World Press Photo 2011 – Nature Gallery

The World Press Photo Contest is the biggest competition in the world for professional photographers.

This year, some 108,059 images were submitted by over 5,691 photographers from 125 countries. The winning images in the nine categories can be enjoyed here.

Sophie Stafford, Editor of BBC Wildlife, was one of three Nature judges. Together they helped to choose the spectacular images you see above.

If you are a professional press photographer, why not considering entering your shots next year?

The World Press Photo competition is looking for single images and stories/portfolios that showcase the natural beauty of the world's flora and fauna. Here's some things you should know:

• There is no entry fee but you do have to prove that you are a professional photographer. If you do not have a press card, you will need to supply a letter of reference from the publication or organisation, such as a Museum, who commissioned or published the work, or to whom you pitched it.

• Single images must have been taken in the year prior to the contest (so shots for the next competition must be taken this year).

• Stories/portfolios must have been completed or first published in the year prior to the contest. For a story, there needs to be a clear narrative to the sequencing of the images. A portfolio is a series of single images around a theme. Both are equally welcome in this category.
  

• The next contest opens on 1 December 2011. Find out more here.