Chinese photographer Qingrong Yang has captured a stunning moment of nature's drama in his award-winning photograph titled "Synchronized Fishing," showing a ladyfish snatching its prey from directly beneath a little egret's beak. The remarkable image earned Yang the Category Winner title in the Adult Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 competition in the "Behaviour: Birds" category, which recognizes memorable, unusual, or dramatic wildlife behavior.
The photograph was taken at Yundang Lake near Yang's home in Fujian Province, China, a location he visits regularly to document the area's feeding frenzies. Yang captured the precise moment when a little egret (Egretta garzetta) was about to catch its prey, only to have a ladyfish intercept the catch in a display of perfectly timed aquatic competition. Little egrets are known to patrol the water's surface, remaining alert and ready to pounce on fish that leap from the water while attempting to escape underwater predators.
Yundang Lake has a fascinating environmental history that adds depth to Yang's photographic work. Originally a natural marine harbor, the lake was sealed off from the sea during development projects in the 1970s. This isolation from natural tides and currents caused the water body to become polluted and stagnant over time. However, a later engineering project successfully reconnected the lake to the sea through an innovative system of gates that now regulate water flow, helping to restore the ecosystem that Yang documents through his lens.
Yang, who works as a senior executive of a large group company, pursues photography as a passionate hobby. He is a contracted photographer with Visual China and holds membership in the Xiamen Photographers Association. His dedication to capturing living environments has led him to focus specifically on photographing egrets and fish in Xiamen's Yundang Lake during his spare time. This specialized focus has proven successful, as his images have won awards in international photography competitions multiple times.
The winning photograph was captured using a Nikon Z9 camera with a 400mm f2.8 lens, shot at 1/2500 second at f5 with ISO 110 settings. These technical specifications demonstrate the precision required to freeze such a fleeting moment of natural drama. The image is part of an exhibition that encourages viewers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the natural world through images that celebrate nature's awe-inspiring beauty while urging protection of our environment.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition maintains that copyright in all competition photographs remains the property of the respective photographers, with strict guidelines against copying, sharing, reproducing, or republishing the images except as expressly permitted by copyright law. The competition continues to harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important environmental issues, and nurture a global appreciation for nature's incredible diversity and beauty.
