife with the world,” Meaker says.

22:59 - Source: CNN
A wild life: Behind the scenes with South African photographers

“I would hope my future would be something where I can take my own family to the bush and give them the chance to fall in love with nature, just like how my parents have done for me,” he adds. “I would like to give my children an opportunity to understand and see for themselves the beautiful nature that I love and appreciate.”