Photo of Bird Bursting Through Waterfall Wins GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Jeremy Gray

A collage of three wildlife photos: a wild cat crouching in snow, two birds flying over a golden textured background, and a puffin standing on a rock against a pink and purple gradient sky.

The German Society of Nature Photographers (GDT) has unveiled the winning photos from its annual Nature Photographer of the Year competition.

Like in prior years, this particular competition is exclusively open to GDT members. However, this does little to stifle the competition, as the award-winning images are incredible. Over 500 photographers from 11 countries entered more than 8,000 photos for consideration.

The talented GDT-member photographers battled it out across seven categories, including this year’s special, “Both eerie and beautiful — Germany’s Peatlands and Bogs.” The other six standard categories are similar to years past, including Birds, Mammals, Other Animals, Plants and Fungi, Landscapes, and Nature’s Studio, which is for more abstract nature images.

A bird flies close to the surface of a flowing, textured stream, splashing water as it moves above the rippling, wavy patterns.
‘Dipper flying through waterfall’ by Konrad Wothe. GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025, and 1st Place in Birds. | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Judges selected finalists for consideration, and after voting, top 10 photos were awarded for each category. However, the jury also selected an overall winner, photographer Konrad Wothe. Named “GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025,” Wothe’s stunning winning shot, Dipper flying through waterfall, shows a dipper bursting through flowing water. The shot expertly combines action, striking composition, and abstract textures.

“It’s been over 20 years since I first witnessed a dipper darting through a waterfall. The small passerine bird was flying back and forth to a nest tucked away safely behind a dense curtain of water,” Wothe explains. “Of course, back then I was desperate to capture the moment on film, but with the analogue gear of the time, there was simply no way to freeze this spectacular split-second moment in sharp focus.”

The photographer continues, explaining that he had another fortune encounter with another nesting dipper a couple of years ago. This time, he was ready, thanks to modern digital camera equipment.

“Armed with cutting-edge digital gear and ultra-fast cameras, I felt I might have a chance of capturing this curious behavior,” Wothe says.

However, even with the right tools for the job, it was extremely challenging. Wild animals are hard to predict, and dippers are no exception.

“Thanks to the new pre-burst mode on my camera, capturing the bird in frame wasn’t difficult. Still, getting the correct focus and perfect composition took thousands of exposures,” Wothe explains.

Even though it took many attempts to get the award-winning photo, he is excited to keep trying.

“I keep going back — and always will — because the dipper is one of my absolute favorite birds,” Wothe concludes.

As expected, Wothe’s dazzling dipper photo took top honors in the Birds category. The rest of the category winners and runners-up are featured below. PetaPixel also selected some of its other favorite winners to feature below.

Birds

Two small, brightly colored birds with orange and black feathers are mid-flight, facing each other among green, sunlit foliage in a lush, natural setting.
2nd Place, ‘Common redstarts in meadow orchard’ by Christian Höfs | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A white arctic fox blends into a snowy, windswept slope, with faint footprints trailing behind it and delicate ridges and textures visible in the snow.
3rd Place, ‘Patterns in the snow’ by Levi Fitze | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Mammals

A silhouette of a mountain goat stands on a rocky ledge, surrounded by a dreamy, golden, and blurry background with circular light bokeh effects.
1st Place, ‘Chamois’ by Radomir Jakubowski | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A silhouette of a mountain goat stands on a rocky ledge at dusk, with a lake and mountains in the background under a colorful sunset sky.
2nd Place, ‘King of the Alps’ by Karsten Mosebach | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Other Animals

A dragonfly with translucent wings rests on rippled, patterned sand, creating a striking contrast between the insect and the dark, textured surface.
1st Place, ‘West coast dragon’ by Dr. Gerald Haas | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A close-up of a mushroom with a small insect clinging to its pale stem, surrounded by soft green grass and blurred background, creating a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere.
2nd Place, ‘Weevil’ by Torsten Christ | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Plants and Fungi

