Herpreet Kaur Grewal

A Belgian photographer who captured an image of a playful group of monkeys is to have his work displayed as part of an international competition at the Natural History Museum (Herpreet Kaur Grewal writes).

Rosamund Kidman Cox, editor of BBC Wildlife magazine, which helped to organise the exhibition, said: “The picture has been taken at monkey-eye level so it makes you a part of the scene: they are playing tug-of-war or tag. The backlighting gives the picture real atmosphere.”

The competition’s aim is to find the best wildlife pictures by photographers around the world and to emphasise the importance of the natural world. The exhibition will comprise all 115 winning and commended photographs. There are special awards for 17-year-olds, for pictures of endangered wildlife and for the best portfolio by a photographer aged 26 or under. The overall winner will receive Pounds 2,000. The competition is sponsored by BG Group, the international gas company.