Every Winning Photo From Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
The Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 winners have been revealed, and acclaimed Norwegian photographer Åsmund Keilen has earned the prestigious title, “Nature Photographer of the Year,” for his breathtaking, ethereal photo of a bird in flight against the glowing Sun.
“The photo was taken just outside Oslo on a warm summer day. I was on my way to the store to buy groceries. I have a stubborn habit of leaving my coffee cup on the roof of our old Mercedes when I open the door. And then, more than once, I’ve forgotten it there and simply driven away,” the award-winning photographer, Keilen, recalls.
“That day, as I was backing out of the driveway, the cup fell over, miraculously remaining on the roof. A little discouraged, I reached out to pick it up. And then I suddenly envisioned the kind of photo I was about to take. Tiny orange birch seeds had fallen overnight on the blue roof of the car, and the summer sun reflected in them, alongside swifts dancing in the sky. Freedom seemed to take shape in chaos.”
Keilen took his camera and used multiple exposures, seeking to “recreate what my eyes saw and felt that day: an impression of a reflection — or perhaps a reflection of an impression.”
The photographer describes himself as impulsive, rarely planning shots far in advance. He instead prefers to use photography as a means of interacting with nature, “sharpening” his senses.
Keilen’s incredible photo, “Sundance,” struck a powerful chord with judges. The chairman of the committee, Tin Man Lee, describes Keilen’s photograph:
“At first glance, this mesmerizing image appears to depict leaves adrift in a cosmic sky — but on closer look, each shape reveals itself as a bird in graceful flight,” Lee says. “The photographer’s impeccable timing captured a single bird aligned against the glowing summer sun, transforming the scene into a breathtaking moment of stillness and motion intertwined. With its ethereal colors, perfect balance, and otherworldly atmosphere, the image evokes a dreamlike sense of wonder that feels both universal and timeless!”
With “Sundance,” Keilen bested photographers from over 96 countries, who together entered a record-breaking 24,781 different photos into this year’s Nature Photographer of the Year competition.
Category Winners
Alongside Keilen’s title, “Nature Photographer of the Year,” he also won the “Birds” category in the competition. The judges selected winners across a dozen categories in total, plus additional special prizes. Each of these winners is featured below, alongside selected comments from the judges.
Mammals — ‘Polar Meal’ by Pål Hermansen
Norwegian photographer Pål Hermansen’s photo, “Polar Meal,” won the Mammals category in this year’s Nature Photographer of the Year competition. The striking, visceral photo shows a polar bear and its large prey, a walrus.
“The composition draws the eye through bold diagonals and leading lines, balancing raw power with quiet contemplation in the predator’s pose. Beyond its technical mastery, the photo delivers a haunting reminder of the harsh realities of Arctic life and the urgent need for polar bear conservation,” says chairman Tin Man Lee.
Other Animals — ‘Silent Scream’ by Bence Máté
Hungarian photographer Bence Máté’s photo depicts a gut-wrenching scene of two crabs pulling a baby bird in opposite directions.
“Through this powerful image of the strange interaction between two groups of animals in a battle for life that usually goes in the opposite direction, we discover a natural world that surprises us every day and where the predator-prey roles can be reversed in curious ways, with crabs devouring a tern chick alive, whose only option is to accept its cruel fate. Wildlife never ceases to amaze us,” remarks jury member Marlondag.
Plants and Fungi — ‘Inferno’ by Tobias Richter
Award-winning German photographer Tobias Richter’s prize-winning shot, “Inferno,” provides a startling, visually arresting look at the impacts of wildfires.
“With wildfires becoming increasingly frequent and devastating, Inferno by Tobias Richter immediately struck us with its raw intensity. Blazing flames, glowing tree trunks, and drifting plumes of smoke, this photograph captures both the beauty and the horror of nature in crisis. I remember during the judging session how deeply this image impressed us all,” says jury member Kristel Schneider. “The illuminated patches of fire, surrounded by charred, still-glowing trunks, create a haunting contrast. When you take a closer look, the true scale of destruction and the photographer’s ability to convey it, becomes powerfully clear.”
Landscape — ‘Time For a Drop’ by Alexander Hormann
“Time For a Drop” by German photographer Alexander Hormann invites the viewer in through its cool tones and layer composition, showcasing a “moment held in ice,” as the photographer puts it.
“The longer you look, the more the image reveals, faint shapes and textures begin to emerge, almost like imagined forms beneath the frozen surface. It’s an intimate landscape, fragile yet timeless, shaped by the photographer’s own creative vision, a fleeting moment that exists only for those who take the time to truly see,” says Schneider.
Underwater — ‘Featherhome’ by Luis Arpa Toribio
In contrast to vast underwater scenes frequently seen at the top of photo competitions, Spanish photographer Luis Arpa Toribio zeroes in on the beautiful, intricate details of an underwater world. Each viewer can take something unique away from the image, seeing entirely different things hidden in plain sight.
For chairman Tin Man Lee, it’s a futuristic city:
“The perfect symmetry and three-dimensional depth evoke the feeling of a futuristic city bathed in shimmering blue light. With its harmonious colors and delicate details, the image invites viewers into a magical, dreamlike world that few ever witness firsthand.”
Nature Art — ‘Moose in Snow’ by Pål Hermansen
Norwegian photographer Pål Hermansen took home top prize in two categories this year. This image, “Moose in Snow,” shows a moose amid a snowstorm in a fresh, unusual way. Hermansen used an infrared-triggered trail camera.
