Photographer Mary Schrader won the top honor in the Animal Portrait category of the prestigious World Nature Photography Awards with the image Shared wonder. The award-winning photo captures a rare and intimate moment: a young gorilla pausing in quiet fascination as a bright yellow/orange butterfly hovers before it.
With a background in theater costume and scenic design, Schrader brings a storyteller's sensitivity to wildlife photography, using detail, light, and composition to draw viewers into the moment. The striking contrast between delicate wings, hazel eyes, and dark fur creates a visually powerful scene of curiosity and connection.
