Jassen Todorov, a concert violinist and professor from the United States, has earned high commendation in the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for his breathtaking aerial photograph titled "Clouds of Gold." The image captures the magnificent reflections of clouds in salt ponds spanning San Francisco Bay, California, showcasing the vital role of wetland ecosystems in their full golden glory.
Todorov, who serves as a Professor of Music at San Francisco State University, captured this stunning image while flying his single-engine Piper Warrior into San Francisco International Airport. As an active pilot and flight instructor specializing in aerial photography, he never grows tired of witnessing the changing colors of the bay's salt ponds. On this particular occasion, he described the light during the golden hour at sunset as absolutely magnificent.
The photograph was taken using a Nikon D810 camera with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens set at 70mm focal length, captured at 1/400 second shutter speed, f2.8 aperture, and ISO 280. The technical precision combined with artistic vision resulted in an image that not only displays natural beauty but also tells an important environmental conservation story about the significance of wetlands for both nature and people.
The salt collection process in San Francisco Bay was industrialized during the 1800s, transforming the natural wetland ecosystem. However, since 2003, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project has been working to restore these vital habitats by acquiring approximately 6,000 hectares, equivalent to nearly 15,000 acres of land. The ambitious project involves removing artificial dykes to recreate natural tidal marsh habitat, allowing salt-tolerant plants and wildlife to flourish once more.
Todorov's work extends far beyond this single award-winning image. His photographs have been published by prestigious publications including National Geographic, The Guardian, Figaro, Corriere della Sera, Dainik Bhaskar, China News Service, and Avenuel. His artistic work has been exhibited at notable venues such as Chicago O'Hare and San Francisco airports, Somerset House, and the Scottish Parliament, demonstrating the powerful intersection of his musical and photographic talents.
The image was submitted to the "Wetlands: The Bigger Picture" category, which focuses on communicating the vital role of freshwater ecosystems. This category encompasses everything from mountain-top bogs and peat uplands to rivers, lakes, deltas, floodplains, marshes, and mangroves. The competition recognizes images that can be powerful through their visual impact, natural beauty, or their ability to illustrate environmental and conservation stories that reveal the importance of wetlands.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition continues to encourage visitors to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the natural world through images that celebrate nature's awe-inspiring beauty while urging protection of these precious ecosystems. Todorov's "Clouds of Gold" stands as a perfect example of how photography can harness its power to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important environmental issues, and nurture a global appreciation for the natural world that surrounds us.
