Amit Eshel Named Photographer of the 20 Years
Israeli photographer Amit Eshel received top honors at the Golden Turtle awards in Moscow, including overall photographer of the year.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Wildlife
Amit Eshel was named Photographer of the 20 Years at the Golden Turtle international photography awards in Moscow, marking the competition's 20th anniversary. He also won first place in the Animals in Their Natural Environment and Animal Portraits categories and was named the competition's overall photographer of the year.
Why it matters
The special title was selected by a near-unanimous vote, with organizers asking this year's jury to choose the strongest photographer from the competition's first two decades. The honor recognizes sustained excellence in wildlife photography at an international level.
Eshel won first place in two categories, Animals in Their Natural Environment and Animal Portraits, at a competition now in its 20th year. The source does not provide the total number of entries or finalists against which these placings were measured.
The players
Amit Eshel
An Israeli wildlife photographer whose work has been recognized in international competitions, and who was named Photographer of the 20 Years.
Golden Turtle
An international photography awards competition held in Moscow that marked its 20th anniversary with a special title honoring a standout photographer.
The details
Eshel's winning Animals in Their Natural Environment photograph shows geladas in Ethiopia's Simien Mountains, while his Animal Portraits entry depicts a pair of Arctic wolves on Ellesmere Island in Canada. He was unable to attend the Moscow ceremony because he was working on a new photography project in South America.
Timeline
Golden Turtle awards ceremony held in Moscow last week, relative to November 11, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The Golden Turtle awards, now 20 years old, have built a record of recognizing leading wildlife photographers, and this retrospective honor places Eshel's recent wins within that two-decade history. The anniversary selection reflects how the competition is measuring its own legacy.
Readers interested in wildlife photography can follow the Golden Turtle competition's results to discover new photographers and the kinds of images that earn international recognition. Those drawn to the genre may find inspiration in the winning subjects, from alpine primates to Arctic predators.
The takeaway
Honors like Photographer of the 20 Years show how juried competitions can look back across decades to identify the most consistent talent. For aspiring wildlife photographers, sustained work over many years often matters as much as a single winning image.
Further reading
Explore more wildlife photography stories to see how photographers document animals in their natural habitats.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ynetnews.
