62 Stunning Photos From The Ournature Environmental Photo Awards 2026

2nd Place in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Description: “A barn owl dives towards the camera, seen from the perspective of its prey. The image is part of my ongoing project photographing local barn owls at night. My aim was to capture the moment of attack from an unusual viewpoint — looking up at the approaching predator.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Description: “A white-tailed eagle attacks a red fox in a rare encounter in the wild. With wings spread and talons extended, the eagle swoops down as the fox prepares to defend itself. The image was captured in a completely natural situation, without bait or any other intervention, freezing a tense moment between two predators.”

1st Place in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Northern Norway

Description: “A humpback whale feeds beside a herring fishing vessel during the polar night, captured in a split image showing the scene both above and below the surface. Each winter, vast schools of Atlantic herring gather in the fjords of Northern Norway, attracting hundreds of humpback whales and orcas. The whales have learned that fishing vessels can provide an easy meal, allowing them to feed on concentrated herring without having to hunt. But this opportunity comes with serious risks: humpback whales can become entangled in fishing nets, causing injuries or drowning, while also damaging fishing equipment.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Location: Pantanal, Brazil

Description: “A cormorant is about to catch a large spiny catfish it has tossed into the air. To swallow the fish safely, it must enter the bird’s throat headfirst and lengthwise. The cormorant had been tossing and repositioning its catch for more than an hour, trying to get it into exactly the right position. I captured the decisive moment from a boat on one of the side branches of the Rio Cuiabá.”

Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category

Description: “Two ants battle each other, their tiny bodies outlined by backlight and making the encounter appear almost monumental. I was photographing fungi and searching for smaller species when I noticed the fighting ants. I quickly placed my flash behind them to capture the struggle in backlight. From there, it was a matter of finding the right moment and focus — no easy task with two constantly moving subjects.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Location: Costa Rica

Description: “Two bats fly in front of a flower while a third feeds on its nectar. The fast-moving nocturnal scene was frozen using four flashes, revealing a moment that would otherwise disappear into the darkness of the rainforest.”

1st Place in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Ghalapan Village, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Description: “Two snow leopard cubs rest quietly among the rocks of the Himalayas. Perfectly camouflaged in their rugged habitat, they are almost invisible at first glance, their spotted coats blending seamlessly into the surrounding stone. Only after a few moments does the mountain reveal it’s secret.”

Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Northern Norway

Description: “A humpback whale struggles in the darkness of the polar night, entangled in a drifting sea anchor from a fishing vessel’s herring net. Unable to free itself, the desperate whale first approached my boat and then the nearest fishing vessel, almost as if asking for help. None of us had the equipment needed to release it, so I contacted the Norwegian fisheries patrol. They arrived with the necessary gear, and after a dramatic rescue operation, we finally managed to free the whale. Entanglement in fishing gear is a serious problem for whales worldwide, often resulting in severe injuries or drowning. This whale was one of the lucky ones.”

Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category

Description: “A hoopoe arrives with prey in its beak, but instead of using its usual perch, it lands on an old farm fence. The weathered wood and the bird’s distinctive silhouette capture the atmosphere of the traditional rural landscape.”

2nd Place in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Hellín, Spain

Description: “Two common genets prowl at night, moving along the bars of a window in search of food. Behind them, an enormous Moon fills the background, creating an almost surreal setting for the nocturnal scene. The photograph is a single exposure, with no compositing or multiple exposures. The Moon’s unusual size and position are the result of perspective, distance and the optical effect of the lens.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Northern Norway

Description: “A humpback whale feeds on Atlantic herring in the darkness of the polar night, while gulls gather above for their share of the feast. Each winter, vast schools of herring migrate into the fjords of Northern Norway, attracting hundreds of humpback whales and orcas. With the sun below the horizon for weeks, much of the feeding takes place in complete darkness. To photograph it, I developed a system combining a powerful torch and flash, using the whales’ sounds and infrared binoculars to locate them in the dark. As the whales drive the herring towards the surface, the gulls seize the opportunity for an easy meal.”

