Ismael Domínguez Gutiérrez's Image

Ismael Domínguez Gutiérrez (Spain) uses the strobe mode on his camera to capture a gymnastic flightpath against a backdrop of stars.

Setting out on this crystal-clear, starry night, Ismael had planned to photograph the Milky Way. But the summer air was filled with insects drawn to the torchlight, and these attracted hungry bats, which came closer and closer.

Using the strobe mode on his camera, Ismael captured the energetic flight path of these bats as they searched the night air for midges, mosquitos and other insects to eat. Bats live in nearly every habitat on Earth and make up one fifth of all land-based mammal species. They’re becoming endangered due to habitat loss, which in turn poses a threat to plants, as bats play a key role in pollination and seed dispersal.