Benjam Pöntinen's Image

Benjam always keeps his 300mm lens handy, just in case.

And one day in March it paid off. Overnight, a storm had covered Lapua in thick snow. It was still snowing heavily, with big flakes. Benjam set out to look for short-eared owls, driving slowly and scanning the white surroundings. 'The thick snow muted all sounds, so everything was utterly silent,' he says. 'As I passed the hay barn, I suddenly saw movement. Then I saw the picture. I had just enough time to open the window, focus and take the shot before the hare vanished into the white. I knew then it was going to be my picture of the year.'