1st Place in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Location: Hornosvratecká Highlands, Czech Republic

Description: “A great spotted woodpecker returns to feed its chick in an unusually low nesting cavity in the trunk of an old oak tree. The low position of the nest offered a rare perspective on the intimate moment between parent and chick. I carefully positioned my camera beneath the cavity and observed the birds before continuing. As their feeding behavior remained unchanged, I used a remote trigger and photographed from a respectful distance. The entire session lasted only about ten minutes, allowing me to capture this natural behavior with minimal disturbance.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Description: “A tawny owl rests in the hollow of an old oak tree in the cold winter forest. The image required careful planning: to achieve this unusual, close perspective, I positioned a GoPro action camera near the tree. The unconventional viewpoint offers a quiet, intimate glimpse into the owl’s hidden world.”

Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category

Description: “A bat rises above a mountain stream after approaching the water in flight. Behind it, the roots of a huge beech tree emerge from the evening forest. Photographing bats drinking on the wing requires extraordinary precision. I used an automated motion sensor and carefully positioned flashes to freeze the fast-moving animal together with the surrounding landscape. No artificial guidance or diversion was used to create the image.”

Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category

Location: Feketenyék (Čierna Voda), Slovakia

Description: “A fully scaled carp and two mirror carp nestle side by side among submerged branches, as if gathering for a family portrait. Above their golden bodies and silent conversation, sunlight pierces the blue stillness of the water. I took this photograph underwater in the lake at Feketenyék (Čierna Voda) on 16 August 2026, using a Nikon Z8 with an 8–15 mm fisheye lens.”

1st Place in the Carpathian Basin Category

Location: Börzsöny, Hungary

Description: “The flight paths of winter moth trace delicate lines through a moonlit forest during a single 108-second exposure. Surprisingly, these moths can be found in the cold, dark forest in late autumn and winter, sometimes even flying during light snowfall. I have been photographing winter moths since 2016, but had never encountered conditions quite like these. I set up my camera beneath a huge beech tree just as the Moon moved into the right position, illuminating the last reddish leaves from behind and creating a remarkable backdrop for the flying moths. Only one successful image was made. The following night the Moon rose later, temperatures dropped, clouds arrived, and within days the last leaves had fallen.”

Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Hellín, Spain

Description: “A common moorhen stands in murky water in front of a drain filled with waste. Photographed from inside the pipe using a wide-angle lens and remote trigger, the image places human waste and wildlife within the same perspective. Rubbish and polluted water have become part of this animal’s everyday environment. The image reveals both nature’s ability to adapt and the visible impact of human activity on its habitat.”

Honorable Mention in the Young Photographers Category

Location: Bükk National Park, Hungary

Description: “A wood mouse rises on its hind legs among the leaf litter, its silhouette outlined together with the dry vegetation in the backlight. During an evening walk, I noticed its acrobatic movements in an abandoned area slowly being reclaimed by woodland. For weeks, I experimented with different lighting to capture the scene. Eventually, I caught the moment when the backlight also revealed the animal’s characteristic behavior.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Description: “Two grey herons fish at night in the pouring rain. One bird stood very close to the hide, its dark silhouette framing the second heron further in the distance. Illuminated by artificial light, the rain and the difference in scale transform an ordinary fishing scene into an almost theatrical encounter.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Description: “A dragonfly rests in the early morning light, surrounded by tiny circles of light created by droplets of moisture on the vegetation. I waited for the mist to slowly begin to lift and for the first rays of sunlight to filter through the plants. The low, golden light illuminated the dragonfly, while reflections from the droplets transformed the background, giving the scene an almost magical atmosphere.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Rio da Prata, Jardim, Brazil

Description: “A rare moment in crystal-clear water: an anhinga and a green anaconda swim in opposite directions, both on the hunt. With its neck outstretched, the bird pursues its prey while the giant snake crosses the riverbed. A unique encounter capturing two predators in a single frame.”

Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Rosello, Abruzzo, Italy

Description: “A great grey owl spreads its enormous wings, as if preparing to take flight from the upper floor of an old barn. While travelling through Abruzzo in November 2021, I heard the sound of wings from the building and discovered the magnificent bird inside. The owner explained that he had taken the injured owl in several years earlier after it had been rescued from a circus. The encounter was both beautiful and sad: a remarkable bird in a place that could never truly be its home.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Northern Sweden

Description: “Autumn colors emerge through a sea of low clouds during an early morning temperature inversion. From above, the forest becomes a pattern of color and texture, while the landscape below remains hidden beneath the clouds.”

1st Place in the Solutions Category

Location: Atacama Desert, Chile

Description: “Aerial view of the Cerro Dominador solar power plant, its central tower surrounded by a vast field of mirrors reflecting sunlight towards it. The geometric pattern of the heliostats transforms the Atacama Desert into an extraordinary technological landscape. The 210 MW complex was the first project in South America to combine concentrated solar power (CSP) with photovoltaic technology, harnessing the intense solar radiation of one of the driest and sunniest regions on Earth.”

Best Collection in the Solutions Category

Description: “A colony of black-legged kittiwakes has turned a wall of stacked plastic crates into a nesting site. Seen from the front, the crates resemble a multi-story apartment building, with each bird or pair occupying its own small compartment. The repeating shapes create an unusual sense of order within the busy colony.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Wyoming, USA

Description: “A lone coyote stands on a snow-covered mountain ridge, its head thrown back as it howls across the quiet, frozen landscape. The image was taken in late winter, when coyotes often use vocalizations to communicate and mark their territory. The photograph captures natural behavior: no bait or other attractants were used. The coyote’s call and the surrounding winter landscape evoke the solitude of the wilderness and the animal’s adaptation to its harsh environment.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Triglav National Park, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Description: “After sunrise, rays of light break through the mountains, turning the swirling clouds of mist orange and red. Forests and mountain slopes emerge from the fog, creating the impression of a dreamlike world floating above the clouds. It was a remarkable morning when, for a few brief minutes, light, mist and landscape came together in perfect harmony.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Description: “A banded demoiselle fly among translucent leaves, photographed against the light. Under an overcast sky, the bright background revealed the delicate veins of the leaves and the insect’s transparent wings. The restrained colors and simple composition draw attention to the dragonfly’s fragile beauty.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Shompole Nature Conservancy, Kenya

Description: “A hyena approaches a waterhole at night. The scene was illuminated by LED light, whose frequency created an unusual ghost-like trace around the animal’s silhouette. This technical effect became the defining visual element of the image.”

Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Spain

Description: “A black redstart lands on the window of an abandoned house, while an old portrait of the family who once lived there can be seen behind it. Hidden in the shadows of the house, I waited until the bird naturally appeared at the window. For a brief moment, past and present came together: a forgotten family photograph and a bird bringing new life into a once-inhabited home. The house may be empty, but nature has slowly returned.”

Honorable Mention in the Young Photographers Category

Location: Białowieża Forest, Poland

Description: “Five young red deer stags stand together on a ridge in the early morning light. Their figures outlined against the elevated landscape create a simple, almost graphic composition within the quiet surroundings. The photograph was taken during an early morning wildlife observation session while watching deer in the meadows surrounding the Białowieża Forest.”

Honorable Mention in the Solutions Category

Location: Maiton Island, Thailand

Description: “A diver feeds young leopard sharks in a sea pen off Maiton Island. The sharks were bred in captivity as part of the StAR Project Thailand and are being prepared for release into the Andaman Sea. A dedicated team, including the project’s “shark nannies”, cares for the animals as they grow and develop the skills needed to survive independently in the open ocean. The programme aims to support the recovery of wild leopard shark populations and give a new generation the chance to return to the sea.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Serengeti, Tanzania

Description: “A lioness stands on a rocky outcrop beneath gathering storm clouds, surveying the vast Serengeti plains. In this largely flat landscape, the scattered rocks provide valuable vantage points for predators, allowing them to scan the horizon and locate the great herds of wildebeest.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Svalbard, Norway

Description: “An aerial view of a polar bear resting in its natural habitat. It’s body bears the scars of previous fights. I used a drone equipped with low-noise propellers and kept a safe distance, allowing the bear to remain undisturbed while I composed the shot.”

