I chose this as best in show because it is just such a wonderful, intimate moment captured. The interaction between the mother and the kit on the left is remarkable unto itself and the two kits suckling in perfect position takes it to the next level. It's one thing to capture a beautiful image of wildlife but another to really capture a unique and intimate moment that speaks to our universal understanding of motherhood. The image is also technically well-executed with a nice, clean background and strong composition.

While this piece might be easy to pass over, if one looks closely there’s so much layering and narrative depth to it. The ghostly characters in the image to me suggest the many lives that have been lived in this house and create a sort of visual and narrative complexity that really draws one in. The post-production used to create this intriguing piece took skill and is well executed.

I love the sense of storytelling in this image. The lighting on the vessel really highlights the drama of the scene and the milky way above draws attention to the smallness and vulnerability of our human experience in the greater context of the galaxy. This is technically a difficult image to pull off and the photographer did an excellent job.

I was immediately drawn to this piece and its unusual sense of scale. The juxtaposition of the tree and the massive dune behind it draws the viewer in and makes one want to look closer. I also enjoyed seeing the tiny footprints marching up the edge of the dune, again emphasizing the sense of scale. Overall, it is just visually striking piece with compelling form and color.

This is just a very emotionally complex and impactful portrait.