Celebrating Nature’s Masterpieces: 9 Years Of Siena Awards’ “Beauty Of Nature” In 28 Captivating Images

1st place winner of 2015

"It's a normal behavior of mantis. They're doing defense. When they're afraid of; raising their arms and spreading their wings. They look like smiling dancers."

1st place winner of 2018

"This photograph was taken during a violent night eruption of the Calbuco volcano in the Lagos region, Chile. An incredible dirt storm wraps the fumarole of the erupting volcano."

2nd place winner of 2023

"Villarrica is the most active and dangerous volcano in Chile. After 7 years of dormancy, it has started showing signs of activity, prompting authorities to declare a Yellow Alert. The photo captures a stunning lenticular cloud illuminated by the glowing lava from the crater, which is now close to the surface."

3rd place winner of 2019

"An interesting picture-portrait of a pygmy frog (Oophaga Pumilio), native to the rainforests of Costa Rica."

2nd place winner of 2019

"A lizard and a snail photographed in a special moment when they seem to be kissing with affection."

1st place winner of 2017

"Chasing this storm in Black Hawk was amazing. After waiting hours for something to develop, the storm began to turn into a supercell. This absolutely stunning ship-like structure invaded and took over the Black Hawk area."

1st place winner of 2021

"A mountain path in the middle of a forest is illuminated by a multitude of "sparkling" fireflies that give the landscape a fairy-tale atmosphere. Their bioluminescence is part of the mating ritual, at the end of which the eggs are laid. Unfortunately, pollution hinders the reproduction of fireflies, and it is increasingly difficult to see shows like this one."

2nd place winner of 2020

"In 2011 I witnessed an incredible dirty storm that occurred during the furious eruption of the Cordon Caulle, located in the region of the Rivers. The storm scared thousands of people who lived in the areas nearby the volcano. Hundreds of people were evacuated and the enormous amount of erupted ash buried many kilometers of forests and fields."

3rd place winner of 2018

"A group of Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis Antarctica) is resting on an iceberg. When sailing Antarctic waters you will often see different types of icebergs. Some of these floating islands are great resting places for hunting penguins who can travel many kilometers, before jumping back into the icy water."

3rd place winner of 2022

"Morning calm at the lonely island, just after sunrise and before the world wakes up. Only the photographer and a lone heron fishing at the island’s edge were present to enjoy the moment."

3rd place winner of 2020

"Early in the morning on a November day, inside the swamp, looking for the magnificent beauty of the Spanish moss. The late autumn colors made it appear almost monochromatic and the Bald Cypress stood in the still water creating an incredible reflection in the misty atmosphere."

3rd place winner of 2016

"Panoramic view with the moonset at The Three Peaks of Lavaredo (Italy), also called Drei Zinnen, on a night in July at 2450m, during a photographic weekend with some landscaper friends."

2nd place winner of 2018

"In the desert of Dahana, in the center of Saudi Arabia, Bedouins migrate with camels from place to place, searching for food and water. I took this picture while a group of nomads was passing us with their camels, creating beautiful shadows in a peaceful atmosphere."

3rd place winner of 2017

"The common toads start going back to the river in February in order to reproduce. The frozen waters of this small river are by then clear enough and ideal for underwater photography. This image was taken in natural lights and apnea. I chose to work on blacklights to value this iconic species from fresh water."

2nd place winner of 2017

"Before visiting Assiniboine I thought that certain places only existed in books like The Lord of the Rings. But this place really exists! It is the sum of all the beauties of an alpine landscape, with peaks, lakes, waterfalls, and streams. It is totally wild with a unique atmosphere."

1st place winner of 2023

"Female Northern spectacled salamanders, also known as Savi’s salamanders, lay their eggs on submerged branches in cold waters of an Apennine stream in Italy’s Foreste Casentinesi National Park."

1st place winner of 2022

"A line of small erupting craters in the West of the Land of Ice and Fire. A river of lava guides the viewer’s eye, while thick smoke rises high into the sky. Seeing a volcanic eruption, hearing and smelling it, and feeling the unbelievable heat on your skin is a unique experience."

3rd place winner of 2015

"Three little damselflies on wild flower."

1st place winner of 2016

"This image shows the magnificence of erupting magma, ash and gas, during the first days of December 2015, which rose to a height of several kilometers above the summit of Mount Etna."

3rd place winner of 2021

"During a spring dive at a depth of about 6 meters, I immortalized this small hydromedusa of the Pandea conica genus, among an infinity of tiny tunicates carried by the current of the Calabrian side of the Strait of Messina."

1st place winner of 2019

"In less than three days, more than one hundred crocodiles manage to transform a dead hippo into fertilizer for the river."

2nd place winner of 2015

"This storm was not all that big, but it made up for it in intense electrical energy and light that was just incredible. This image comprises five different lightning bursts layered over each other. After about an hour, the storm lost its gusto."

2nd place winner of 2021

"Three hyena, a jackal, and two elephants endure a sandstorm on a hot humid late afternoon, while the wind picks up before the heavens open. The hyenas cool off in the cool water and get rid of parasites. The dry season is over and the rainy season is on the way, promising relief for every animal in dry Chobe National Park."

2nd place winner of 2016

"The bear fishes in the river, he sits down, puts his head under the water and pauses looking for fish. Once the fish begin to ignore him and come closer, he makes a crucial lunge and catches them with his paws or teeth."

3rd place winner of 2015

"In a remote bay miles away from any town, strong currents carried large amounts of trash into the swell as a surfer rides through the trash filled barrel."

1st place winner of 2020

"Night diving at a temperature of minus two degrees Celsius in Eastern Greenland, swimming among icebergs under the ice of a fjord."

3rd place winner of 2023

"Mount Etna during its explosive eruption in December 2021. The explosive pyroclastic material is seen bursting out with a black cloud of volcanic sand, against a dark sky that provides a stunning contrast to the floating clouds. A long exposure shot also captured the snowy landscape, illuminated by the moonlight and stars."

2nd place winner of 2022

"A sudden fire burned a huge part of the Savannah and the rangers were unable to contain it. The fire lasted for three days and reduced entire hills to ashes. Fortunately, the trees were not affected by the flames."