The Award for Best Comedy Wildlife Photo Goes to… | Tom Sullam | TED

Quick Overview

Tom Sullam introduces the Comedy Wildlife Photography Competition, which aims to use humor and positive imagery to encourage conservation and change the narrative around wildlife from negative to positive, ultimately fostering empathy and behavioral change.

Key Points: The competition receives thousands of authentic photographs that capture animals in funny situations, such as cheetahs 'terrified of being caught speeding' and woodpeckers believing they are the fastest birds. The humor in the photos is unconditionally personal, making the competition 'cross-border and multicultural' because reactions vary between individuals. Sullam categorizes the captured animal behaviors into relatable human archetypes, including 'sport jocks,' 'creatives' (air guitar in the wild), and 'superheroes' like the 'Jedi squirrel.' The organization uses humor to address the serious topic of conservation, seeking to 'encourage people to look up and appreciate what they get from wildlife' rather than relying on negative messaging. The organization's success hinges on authenticity, noting that the sheer volume of entries increases yearly, making judging harder, yet they honor Cartier-Bresson's 'decisive moment' in photography. A key goal is shifting the narrative from separation to coexistence, as Sullam's son noted the pictures make animals feel 'more human, more equal,' which leads to empathy and behavioral change.

Context: Tom Sullam presents the Comedy Wildlife Photography Competition, an initiative created to celebrate the positive values of wildlife through humor. The competition gathers thousands of photographs capturing animals in amusing, unexpected, or relatable moments, intending to connect humans with the natural world in a positive way, counteracting the often negative messaging surrounding conservation efforts.

Detailed Analysis

Tom Sullam details the Comedy Wildlife Competition, which recognizes the charm and qualities of animals through humorous photography, aiming to foster appreciation for wildlife. He illustrates the competition's success by highlighting various photo themes, such as animals exhibiting human traits like fear of speeding (cheetahs), self-belief (woodpeckers), creative pursuits (air guitar), and family dynamics resembling human rows, including 'talkers' and 'listeners,' and teenagers exhibiting 'staying-in-bed-all-day illness' and 'too much screen time.' Sullam emphasizes that the reaction to these images is 'unconditionally personal,' which drives their cross-border and multicultural appeal. The core mission of the organization is to use humor as a 'positive force to influence human behavior' and address conservation seriously by changing the narrative from negative to positive. He asserts that capturing these funny moments relies on authenticity—the 'decisive moment'—and that these images raise spirits, create positive emotion, lead to empathy, and ultimately drive 'attitudinal and behavioral change' toward coexistence with wildlife.