A remarkable macro photograph capturing the precise moment a Sakishima Grass Lizard takes its first breath while emerging from its egg has earned recognition at the 2025 British Photography Awards. Wildlife photographer Jamie Peters achieved this extraordinary shot using a Sony A7RV paired with a 90mm macro lens, demonstrating exceptional timing and technical precision.
The image, titled "First Breath," was shortlisted in the Macro category of the prestigious British Photography Awards. It reveals the exact instant when the tiny reptile pierces its shell and encounters the world for the first time. The lizard's delicate green scales create a striking contrast against the speckled cream-colored egg, with the animal's egg tooth clearly visible - a small triangular structure on the upper lip that exists solely for breaking through the shell and will eventually fall away.
Peters explained the dedication required for this shot, stating, "Knowing the likely timing from when the egg was laid, I checked each morning in hope of capturing this precise moment." The commitment necessary for such photography is staggering, as reptile eggs can take weeks to hatch, and the actual moment of breakthrough lasts only seconds. Missing this fleeting instant would mean losing the opportunity entirely.
The technical execution of this photograph involved sophisticated equipment and careful planning. Peters used a Sony A7RV camera, which features a 61-megapixel full-frame sensor capable of capturing extraordinary detail. The 90mm focal length provided the necessary working distance, crucial when photographing a vulnerable hatchling that needed to remain warm and undisturbed throughout the process.
Lighting played a critical role in achieving this shot. Peters employed a Godox V1S flash fitted with a Cygnustech diffuser, which served multiple purposes: freezing the moment at 1/250 second, providing consistent and controllable illumination, and ensuring the light wouldn't stress or overheat the cold-blooded newborn. He placed the egg on a black acrylic surface to create the dramatic, gallery-like backdrop that makes the subject stand out so prominently.
The final image represents a complex technical achievement beyond a single frame capture. Peters created a meticulously crafted 15-frame focus stack, combined using Helicon Focus software. At f/8 aperture, even with a macro lens, the depth of field measures only millimeters. By shooting multiple frames with incrementally shifted focus points and then computationally blending them, Peters achieved front-to-back sharpness that would be impossible in a single exposure.
Peters' camera settings were carefully chosen to maximize image quality: ISO 100, 1/250 second, and f/8 aperture, with the flash providing all necessary illumination. Post-processing was kept minimal, with only small pieces of vermiculite incubating substrate cloned out to avoid distraction from the main subject. The photographer emphasized working quickly to protect the hatchling from cold temperatures.
The biological significance of the image extends beyond its artistic merit. The black mark visible on the egg serves a crucial biological function rather than artistic purpose - it's biological insurance that ensures proper orientation. When reptile eggs are laid, they must never be rotated, as turning them can prove fatal to the developing embryo. This mark helps maintain correct positioning throughout the incubation period.
"First Breath" demonstrates that extraordinary images don't always require exotic locations or rare subjects, but rather timing, preparation, technical precision, and above all, patience. Peters didn't stumble upon this moment by chance but planned for it, prepared extensively, and executed it with the technical control that separates a snapshot from a true photograph. As he noted, the image represents "a fleeting instant of new life, preserved through patience, precision and light."
The Sony A7RV once again proved itself as a formidable tool for macro photography, with its high-resolution sensor capturing every scale, texture, and grain of the egg's surface. Combined with Sony's excellent 90mm macro optics and thoughtful lighting setup, the equipment delivered an image that is both scientifically fascinating and aesthetically stunning. The photograph can be viewed alongside other winning images through the British Photography Awards website, which showcases outstanding British photography across categories including wildlife, landscape, street photography, and portraiture.
