TITLE: Apex — Peregrine Falcon

A Peregrine Falcon perches at the edge of the San Pedro cliffs, surveying the Pacific below. Shot in monochrome to emphasize the falcon's sharp silhouette against the open sky — the stillness before the stoop. Captured along the Southern California coast in June 2023, where a resident pair of Peregrines has nested for several seasons.

AUTHOR: Yang Mo Lee (United States)

Yang Mo Lee is a nature and wildlife photographer based in Irvine, California. Drawn to the raw energy of birds in flight, he has spent years documenting raptors along the Southern California coast — particularly the Peregrine Falcons of San Pedro, known for their dramatic aerial pursuits above the Pacific cliffs.

Shooting primarily with Sony mirrorless systems, Yang Mo approaches black and white photography as a way to strip away distraction and focus on form, motion, and tension. The monochrome frame, for him, is where speed becomes sculpture.

His work has been submitted to international competitions including IPA and HIPA, with a focus on wildlife, landscape, and the quiet moments found on trails through old-growth forests. He is a self-taught photographer who continues to refine his eye through long hours in the field.