2nd Place in the Young Photographers Category

Location: Moscow Region, Russia

Description: “An ant clings to a fern leaf, pausing for a moment in an unusual pose. I was watching the activity around an anthill when I noticed it on the fern directly in front of me. It remained motionless for a few seconds before moving down the stem. Just before disappearing, it paused briefly in this peculiar position — the moment captured in the photograph.”

OurNature Image of the Year
1st Place in the Pure Nature - Water Category
1st Place in the Our Footprints Category

Description: “A polar bear peers through a seal’s breathing hole in the ice, looking straight into the camera positioned below.
For years, I had dreamed of photographing a polar bear’s hunting technique from a seal’s perspective. At 83°N, among the dense drift ice, I placed my camera beneath a seal’s breathing hole. After eight hours of waiting, a polar bear appeared, broke through the thin layer of ice covering the hole and looked directly into my camera. It then lay down and slept for nine hours, leaving me unable to retrieve the camera. When I finally saw the image, I knew I had captured the polar bear photograph I had dreamed of for years.”

2nd Place in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Description: “Amphipods move among the veins of a decaying leaf, while a mayfly larva appears in the small “window”. These tiny creatures play an important role in the stream’s ecosystem: they feed on organic debris while also providing food for larger animals, including fish and birds. A miniature world, barely visible to the naked eye, yet essential to life in the stream.”

2nd Place in the Solutions Category

Location: Delft, the Netherlands

Description: “The long exposure traces the full movement of the wind turbines’ rotating blades, revealing huge, saw-like circles that show the space repeatedly swept by them. In front of the turbines, a vast flock of starlings moves above the line of trees. The image makes visible one of the potential conflicts between renewable energy and birdlife. While the transition to green energy is essential, these enormous structures become part of the same airspace used by birds.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Description: “The hairy feet and tiny claws of a bat cling to the rock wall of a mine, revealing unexpected details under ultraviolet light. Seen in a different light, reality itself appears transformed: the UV illumination reveals hairs and structures that would remain almost invisible under natural light.”

Honorable Mention in the Solutions Category

Description: “A beekeeper’s gloved hand moves across a frame covered with honeybees during a hive inspection. The bees remain in place as the beekeeper works with slow, deliberate movements, using smoke to keep the colony calm. The relationship between beekeeper and colony is one of the oldest and most important human–animal partnerships. Managed honeybees play a significant role in pollinating many crops and supporting food production. The glove is the only barrier between the two sides of that relationship.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Description: “Whitish, hairy fungal colonies grow on bat guano, while lesser horseshoe bats hibernate above them in the darkness of an abandoned mine tunnel. The nearly two hundred bats occasionally interrupt their hibernation, and on the guano accumulating beneath them, unusual dung-loving molds begin to grow. The image was taken under controlled conditions during a bat survey, without disturbing the animals. Using focus stacking, I combined the hibernating bats and the remarkable, almost flower-like fungi growing beneath them into a single image.”

2nd Place for Stories or Portfolio

Description: “Climate change is a much-discussed topic of our time, which affects all areas of life. Due to its importance, many people discuss the phenomenon with a variety of approaches, often interpreting it as a social construction, where values ​​are also given space beyond the facts. I wanted to find out where the information that forms the basis of our knowledge comes from. I followed biologists, dendrologists, and ecologists whose work is closely related to learning about climate change. The findings they make strive for general validity and raise the responsibility of the interpreter in creating explanations. My series is a tribute to the sacrificial and complex intellectual work done to get to know the environment.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Margaret River, Western Australia

Description: “From above, I followed a pod of dolphins moving together through the clear turquoise water. Using a drone, I waited for the precise moment they entered the face of a breaking wave, revealing their formation beneath the surface. The aerial perspective transformed the churning sea into a canvas of color and texture, capturing the dolphins’ effortless harmony with the power and rhythm of the ocean.”

