Photography awards
Here below you can find a sum of all the highly commended, runner-ups, finalists and winning images among the various international competitions I applied to.
Night prowler
Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) into Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre National Park, Italy HIGHLY COMMENDED at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011
Curvy king
Capra ibex, Terrestrial wildlife winner Big Picture Photo Competition 2014
Sunset adder
Horned adder (Bitis caudalis) basking and waiting for a little bird or lizard to pass by, Naukluft National Park, Namibia 2ND classified at BioPhoto Contest 2017
The snail feast
Carnivorous land snail (Oxychilus draparnaudi) eating a cave cricket (Petaloptila andreinii) inside a cave. San Bartolomeo, Genova (Italy). HIGHLY COMMENDED at MontPhoto contest 2017
Folded and lined
Hypsiboas fasciatus sleeping on a dry leaf. Los Amigos Biological Station, Peru. Finalist at Asferico 2018
Lichens have eyes
Lichen katydid (Markia sp.), Cosnipata Valley, Peru. Highly commended at Asferico 2017
Big-mouthed leaf
Peruvian horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta), Peru. Highly commended at Asferico 2017
eye to eye
A young lava lizard (Microlophus peruvianus) popping out of its retreat, a dead sea lion. They thrive in this dry environment by eating the beach crustaceans and the tiny insects that feed on the dead corpses coming from the sea, Paracas National Reserve, Peru. Highly commended at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018
No more shell
Various parts of South American yellow-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulata) and terrapin species from the Amazon basin are sold into the Belen market in Iquitos. These tortoises are listed as Vulnerable by IUCN, but they're nonetheless hunted locally and sold in local markets. They're among the few tortoise species of South America and their conservation is even more poignant for this reason. Such collection for human consumption is very short sighted and their numbers are plummeting. Highly Commended at GDT European Photographer of the Year 2018
In the shadow
A mossy leaf- tailed gecko (Uroplatus sikorae) resting during the morning in the shadows of two tightly grown tree trunks, perfectly blended and almost invisible between bark and mosses, Andasibe, Madagascar. Highly commended at MontPhoto 2018
The long legs of night
A huge whip scorpion (Heterophrynus elephas) hunting for food on a large tree root of the rainforest. Los Amigos Biological Station, Peru. Highly commended at GDT European Photographer of the Year 2018
The Namib’s gaze
Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi) hidden in the Namib desert dunes during the day's hunt, Namibia. Animals and overall winner at Close-up Photographer of the Year 2019
Tad-pool
Saffron-bellied frog (Chaperina fusca) tadpoles, Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Borneo. Highly Commended at Montphoto 2019
Eyes on me
Amyciaea sp. ant-mimic crab spider, Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Borneo. Highly commended in the Macro Category of the MontPhoto Competition 2019
The ghostg
Mantis (Leptomantella sp.), Highly commended in the Macro Category of the MontPhoto Competition 2019
Autumn hide
A Strinatii lungless salamander (Speleomantes strinatii) hiding under chestnut leaves into a deciduous wood in Northern Italy. San Bartolomeo di Savignone (Ge), Italy. Finalist at BigPicture Competition 2020
Underwater spectre
Western spectre (Boyeria irene), larva, just molted. San Bartolomeo di Savignone (GE), Italy. Finalist at Close-up Photographer of the Year 2020
The theatre of plastic
A land hermit crab (Coenobita sp.) wandering around at night, close to the beach of Pom Pom island, Sabah (Borneo), where every day, tons of plastic waste from Semporna city is left on this island by sea currents. This particular land hermit crab is using a plastic plug from a deodorant instead of a classic shell. Pom Pom island is a violated paradise, where the small island and its coral reef are continuously raped by tons of plastic material coming from nearby Bornean shores, especially from Semporna city. I wanted to show all the mess plastic is doing to this amazing place and when I found this poor hermit crab using a deodorant plastic plug instead of a natural empty shell, I knew I found my sad ambassador for this terrible human problem. Winner at Mangrove Photography Award 2023 and Runner-Up at MontPhoto 2023
Newt city
