Animal photography has a way of showing the beauty, character, and mystery of the creatures we share our world with. It reveals sides of them we might not usually see, which is why it continues to be such a favorite subject for photographers everywhere.
Photocrowd’s "Animals" contest for new joiners invites members in their first 28 days on the platform to share their work. The contest closed once 100 entries were submitted, after which the community rated the photographs while an expert judge prepared their own reviews. The winners were announced on August 20, and here we feature the 50 crowd favorites—images that reflect the variety and creativity of new voices exploring the animal world.
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#1 10th Place: "Stag In The Grass"
"A stag calling out in the grass during rutting season. Captured with a Nikon D850 paired with a Sigma 150–600mm lens."
Image credits: © D.B Photography | Photocrowd
#2 3rd Place: "The Passion Of The Pinnipeds"
"California sea lions duke it out for the best sunning spot. I love the expression on the sea lion on the right—it looks as if he’s stifling aggression. This is part of a series of four, and choosing which photo to enter in the New Joiners contest was a difficult decision."
Image credits: © theindifferenceofnature | Photocrowd
#3 21st Place: "Lion Tongue"
"A lion sleeping with its tongue out at the San Diego Zoo."
Image credits: © Connor | Photocrowd
#4 2nd Place: "Lilac Breasted Roller Showing Off Its Colors"
"The most photographed bird in Africa."
Image credits: © SctMur | Photocrowd
#5 36th Place: "Beautiful Mountains But The Sheep Said Hi"
"In the Lake District, surrounded by beautiful mountains on a dull afternoon, the sheep seemed to want to say hello."
Image credits: © GingerSnapPer232 | Photocrowd
#6 18th Place: "Clouded Leopard"
"A clouded leopard at the Nashville Zoo."
Image credits: © MG | Photocrowd
#7 16th Place: "Peek-A-Boo"
Image credits: © cjhayes | Photocrowd
#8 4th Place: "Native vs. Invasive"
"A large robber fly (Andrenosoma cruentum), endemic to South Florida’s coastal hammock habitats, eats an exotic European honey bee (Apis mellifera)."
Image credits: © Lgarriga | Photocrowd
#9 5th Place: "A Beautiful Wolf Spider"
"This is likely Hogna timuqua, a species of wolf spider found in South Florida."
Image credits: © Lgarriga | Photocrowd
#10 24th Place: "Paraphrynus, A Barely Known Tailless Whipscorpion"
"This unusual creature is Paraphrynus cf. cubensis, a species of tailless whipscorpion (order Amblypygi). Although they are arachnids, they aren’t spiders, scorpions, or members of other arachnid groups—they’re in a class of their own."
Image credits: © Lgarriga | Photocrowd
#11 22nd Place: "Green Heron"
Image credits: © Oliver g jones | Photocrowd
#12 47th Place: "Just Drying Off"
"This little rockhopper penguin is sunning itself after a dip."
Image credits: © LornaLangley | Photocrowd
#13 28th Place: "Bird"
Image credits: © Oshea | Photocrowd
#14 7th Place: "The Protector"
Image credits: © Hazel | Photocrowd
#15 43rd Place: "The Watchful Sentinel"
"A lone meerkat stands upright on a sunlit rock, scanning the horizon with quiet determination. Its pose is iconic—alert, balanced, and full of purpose. The earthy tones of the surroundings blend seamlessly with the meerkat’s fur, creating a warm, unified scene."
Image credits: © chorouk | Photocrowd
#16 12th Place: "Burmese Python"
"The first Burmese python I’ve ever seen—a beautiful creature with a troubled history in South Florida. This snake represents both natural beauty and persistence, as well as the impact of human destruction."
Image credits: © Lgarriga | Photocrowd
#17 9th Place: "Bee Eater Keeping A Watchful Eye On Partner Digging The Burrow"
Image credits: © WJE | Photocrowd
#18 6th Place: "Splash Landing"
"I took this photo while out for a walk in the local town park. I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and I’m very proud of it."
Image credits: © Lou_Lyn280 | Photocrowd
#19 25th Place: "Moose N Mountains"
Image credits: © brob | Photocrowd
#20 39th Place: "Untitled"
"A Nilgiri tahr sits atop a rock, away from the crowd and lazing in the winter sun."
Image credits: © Shrivatsa | Photocrowd
#21 1st Place: "Zebra In The Golden Morning Light"
"I took a morning trip to Rietvlei Nature Reserve (South Africa) and saw some zebras bathing in the morning sunlight, grazing on the grass. The zebras were enjoying the morning sun."
Image credits: © Amber Klaas | Photocrowd
#22 33rd Place: "Painted Jezebel"
"On a quiet evening in my grandmother’s village, I noticed a butterfly resting on a bright flower. Intrigued by its delicate beauty, I captured the moment—a fleeting reminder of nature’s grace in simple places."
