British-German photographer wins Prince Albert II Foundation's Environmental Photography Award

Britta Jaschinski, a British-German wildlife photojournalist, has won the grand prize of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s 2026 Environmental Photography Award for her image Handprint on Sea Turtle, which took first place in the Changemakers category before being selected as the overall winner by an international jury.

The photograph documents a forensic method used to identify and prosecute wildlife poachers and traffickers, with a handprint visible on the shell of a green sea turtle. Jaschinski, whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Time and GEO, said the image was intended to highlight “the fragility of species but also the vital role of science in protecting our extraordinary wildlife.”

Category winners

Five category prizes of €1,000 each were awarded across the competition. Arnaud Farré won the Forests category with Spirits of the Falls and also claimed the Student’s Choice Award for Up is Down, which carries a €500 grant. Fernando Faciole took the Humanity vs Nature prize for Born for the Ocean, Fated to the Flames. Henley Spiers won the Ocean category with Shearwater’s Dilemma, and Vadim Makhorov claimed the Polar Regions prize for The Gathering.

*Luca Eberle – Predator’s Gaze – Runner-up Forests category*

The Public Award, also carrying a €500 grant, went to Doug Gimesy for Koalas are Dying for You to Slow Down. The Student’s Choice Award winner additionally receives the opportunity to visit SEK International University’s research station in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador.

On public display from May

The 36 shortlisted photographs will be exhibited on the Promenade du Larvotto in Monaco from 28th May to 30th July before touring internationally. A book featuring all selected images will be published by Skira Paris.

*Vadim Makhorov – The Gathering – Polar regions category winner*

Now in its sixth year, the Environmental Photography Award forms part of the Foundation’s Green Shift Initiative. Romain Ciarlet, vice-chairman and CEO of the Foundation, said the award aimed to “amplify the voices of those who bear witness in the field and to inspire a collective commitment to protecting the living world.”

To see all the images in the 2026 selection: click here

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