“What a fantastic series of images we had to review in this category! The discussions were long and passionate, but ‘Moose in Snow’ truly captured our collective attention. Using carefully placed infrared-triggered cameras, invisible to wildlife, Pål Hermansen combined technical precision with artistic vision. The result is an abstract yet deeply evocative vision, almost like a watercolor painting, where the moose’s silhouette emerges through the swirling snow. Nature itself adds the final brushstroke. The elegant form of a moose set against the purity of falling snow. A remarkable fusion of concept, technique, and subject,” says jury member Kristel Schneider.
Human and Nature — ‘Difficult Crossing’ by Xingchao Zhu
Eagle-eyed viewers may recognize this incredible black-and-white portrait of a lynx traversing a barbed wire fence. It was recently featured in the 2025 Nature’s Best Photography Awards. This is not the first time Chinese photographer Xingchao Zhu has earned acclaim for photos of wild cats, either. Last year, the photographer was honored in Wildlife Photographer of the Year for a stunning nighttime Pallas’s cat portrait.
“After a heated discussion at the judging table about the powerful images and stories in this category, this image stood out from the rest due to its attention to detail in the composition, the simplicity, clarity and depth of the moment that reflects our intense pressure and limits that we impose as humanity on wildlife and that affect their behavior and territories, even in spaces as wild as the habitat of this lynx,” adds jury member Marlondag.
Black and White — ‘The Way of the Ridge’ by Sebastiaan van der Greef
Dutch photographer Sebastiaan van der Greef’s photo, “The Way of the Ridge,” requires some time to appreciate fully. The main subject, an Arctic fox, occupies only a small portion of the frame, creating an overwhelming sense of space.
“It’s an exceptional black and white image capturing a species rarely seen in such unique environmental settings. This photograph truly demands viewing at a large scale to appreciate the intricate details and special qualities it presents fully,” says jury member and award-winning nature photographer Amit Eshel. “The photographer made an excellent choice in using black and white, which effectively eliminates any distracting colors and allows the viewer to focus on the textures and contrasts.”
Animal Portraits — ‘Shared Wonder’ by Mary Schrader
American photographer Mary Schrader’s portrait of a gorilla catches the giant primate calmly and carefully watching a butterfly in mid-flight, showing the powerful animal in an unusual, intimate way.
“A tender and poetic moment unfolds as a butterfly flutters gracefully beside a gorilla’s face, its golden hues mirroring the warmth in the animal’s eyes. The contrast between the fragile insect and the powerful primate evokes a delicate balance between strength and gentleness. This imaginative composition captures a fleeting instant of harmony,” comments Tin Man Lee.
Nature of ‘De Lage Landen’ — ‘Bike Tides’ by Sam Mannaerts
How did a bike wind up here? That’s the question viewers face after seeing Belgian photographer Sam Mannaerts’ winning photo.
“An almost abstract drone shot that beautifully and harmoniously combines the contrasting textures and subtle colors of mud and snow with a delicate touch of red. The bicycles, so characteristic and emblematic of the area, serve as the focal anchor of the photograph, drawing the viewer’s eye immediately toward them,” comments Eshel.
Youth 10-17 Years Old — ‘Panning Bobcat’ by Leo Dale
Young American photographer Leo Dale captured this incredible panning portrait of a bobcat as it scurries across a field, prey in its mouth. It is an exceptional capture that exemplifies a very talented young photographer’s creativity and technical abilities.
“This image surprised us with the execution of the technical control to create a stunning panning image of this bobcat, and above all, with the perfect timing of the connection of gazes, which made us feel invited to share its moment of successful hunting. A rarely seen mastery, surprising to come from such a young talent,” says Marlondag.
Dale says he was lucky to be able to spend dozens of hours out in the field in California with bobcats.
“As with any subject, there are certain highly improbable shots you dream of but never succeed in capturing. This photo, a sharp panning shot of a bobcat with prey, was one of those dreams,” Dale says. “So, when I managed to get into position with this bobcat on this overcast evening and all the details above went according to plan, I was thrilled.”
Fred Hazelhoff Award (Portfolio) — ‘Flowerscapes’ by Theo Bosboom
Dutch photographer Theo Bosboom’s series of beautiful flower and plant portraits captured the jury’s attention.
“A series of carefully composed photographs that offers an innovative and original perspective on the intricate plant world, immersing the viewer deeply among and beneath the flowers, as if seeing through the eyes of an insect,” notes Eshel, adding that the entire series is “exceptionally meticulous and stylistically consistent, with the photographer’s distinctive artistic fingerprint clearly visible in every single photograph.”
The photographer describes his series as answering the question, “What would an ant see if it looked up while walking through a field of flowers?”
Capturing these striking images was made possible by a new rotating macro lens that was physically narrow and wide-angle.
“It was as if I had been given the key to a wonderful secret world — I felt very privileged and excited!” the photographer exclaims.
The Rest of the Winning Images From Nature Photographer of the Year 2025
“Every photo competition brings its own challenges, and some categories spark more debate than others. This year, our discussions touched on impact, originality, and the very definition of nature photography. I’m delighted that many winners this year pushed boundaries — through creative vision, innovative technique, or the courage to show nature from a fresh perspective,” says jury member Kristel Schneider.
The judges had a monumental task before them. Nonetheless, they selected incredible winning photos from a massive pool of superb images, including category winners, runners-up, and highly commended entries. All the runners-up and highly commended photos from throughout the competition’s dozen categories are featured below.
More award-winning photos and remarks from winning photographers are available on the Nature Photographer of the Year website.
The Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 competition will open in just over three weeks, so inspired photographers should start preparing now. Perhaps next year, they will be named “Nature Photographer of the Year.”
Image credits: Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 (NPOTY 2025). All individual photographers are credited in the image captions.