Image credits: © areddy | Photocrowd
#23 41st Place: "Horse I’m The Wind"
"A horse in the wind, photographed during strong gusts in the flats of a horse field."
Image credits: © Jewelius Juarez | Photocrowd
#24 48th Place: "Armoured Grace – The One-Horned Guardian Of Kaziranga"
"Kaziranga National Park in Assam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the majestic one-horned rhino, a symbol of resilience."
Image credits: © aahana | Photocrowd
#25 8th Place: "Rainbow Starling"
"A starling showing its iridescent rainbow-colored feathers in the light."
Image credits: © kellystani | Photocrowd
#26 46th Place: "Untitled"
Image credits: © Robin | Photocrowd
#27 42nd Place: "White Kitten"
"Small and cute."
Image credits: © dulepixel | Photocrowd
#28 13th Place: "Incect"
"He/she looks yellow."
Image credits: © coert | Photocrowd
#29 34th Place: "Black Swan"
"A black swan captured on the serene South Coast of NSW during a holiday. The overcast sky softened the light, creating a moody, atmospheric backdrop that highlights the swan’s graceful form and deep black plumage."
Image credits: © Olivia Romano | Photocrowd
#30 14th Place: "Untitled"
Image credits: © Lwasley21 | Photocrowd
#31 19th Place: "Busy"
"Elephant snacking."
Image credits: © Isaacrsa | Photocrowd
#32 15th Place: "A Squirrel Enjoying A Meal"
"A squirrel enjoys a nut, savoring each bite as if it were a gourmet feast."
Image credits: © Phil_Ricks11! | Photocrowd
#33 31st Place: "Untitled"
Image credits: © Sofija | Photocrowd
#34 45th Place: "Landing For Refuel"
Image credits: © DawnR | Photocrowd
#35 20th Place: "Alert In Black And White"
Image credits: © Lahllywd | Photocrowd
#36 40th Place: "Gizmo"
Image credits: © rebeccawalton | Photocrowd
#37 32nd Place: "The Queen Of The Pigeons"
"A Victoria crowned pigeon pottering around the Whipsnade Butterfly House."
Image credits: © LornaLangley | Photocrowd
#38 29th Place: "Ibex Of The Augstmatthorn"
"Two young ibex take a breather among the clouds, flowers, and grass near the summit of the Augstmatthorn."
Image credits: © ZeroDayJ004 | Photocrowd
#39 26th Place: "Untitled"
Image credits: © Katelyn Obyle | Photocrowd
#40 11th Place: "Eye Of The Tiger"
"Bengal cat in my local park."
Image credits: © MartinShaw | Photocrowd
#41 44th Place: "Hakuna Matata"
"A meerkat showing its good side while on lookout!"
Image credits: © LornaLangley | Photocrowd
#42 17th Place: "The Prophet"
The praying mantis, culturally regarded as a symbol of good fortune, stillness, prayer, and meditation. A while back, one decided to make my little balcony garden its new hunting ground. Lying in ambush, camouflaged among the leaves in the dark of night, it remained as still as a statue, ready to swiftly clasp its prey with utmost precision. I was both amazed and intimidated by the striking pose of this dauntless predator, which led me to attempt capturing a photo that would accentuate the mantis’s mesmerizing and unsettling presence—a true force to be reckoned with.
The photo holds personal meaning for me as well. I’m quite fond of these fascinating crawlies and impressed by their remarkable abilities. On a couple of occasions, I noticed a mantis suddenly climbing onto my body, so I gently guided it to the palm of my hand and we spent a few moments together, after which I placed it on some well-hidden leaves nearby. Those experiences remind me of our interconnectedness with nature—we are a part of it, and the insecto de Santa Teresa is one of its many marvels."
Image credits: © Misere | Photocrowd
#43 35th Place: "Meercat"
"At the Beijing Zoo."
Image credits: © juwariyah | Photocrowd
#44 30th Place: "Butterfly"
Image credits: © George M J | Photocrowd
#45 37th Place: "Rodzina Łabędzi"
Image credits: © Jack | Photocrowd
#46 50th Place: "A Spring Day At The Boston Common"
Image credits: © dronair | Photocrowd
#47 27th Place: "Bushy Park Heron"
Image credits: © Zoe Mac | Photocrowd
#48 23rd Place: "Untitled"
Image credits: © lisainmilo | Photocrowd
#49 38th Place: "Barrel Betty"
"A beautiful gray Quarter Horse mare powering around a barrel."
Image credits: © Ashleyreaphotography | Photocrowd
#50 49th Place: "Cows Grazing"
Image credits: © Annaclicky | Photocrowd