1st Place for Stories or Portfolio
OurNature Story of the Year

Description: “Sumatran orangutans are under severe threat from the continuing loss and fragmentation of their rainforest habitat. The expansion of palm oil and rubber plantations, logging, road construction, mining and hunting are forcing increasing numbers of orangutans out of their natural environment. The Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) cares for, rehabilitates and prepares rescued, injured and formerly captive orangutans for a return to the wild. This series documents daily life at its clinic and quarantine center, where the ultimate goal is to reintroduce orangutans and establish viable populations in protected forests.”

Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category

Description: “The low light of the rising Sun sweeps across the rolling landscape, illuminating the blossoming trees of spring. Although the morning air is still freezing, within minutes the first rays of sunlight fill the landscape with warmth.”

Best Collection in the Pure Nature - Air Category

Location: Shetland Islands, Scotland

Description: “Hundreds of northern gannets cover a dark cliff face in the Shetland Islands, their pale bodies forming a scattered pattern across the rock. Above the colony, a single bird flies through a narrow beam of light. Its glowing wings stand out sharply against the blue-black background, setting it apart for a brief moment from the hundreds of birds below.”

Honorable Mention in the Young Photographers Category

Description: “A tiny snail slowly climbs the massive trunk of a centuries-old oak. This contrast in scale was exactly what I wanted to capture: the minute animal against the towering, majestic tree. Observing and photographing the forest’s nocturnal wildlife is especially close to my heart, so I also wanted the image to preserve something of the atmosphere of the forest at night.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Kruger National Park, South Africa

Description: “A male klipspringer stands on a rock, surrounded by a forest dressed in autumn colors. While exploring the rocky hills, known as kopjes, I came across a small group of these antelopes, a species closely associated with rocky habitats. One male stepped onto a rock and stood motionless, surveying his surroundings. Framed by the glowing autumn foliage, the scene felt as if a storybook had come to life, taking me back to the tales I was told as a child.”

Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category

Location: Spain

Description: “Two common genets search a table covered with food packaging and leftovers after the people have gone. The scene shows how waste left behind in nature can become a food source for wildlife and influence their natural behavior.”

Honorable Mention in the Young Photographers Category

Location: Kaluga Region, Russia

Description: “Two European bison stand face to face in the darkness of the night. One is revealed by the artificial light, while the other approaches from the shadows. I waited a long time for this moment. When the two bison finally stopped opposite each other, it seemed as if a silent conversation was taking place between them in the darkness.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Description: “Two Amur tiger cubs wait for their mother to return. The Amur tiger is the world’s largest living cat, and with only a small population remaining in the wild, every new generation is vital to the species’ future. My camera trap captured these two healthy cubs in a rare and intimate moment — a hopeful sign for the survival of this remarkable species.”

1st Place in the Young Photographers Category

Location: Dagestan, Russia

Description: “A rock bunting flies through tall, dry reeds in the golden backlight of sunrise. In the background, the cold, deep blue tones of a snow-covered mountainside create a striking contrast with the warmly illuminated reeds and the bird’s feathers. Walking along the lake, I noticed a flock of rock buntings feeding among the reeds, constantly moving as they searched for seeds. Before the restless flock moved on, I managed to capture the brief moment when one bird flew through the glowing reeds.”

Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category

Description: “Colorful fallen leaves cover the forest floor, while the trunks and lines of bare branches create lightning-like silhouettes among them. Seen from above, the familiar woodland landscape transforms into an almost abstract pattern. For me, it is an endlessly fascinating view that can only truly be discovered from the air.”

Honorable Mention in the Solutions Category

Location: Cambodia

Description: “A young Siamese crocodile breaks free from its egg in front of conservationist Mark Dainty at the Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium. The hatching is part of a long-term conservation programme working to return this Critically Endangered species to the wild. To maximize hatching success, the eggs are kept under carefully controlled conditions and closely monitored. As hatching begins, staff may assist the young crocodiles in emerging from their eggs — a role normally performed by the parent in the wild. Only a small population of adult Siamese crocodiles survives in the wild in Cambodia, making successful breeding and reintroduction programmes vital to the species’ future.”

