Queer Nature Photography Awards
"Kiss of Life"
Antonio Montanha
"Kiss of Life"
I have a passion for dragonflies and for chameleons, lucky me to be at the right time at the right place !! As you may know dragonflies are a symbol of change, transformation, and personal growth. They represent wisdom, lightness of being or joy, adaptability, and an invitation to explore emotion, the chameleons are best known for their distinct range of colours, being capable of colour-shifting and camouflage ... sometimes in real life we have to adapt and camouflage to create empathy with others ... nature is a open book with lots of free knowledge and lessons to us ... humans ... we "just" have to open our mind, heart and soul ... and listen to the whispers …
About the Photographer
Name: Antonio Montanha
Age: 47
Nationality: Portuguese
How does your identity influence your work?
My emotions influence my "work" not my identity.
What message do you hope to convey with your work about the intersection of queerness and biodiversity in nature?
The best i possibly can, diversity is beautiful and we should celebrate it instead of doing the opposite, queerness and biodiversity are a celebration and a symbol of prosperity of life in this "lovely" planet and possibly others, who knows ? ...
What do you think is the importance of highlighting diversity in both nature and society, and how can photography play a role in this?
Photography is a powerful tool, used in the right way can rise the best in human beings ... in this particular case it can play the role of witness in animals, in nature so we the humans can see that is a natural thing that maybe the divine is giving us signals the way we should behave here in this tiny little place called earth ...
What is your favorite example of queerness in nature?
The Pink grasshopper : They are created by a rare genetic mutation, but usually do not survive long as predators easily spot them Experts say people have a 1% chance of seeing them in their lifetime.
A note from the Narwhal Rainbow Alliance
The Chameleon was our icon for the first ever Queer Nature Photography Awards. We picked this animal for the adaptability and different colours Chameleons can show. While there are distinct male and female chameleons, their social interactions do not always conform to traditional male-female dynamics. In some chameleon species, males play a minimal role in parental care, primarily focusing on mating and territory defense, while in others, they may exhibit more involvement in protecting eggs or guarding females. Males may also exhibit behaviors typically associated with females, especially in social contexts. Additionally there have been reports of same-sex behaviours amongst chameleons. Chameleons exhibit a rich diversity of species, with many endemic to Madagascar. However, they face significant threats from habitat loss, climate change, and illegal trade, leading to the endangerment of several species.