Denis Ryan
USA

2nd Place - Merit of Excellence

"Endurance"

A mother brown bear leads her cubs through Alaska’s rain, teaching resilience in the wild.

Biography: Denis Ryan grew up in rural County Tipperary, Ireland, surrounded by nature and inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries. A 2008 trip to Argentina ignited a passion for adventure, followed by a year-long journey across Africa from Cairo to Cape Town. Trained as an engineer, Denis moved to the United States in 2016 and left his career in 2025 to pursue wildlife photography full-time. Alaska’s vast wilderness and iconic wildlife now define his work, as he documents animal behavior and shares the wonder of wild places.