Honorable Mention in the Young Photographers Category

Location: Samur River Delta, Dagestan, Russia

Description: “A tree frog climbs among the branches before pausing at a higher vantage point to survey its surroundings. Perhaps it is listening to the call of another tree frog from a nearby tree. The image was taken in the remarkable liana forest of the Samur River Delta. Fed by river branches and spring-fed streams, its wetlands, shallow lakes and lagoons support lush vegetation and an exceptionally rich diversity of wildlife.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water

Location: Ipoly River, Hungary

Description: “Thousands of mayflies fill the air above the Ipoly River, while a few individuals appear to float above a distant planet. Through the extraordinary perspective of a fisheye lens, for a moment I felt as if I were travelling across a “Mayfly Planet”. For fourteen years, I have followed the swarming of the protected Danube mayfly on warm summer evenings along the Danube and the Ipoly. In August 2025, I witnessed the largest swarm I had ever seen on the Ipoly. Standing in the river, composing the image was extremely difficult as mayflies covered my face and almost my entire body. Then a few individuals separated from the swarm and appeared above the “planet” — and the image came together. It was an unforgettable and deeply moving experience.”

2nd Place in the Carpathian Basin Category

Location: Miklapuszta, Hungary

Description: “At first glance, it resembles a snow-covered mountain peak, but the image actually shows the shoreline of a salt lake from above. It was captured on a scorching summer day, when temperatures exceeded 40°C. Hundreds of greylag geese gathered in the shallow water, their movements drawing delicate lines across the surface. I photographed the scene from an altitude of more than 260 meters using a 3× zoom, allowing the drone to remain at a safe distance without disturbing the birds.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Brine Pans, Walvis Bay Lagoon Area, Namibia

Description: “Two flamingos fly together above the extraordinary colors and textures of the salt pans. The shifting patterns below are created by varying concentrations of salt and minerals, as well as the organisms that thrive in these highly saline waters. The ecosystem produces vast quantities of phytoplankton, algae and brine shrimp, providing food for the huge flocks of flamingos that gather here. Looking down from a doorless helicopter, I saw thousands of flamingos spread across this immense landscape. I chose to isolate just two individuals from the flock, creating a quiet sense of togetherness within the vastness of the scene.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Description: “A golden jellyfish appears to speed like a UFO through the blue universe of the sea. Around it, the silvery flashes of a school of sardines form blurred trails like streaks of starlight, transforming the underwater scene into a cosmic journey. I took this photograph underwater in the Banda Sea, Indonesia, on 27 November 2023, using a Nikon D850 with an 8–15 mm fisheye lens.”

2nd Place in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Podlachia, Poland

Description: “Bullfinches move among dry grass stems in a snow-covered winter landscape. That day, the temperature was around –20°C. From the window of my car, I watched the small flock having breakfast, repeatedly shaking the dry plants to release their seeds before quickly devouring them. The small, colorful birds stood out beautifully against the muted tones of the snowy meadow. What captivated me most was the graphic, almost painterly quality of the scene.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category

Location: Java, Indonesia

Description: “Vivid Sulphur deposits, rising volcanic plumes and rugged crater walls reveal the immense forces shaping an active volcano. Captured by drone from above the crater, the image required patience, precise timing and cooperation from the wind. Thick volcanic smoke repeatedly concealed the landscape, so I waited until a brief change in the wind finally cleared the view. For a few moments, the crater revealed itself — a glimpse into nature’s continuous cycle of creation and destruction.”

Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category

Location: Svalbard, Norway

Description: “An aerial view of a bearded seal resting on cracked ice. I used low-noise propellers and kept the drone high enough to avoid disturbing the seal. From this altitude, I could include the surrounding ice floes and their different textures in the composition. From left to right, we can see the snow gradually disappearing and the ice beginning to melt. This process is occurring earlier each year, threatening the delicate balance of the polar ecosystem.”