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Photographer, 17, waits three years for dream shot

Zoe ApplegateNorfolk
Maksym Breus A hobby, with sprawled speckled wings and talons at the ready, skims over the water with a dragonfly in its sight. Reeds are in the background.Maksym Breus
Seventeen-year-old Maksym Breus showed endless patience in waiting to scoop a photo of a hobby hunting a dragonfly over water

A 17-year-old photographer who waited three years to capture the perfect action shot has scooped the top title in a wildlife photography competition.

Maksym Breus said he spent more than 200 hours studying birds before taking a "dream shot" of a hobby brandishing its talons ready to pounce on a dragonfly over water at Redgrave and Lopham Fen, on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, near Diss.

His dedication has seen him win Norfolk Wildlife Trust's (NWT) annual contest, with his image one of 12 winning photographs to be featured in its 2027 calendar.

"After more than 200 hours spent observing, the delight of achieving my dream shot was absolutely indescribable," he said.

"For three years I've attempted to capture a legendary shot of a hobby chasing a dragonfly.

"For me, wildlife photography was never just about showing an animal, I want to show people the behaviour, story and fleeting moments that make each encounter special."

Steph Bornemann A little owl with an intense stare using its yellow and black eyes. The brown speckled bird is looking directly at the camera.Steph Bornemann
Other photos that have made it into the 2027 calendar include this curious-looking little owl was spotted at the University of East Anglia by Steph Bornemann

NWT revealed its 12 winning images for the calendar after its staff judging panel made its selection from scouring more than 1,200 entries.

The overall winner was then picked in a public vote.

Russ Bartlett A hawfinch with a ginger head and brown body, with white stripes on its wing, stands in a puddle of water.Russ Bartlett
Russ Bartlett photographed this hawfinch at Lynford Arboretum, near Thetford

Of the winning photo, one judge said: "Maksym's stunning photograph of a hobby amazed us all with the patience it must have taken to wait for that perfect action shot.

"The hobby, a small falcon, is a summer visitor to Norfolk and with their long wings and streamlined shape, they are perfectly evolved for catching dragonflies on the wing.

"It's a very worthy winner."

Tia Pardon A white egret with curled round feathers stands on a branch. The background is black.Tia Pardon
Tia Pardon, 16, captured this little egret and clinched the Young Person photography prize

Photos of the county's wildlife, landscapes, plants and fungi were submitted to the contest by residents and visitors - with the winners aged from 16 to 69.

Tia Pardon, 16, won the Young Person prize with her image of a little egret backlit by the sun at the trust's Hickling Broad reserve.

Judges plumped for Clifford Wicker's photograph of a female demoiselle damselfly, taken at Ingoldisthorpe Water Recycling Centre, as the winner of the Mobile Phone category.

Sue Coy A small white-breasted bird, with a long black tail and wings, perches upside down on lichen and berry-covered branches.Sue Coy
Sue Coy captured this long-tailed tit getting stuck into some winter berries in Snettisham

A free exhibition of the winners and highly commended photographs will be held at NWT's Cley Marshes centre in north Norfolk throughout October.

The trust's Nature Photography Competition will open for new entries next spring.

Clifford Wicker A close-up image of an iridescent green damsel fly on a pipe, against a brilliant blue sky with white clouds.Clifford Wicker
Clifford Wicker's took this photo of a damselfly to win the Mobile Phone prize

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