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Arctic Terns Grace during a Aerial Pursuit

Two Arctic terns engage in a spirited chase, their wings beating rapidly as they protect their nesting ground. This moment highlights grace in nature, perfectly encapsulating the intensity of these remarkable migratory birds as one turns to confront the other during their aerial pursuit.

Awards

Photographer of the Year Contest

2025

Nominee

Wildlife

Non Professional

Arctic Terns Grace during a Aerial Pursuit

Two Arctic terns engage in a spirited chase, their wings beating rapidly as they protect their nesting ground. This moment highlights grace in nature, perfectly encapsulating the intensity of these remarkable migratory birds as one turns to confront the other during their aerial pursuit.

About Artist

Maria Ciampini

Maria Ciampini is a Canadian fine art photographer whose work is rooted in sustained engagement with the natural world. Nature is both her subject and her medium — expressed through wildlife portraiture, landscape, and abstract studies of form and light. Her practice is defined by disciplined observation and compositional precision. Maria works through extended stillness, allowing environments and subjects to settle before engaging the camera. Whether photographing wildlife or distilling natural structures into abstraction, she prioritizes clarity, balance, and intentional framing. Wildlife remains a central focus within her broader artistic practice. Her portraits emphasize individuality and presence while maintaining ethical distance and behavioral integrity. Technical control — particularly in focus, exposure, and light management — is essential to her process, resulting in images that feel intimate yet structurally refined. Across varied ecosystems and terrain, she approaches each frame with restraint. Distance, angle, and timing are carefully considered to preserve authenticity while achieving visual strength. In post-production, adjustments remain minimal and controlled, limited to tonal balance and clarity refinement. At the core of Maria’s work is the belief that sustained attention transforms perception. By isolating form, gesture, texture, or gaze within the natural world, her photographs invite viewers to look beyond surface aesthetics and engage more deeply with what is present. Committed to continued refinement, she advances her practice through international juried exhibitions and awards. Her work reflects a balance of artistic intention, technical discipline, and professional seriousness — presenting nature not as spectacle, but as subject worthy of careful study.

Maria Ciampini

Photographic Areas of Focus

Abstract, Landscapes, Landscapes, Minimalism, Nature, Wildlife

Location

Canada

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