View from below of several tall, pale, textured tree trunks with spiky, star-shaped green leaves stretching skyward against a bright, almost white background. The perspective emphasizes the height and pattern of the trees.
1st Place, ‘Stars above’ by Paul Kornacker | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A single glowing flower stands illuminated in the center of the image, surrounded by abstract, golden beams of light and dark, blurred foliage. The atmosphere is dreamy and surreal.
2nd Place, ‘Carnivore’ by Klaus Tamm | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Landscapes

Golden mist blankets a forested landscape, with tall pine trees emerging through the fog. The warm, diffused sunlight creates long shadows and a serene, ethereal atmosphere.
1st Place, ‘Deforestation’ by Hanneke Van Camp | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
Dramatic coastal cliffs shrouded in mist with soft sunlight illuminating the scene, rugged rock formations jutting into a calm sea under a cloudy sky.
2nd Place, ‘Radiance’ by Thomas Froesch | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Nature’s Studio

Blurred image of tall grass silhouetted against a reflective water surface, with soft blue and golden light creating an abstract, painterly effect reminiscent of sunset or sunrise.
1st Place, ‘Abstraction’ by Katja Manski | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
Close-up of intricate frost patterns on a window, forming delicate, branching designs that resemble leaves or feathers, with a gradient of blue and warm light in the background.
2nd Place, ‘Iceworms at sunrise’ by Dirk Godlinski | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Special Category: Both Eerie and Beautiful — Germany‘s Peatlands and Bogs

A misty meadow at sunrise, filled with dew-covered spider webs on tall grass. In the background, silhouettes of trees are partially obscured by fog under a colorful sky with pink and blue clouds.
1st Place, ‘Misty Morning’ by Andreas Volz | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A dense, misty forest with tall, slender trees and green grass dotted with small white flowers. The scene has a cool blue-green tint, creating a peaceful, mystical atmosphere.
2nd Place, ‘Fairyland’ by Katja Manski | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

Five More Award-Winning Photos

A close-up of a black snake with shiny scales and a cloudy blue eye, coiled tightly. A small brown spider is crawling on the snake's body.
6th Place, Special Category, ‘Not for the faint of heart’ by Ulrich Hopp | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
Aerial view of swirling, abstract patterns in shades of turquoise and teal, resembling flowing water or liquid, with smooth gradients and soft, wavy shapes blending together.
6th Place, Nature’s Studio, ‘Estuary’ by Phillip Schulze | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
Abstract image of colorful, circular light reflections arranged in diagonal lines against a dark background, creating a visually dynamic and futuristic tunnel-like effect.
3rd Place, Other Animals, ‘Spider disco’ by Thomas Kirchen | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A fluffy Pallas’s cat walks through snow and dry grass, staring intently ahead. The background is a soft gradient of pink and blue sky.
5th Place, Mammals, ‘Grumpy cat’ by Dr. Beate Oswald | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
A puffin stands on a dark rock, illuminated by dramatic purple and pink lighting against a moody background, looking upwards as if observing the vibrant glow above.
4th Place, Birds, ‘Courtship display’ by Karsten Mosebach | GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025

The complete gallery of all 70 winning images is available on the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 website.

Image credits: Photos provided by GDT Nature Photographer of the Year. Individual photographers are credited in the image captions.

, ,
, , , , , , , ,
PetaPixel articles may include affiliate links; if you buy something through such a link, PetaPixel may earn a commission.
Related Articles
Graceful Photo of Jellyfish Wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021
GDT Nature Photographer of the Year A Kestrel on a Blossom Branch Wins 2022 Nature Photo of the Year
GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2023 The Winners of the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2023
A tranquil winter scene of a forest with snow-covered trees. The bare branches are coated in snow, some dipping into a reflective, partially frozen body of water. The muted blues and whites create a serene and chilly atmosphere. The Wonderful GDT Nature Photographer of the Year Winners
Discussion