The annual Exo Terra herpetological photography competition, the Nactus Award 2012, has been awarded to Falmouth photographer Clare Greenwood for her visionary photograph of a green sea turtle in its natural environment.

The purpose of the competition is to discover the best reptile and amphibian pictures taken by photographers worldwide and to inspire their visionary and expressive interpretations of nature.

Now in its 7th year, the competition attracts thousands of entries from a mixture of both amateur and professional photographers entering across eight different categories. A panel of experts choose the finalists and then the public vote for their favourite.

Clare is a 20-year-old natural history photographer who is currently in her final year of her degree at University College Falmouth where she is studying Marine and Natural History Photography, combining her two passions of the natural world and photography.

The photograph was taken in January 2012 on a diving holiday to Marsa Shagra Diving Village in Marsa Ala where Clare visited Marsa Abu Dabab, a diving site famous for residents of green sea turtles.

Clare said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to be able to get so close to the turtles and watch them in their natural habitat. The turtles allow you to get very close to them without them caring and although the photo looks like I am quite a distance away, I was actually very close and it’s due to the use of the fish eye lens I used that creates this illusion.”

The award and prize was presented at the London Pet Show on the Exo Terra stand where Clare received the prestigious Nactus award and a Nikon D800 SLR Digital Camera to continue her photography hobby.

Clare continued: “I am really grateful for all those that voted for my photograph as the winning entry. There are so many talented photographers that entered and I hope everyone loves the photo as much as I do. I am very passionate about photography and to be chosen as the winner really makes it even more special.”

For further information on the Nactus award visit www.exo-terra.com