Horsham travel agency owner beats thousands around the world to win major photography award

Ian Ford, who has owned Select Travel in Horsham’s Swan Walk shopping centre for the past 25 years, has been announced winner of the Sony World Photography Awards Natural World and Wildlife category.

His striking winning image of a jaguar pouncing on a caiman was one of nearly 400,000 photographs from more than 220 countries submitted to the contest.

Described by judges as ‘brilliant’, Ian’s photo – entitled Caiman Crunch – was taken in Brazil.

Ian, who describes himself as a self-taught keen amateur photographer, said: “I had left the hotel on the São Lourenço River at dawn, it was my last day in the Pantanal region of Brazil. I spent the morning scouring the river and its tributaries for jaguars with no sightings. Just as I was contemplating returning to the hotel a call came over the radio – a Jaguar had been spotted about 30 minutes away, hunting on a river bank.

"My boat immediately headed over there and upon arrival observed a female jaguar stalking along the edge of the river then she climbed onto the river bank, and I watched as it moved stealthily amongst the undergrowth, in and out of view.”

He went on: “Suddenly and without any warning the jaguar pounced on an unsuspecting caiman. Fortunately, my boat was in a good position and I had my camera ready and was able to shoot images of the unfolding drama. The jaguar caught the caiman in its powerful jaws and dispatched it instantly, much to the assembled audience’s shock and awe.”

Ian, whose business Select Travel has operated in Horsham since 1995, frequently travels abroad with his partner Naina Mehta from their home in Cowfold.

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"As an avid photographer and an enthusiastic globetrotter, I've embarked on countless journeys to capture the world's most breathtaking moments through my lens,” he says. “Over the years, I've meticulously planned each of these expeditions, seeking out the perfect blend of adventure, culture, and photographic opportunities.”

For those wanting to know the technical side of Ian’s winning image, he was using a Sony A1 with an FE400mm F2.8