Wildlife Photographer Thomas Peschak Wins Prestigious Nat Geo Award

Real Hacker StaffNovember 20, 2024

2 3 minutes read

Wildlife Photographer Thomas Peschak Wins Prestigious Nat Geo Award

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa – A meerkat looks at the camera while others stand guard to warn of predators, left, Brazil – Amazon river dolphins swim among the trees in the Rio Negro in Brazil. Featured in the Special Single-Topic October 2024 Amazon Issue of National Geographic Magazine, right. Photos by Thomas P. Peschak/National Geographic.

National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak has won the 2025 Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling.

The award — named for the writer and photographer Eliza Scidmore, the first woman elected to the Society’s Board of Trustees in 1892 — recognizes individuals whose work focuses on immersive storytelling to advance our understanding of the environmental and conservation issues humanity faces.

A large gray whale swims just beneath the surface of green-tinted water. A pair of human hands reach out toward the whale, near its eye, creating a sense of connection between human and animal. — Mexico – A tourist on a boat in Laguna San Ignacio reaches into the water in the hope of petting one of many gray whales that frequent the bay to mate and care for their young. Photo by Thomas P. Peschak/National Geographic.

A capybara is swimming through rust-colored, reflective water in a dense forest with lush green foliage. Sunlight filters through the trees, highlighting the tranquil scene and casting soft shadows. — Ariau River, Brazil – A pink river dolphin cruises in the shallows of a flooded forest in Brazil’s Ariaú River. Its unique anatomy allows it to swim easily through these waters. Narrow dorsal fins, long snouts, and large, flexible flippers let the mammals slip in and out of submerged branches. “They basically fly between the trees,” marine biologist Fernando Trujillo says, “following the fish.” Featured in the Special Single-Topic October 2024 Amazon Issue of National Geographic Magazine. Photo by Thomas P. Peschak/National Geographic.

Peschak started out his career training as a marine biologist but he eventually moved to photojournalism after realizing his impact on conservation could be greater through storytelling to inspire change.

Peschak has done incredibly well racking up 18 Wildlife Photographer of the Year wins, seven World Press Photo Awards, and most recently, the 2024 Wildlife Photojournalist Story Award. He has photographed 20 National Geographic magazine features on various subjects, including manta rays, sea turtles, climate change in Antarctica, and the global seabird crisis.

“Tom’s work is rooted in a commitment to drive meaningful impact. Whether documenting vital ecosystems, the plight of at-risk species or the stories of communities, his images open our eyes to the world, make it clear what’s at stake and inspire us to act,” says Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society. “Tom’s dedication to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world defines his work, and it’s why we are deeply honored to present him with the 2025 Eliza Scidmore Award for Outstanding Storytelling.”

Underwater scene of a large manta ray swimming over a rocky ocean floor, accompanied by a school of bright orange angelfish. The deep blue water surrounds the marine life, creating a serene and vibrant underwater environment. — Mexico – A manta ray being cleaned by Clarion angelfish. Today these animals play an important role in tourism in places like Mexico’s Archipiélago de Revillagigedo Biosphere Reserve, in the Pacific Ocean about 240 miles southwest of Baja’s southern tip. Divers there see sights like a manta ray being cleaned by Clarion angelfish. Photo by Thomas P. Peschak/National Geographic.

A large bird of prey with speckled plumage spreads its wings in flight above lush green shrubs against a backdrop of clear blue sky and rolling hills. — Isabela Island, Galapagos Islands – A Galapagos hawk takes off in flight. Photo by Thomas P. Peschak/National Geographic.

A man stands waist-deep in water, surrounded by lush green vegetation. He is wearing a black wetsuit and holding a large underwater camera with two attached lights. Sunlight filters through the trees, creating a natural, serene atmosphere. — National Geographic Explorer Thomas P. Peschak. Photo courtesy Thomas P. Peschak.

In addition to his extraordinary photojournalistic work, Peschak has written and photographed eight books, including Sharks and People, which chronicles the relationship between people and sharks around the world. He has also published Wild Seas, a collection of photos taken by Peschak documenting the beauty and fragility of underwater life and wild coastlines from around the world.

“Photography and storytelling aren’t just about highlighting places with unique biodiversity, especially when areas like the Amazon basin are under siege every day from issues like overfishing, pollution and climate change,” says Peschak.

“To capture the full scale, it’s imperative to highlight these challenges as well as the people who are facing them head-on: local communities, Indigenous peoples, researchers, and other Explorers. The goal and hope with my work has always been to photograph places I love in order to help save them, so it is a true honor to receive this award and get to continue to work on important stories of conservation.”

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