A terrestrial female Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex) photographed into a urban park on a wooden edge of a walking path in the middle of Rome city, where a lot of wild animals live alongside of human settlements. The little "wall" of grass blades right behind the newt seems a barrier which protects the little animal from concrete and city lights. Rome, Italy. Winner Urban Wildlife category at IBC Photo Award 2023
Water for everyone
Smooth newt (Lyssotriton vulgaris) into a man-made concrete watering reservoir for cows. Castel di Guido (Rome), Italy. Commended at IBC Photo Awards 2024
Fairy ballet
Fairy shrimps (Chirocephalus kerkyrensis) swimming in a temporary seasonal pool with mosquito larvae visible in the background (and one tadpole shrimp in the shadow of the bottom, left from the main subject). All these animals are bond to the cycle of summer droughts and winter rains in order to grow fast from the dry-resistant eggs, spawn and die again. These vernal pools in Italy are disappearing fast and such species are less visible than once, even if they have the "super power" of surviving in the dry mud as eggs for years. I shot this image by putting my camera inside the small pool and shooting by connecting it with my smartphone so i could see the frame and shoot at the right time. I used a snooted light to get the pointed light of the four main shrimps on the foregroundCirceo National Park, Italy. Winner at IBC Photo Awards 2024
Holding the future
Herpetologist Riccardo Cavalcante releasing one of the many European spadefoot toads (Pelobates fuscus insubricus) that were protected until then during a five-year long LIFE project to increase the endangered Italia populations of this species. As a caring "stepfather" Riccardo holds the big tadpole for a last second before releasing it back to nature where it will complete its development and will eventually and hopefully be a new hope for the species. Vercelli, Italy. Highly Commended at MontPhoto 2024
The terrapin place
A European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis galloitalica) among water mosses (Fontinalis sp.) and toad (Bufo bufo) tadpoles in a remote and beautiful stream of Central Italy. I followed (by standing still…) this beautiful female while she wandered around, looking for food in the small pool she calls home. Viterbo, Italy. Winner at IBC PhotoAwards 2024
The rainy nap
Male Cryptic or Blue-legged Chameleon (Calumma crypticum) resting on a branch during a rainy day, very well camouflaged and almost asleep while dusk is setting in. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Highly Commended at MontPhoto2024
Village people
A odd view for a wild animal related to humid places. This Strinati's cave salamander (Speleomantes strinatii) population lives right inside a little old town in western Liguria (Italy). It's a totally new discovery and the accurate location is being kept secret, but it's available to the judgin panel if needed. They come out at dusk during humid nights in Spring or Autumn and hide again in the humid crevices of the village as it was a "odd cave" where they can find shelter and food. Commended at IBC Photo Awards 2024
Ghostly
An amazing Red Cage mushroom (Clathrus ruber) at various stages, looking like a ghostly screaming face (Munch's painting alike) while a fly is about to land to feast on the bad smelling mushroom's liquids. Genova (Italy). Commended at IBC Photo Awards 2024
Double fish
Periophthalmus argentilineatus resting on a stem in a mangroove swamp, Borneo. Commended at Mangrove Photography Awards
the sunset march
Mudskippers (Periophthalmus chrysospilos) marching and feeding all together along the shore, by following the tide. Kubah National Park, Borneo island, Sarawak, Malaysia. Commended at Mangrove Photography Awards
Last gladiator
Freshwater crab (Potamon fluviatile), living inside Traiano's Markerts in old Rome ruins, Rome (Italy). This population is there since very long time, probably since medieval times or even before. Finalist People Choice Award at Wildlife Photgrapher of the Year
Beautiful trap
Great pitcher plant (Nepenthes maxima) in its environment around Mahawu volcano crater, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Winner of Plants category at Asferico Photocontest 2026
No entry
A quokka (Setonix brachyurus) trying to get inside a local cafè on Rottnest Island, where this species is present in good numbers. They're not afraid of humans and some of them try to reach the cafè's interior to feed in food scraps left by customers. The local try to discourage the entrance with plastic barriers and with automatic doors, to prevent the wild animals from getting bad food and habits. Shot outside Rottnest Bakery, Rottnest island, Australia. Commended at Asferico Photo Contest 2025