17-Year-Old Photographer Captures ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Shot of Falcon Chasing a Dragonfly

Teenage photographer Maksym Breus spent hundreds of hours observing before he was finally able to capture his dream shot.

A 17-year-old photographer has beaten 1,200 other entries to win a U.K. photography competition for his superb shot of a small falcon chasing a dragonfly.

Maksym Breus was forced to wait three years for his dream shot of the hobby, as the small falcon is known. He spent 200 hours observing the bird’s behavior before finally nailing the shot that shows the hobby with its claws out, dancing on the surface of the water at Redgrave and Lopham Fen in Norfolk, England.

“For three years I’ve attempted to capture a legendary shot of a hobby chasing a dragonfly,” Breus says in a press release. “After more than 200 hours spent observing, the delight of achieving my dream shot was absolutely indescribable!”

“For me, wildlife photography was never just about showing an animal; I want to show people the behaviour, story, and fleeting moments that make each encounter special,” he adds.

Curious juvenile little owl. | Photo by Steph Bornemann

Common toad basking on a rock. | Photo by Alice Redgrave

A snow bunting feeding on dandelions. | Photo by West Runton

The competition was held by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) and the teenager was crowned overall winner of its 2026 Nature Photography Competition. Of the hundreds of other photographers, only 12 winners were picked to be included in the wildlife trust’s 2027 calendar.

Judges also selected a Young Person and Mobile Phone photography winner, with a “brilliant array of photographers to choose from this year.”

16-year-old Tia Pardon won the Young Person prize for her photograph of a little egret backlit by the sun at NWT Hickling Broad. Winning the Mobile Phone prize was Clifford Wicker for his photograph of a banded demoiselle damselfly at Ingoldisthorpe Water Recycling Centre.

Winner of the Mobile Phone category. | Photo by Clifford Wicker

Winner of the Young Person category. | Photo by Tia Pardon

The overall winner will be awarded a prize donated by competition sponsor ZEISS, with the Young Person and Mobile Photography winners receiving gift vouchers.

A free exhibition of the winners and highly commended images will be held at NWT Cley Marshes throughout October.

The calendar is available to purchase online or at Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centers from late September.