Popular NorCal Photographer’s iPhone Image Selected for Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award

For the first time in the history of the prestigious Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, a photo taken on a smartphone has been recognized. And it was taken by none other than one of our favorite photographers in Northern California.

We’ve been covering the incredible photography of Randy Robbins for years. We loved his backyard trail cam videos near Susanville. We had him on the Talking NorCal Podcast (twice). And we called his photo of the Lassen Pack possibly the greatest wildlife photo ever taken in California (which was also featured in the Active NorCal Magazine)

Now, Robbins has gone international by achieving a “Highly Commended” award in the Natural Artistry category for his haunting image of a frost-covered deer lying on the forest floor:

The photograph, which captures the delicate ice crystals on the deer’s body against the earthy tones of the forest, was taken near Robbins’ home. Typically known for using a professional camera, Robbins acted quickly to capture this fleeting moment on his smartphone before the morning frost melted away.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, organized by the Natural History Museum in London, is one of the most esteemed contests in the world of wildlife photography. This year, it attracted a record-breaking 59,228 entries from photographers of all ages and experience levels, representing 117 countries and territories. Robbins’ unique shot stood out among thousands, earning him recognition for its natural artistry.

“This is definitely the biggest honor of my photography journey thus far,” said Robbins on his Facebook page. “Thank you to everyone for your support on this journey, and to this deer for not only this image, but for being responsible for starting my journey into camera trapping (long story). It’s super fitting that this particular image would come back to be the one awarded in this contest. Full Circle indeed.”

The first set of commended images, including Robbins’, was unveiled ahead of the award ceremony scheduled for October 8, hosted by popular TV presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin. While these highly commended images are celebrated, the winners will be chosen from a separate pool of photographs and revealed during the ceremony.