Behind the lens: 'Dome home' by Vidyun R Hebbar

Hear from 10-year-old Vidyun R Hebbar (India) who won the Natural History Museum’s Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for 2021 with his photograph titled 'Dome home'.

Exploring his local theme park, Vidyun R Hebbar found an occupied spider’s web in a gap in a wall. A passing tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) provided a backdrop of rainbow colours to set off the spider’s silk creation.

Tent spiders are tiny – this one had legs spanning less than 15 millimetres. They weave non-sticky, square-meshed domes, surrounded by tangled networks of threads that make it difficult for prey to escape. Instead of spinning new webs every day, the spiders repair existing ones.

Vidyun is a keen photographer who loves photographing tiny creatures – spiders in particular – in the streets, parks and gardens near his home in the city of Bengaluru. He first featured in the competition when he was just eight.

Catch Vidyun's award-winning photograph in person at Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour Sydney. Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition #wpy57 #seamuseum

[jayakumarta]

Congratulation and all the best Vidyun R Hebbar, Superb