Hungarian photographer Csaba Daróczi has been crowned the overall winner at the 5th Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) awards supported by Affinity Photo 2. His winning shot, The Bird of the Forest features a mesmerizing image of a Eurasian nuthatch in flight, taken from within a hollowed-out tree stump shaped like a mushroom.
Csaba's winning photograph was shot during a winter exploration in 2023 in a forest near his home in Hungary. Delving into the heart of nature, he stumbled upon a half-meter diameter hollowed-out tree stump, carefully positioned his GoPro Hero 11 and captured this shot. After reviewing the image he decided to return to the spot in hopes of capturing an animal in the frame and used a sunflower to attract birds and mice.
