These are the 10 most captivating award-winning photographs of 2025, showcasing the very best in wildlife, macro, landscape, astrophotography, food photography and more.
Discover the visuals that amazed judges, from erupting volcanoes to awe-inspiring galaxies, and the gear and stories behind these photo contest winners from the last year…
The Long Shadow – Christopher Harrison
British Photography Awards Drone category
Drone Photo Awards Nature category
Gear: DJI Air 2S
Christopher Harrison’s The Long Shadow is one of 2025’s most celebrated drone images. Shot with a DJI Air 2S, this photograph captures a solitary tree casting a long shadow across misty Oxfordshire fields at sunrise. The dramatic light cloud inversion and aerial perspective showcase why Harrison secured top honors in both competitions.
Tauhi – Miesa Grobbelaar
Oceania Photo Contest Grand Prize + People & Nature category
Miesa Grobbelaar’s Tauhi captures a dramatic moment underwater as a diver frees a humpback whale entangled in a rusted chain. This nature photograph combines tension, emotion and human-nature connection, highlighting both the vulnerability of marine life and the courage of those protecting it.
Last Fireworks – Alex Wides
Epson International Pano Awards Open Photographer of the Year + Nature/Landscape category
Gear: Sony A7 IV + fisheye lens
Alex Wides’ Last Fireworks is a breathtaking 360° desert panorama, captured at sunset using a Sony A7 IV and fisheye lens. This panoramic photograph combines vibrant skies, dramatic rock formations and meticulous multi-exposure stitching to create an immersive landscape experience.
Danlock – Hasan Baglar
Cewe Photo Award Grand Prize + Close-up/ Macro category
Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 100mm macro lens
Hasan Baglar’s Danlock captures two praying mantises seemingly dancing in perfect sync, celebrating the beauty and intimacy of wildlife up close. This macro photograph combines precision, patience and a rare natural moment to win the world’s biggest photography competition.
The Andromeda Core – Weitang Liang, Qi Yang & Chuhong Yu
ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year (Royal Observatory Greenwich) Overall Winner
Gear: PlaneWave Instruments CDK20 telescope, Baader LRGB and Chroma H-alpha filters, PlaneWave Instruments L500 mount, Moravian Instruments C3-61000 Pro camera
The Andromeda Core reveals the galaxy’s intricate central structure in stunning detail. Captured with a long focal-length telescope and multiple long exposures totaling 38 hours, this astrophotography showcases swirling gas clouds and sparkling stars above Nerpio, Spain.
The Anthropocene Illusion – Zed Nelson
Sony World Photography Awards Professional Competition + Wildlife & Nature category
Zed Nelson’s The Anthropocene Illusion examines the fractured relationship between humans and wildlife, capturing a chimpanzee with the painted enclosure of Shanghai Wild Animal Park.
Beating 419,820 entries from 206 countries, this photograph not only earned top honors but also drew global attention to the fragile balance between humans and wildlife, sparking conversation about conservation and our role in the natural world.
The Elderly Having Delicious Food – Xiaoling Li
World Food Photography Awards Overall Winner
Xiaoling Li’s image celebrates friendship, joy and the simple pleasures of food, showing five elderly women in Sichuan Province, China, sharing rolls and laughter in colorful attire. The composition and vibrant colors beautifully convey cultural tradition and communal connection.
Ancient Rivals – Amith Eshel
Nature inFocus Photography Awards Animal Behavior category
Gear: Canon EOS R5, RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Amit Eshel’s Ancient Rivals captures an Arctic wolf stalking a herd of musk oxen on Ellesmere Island, Canada. The wolf’s intense focus and the herd’s protective formation tells a dramatic story of predator-prey dynamics in the Arctic wilderness. This image combines timing, composition and deep knowledge of wildlife behavior to win recognition for its gripping depiction of survival in extreme conditions.
Etna’s Paroxysm – Gianluca Gianferrari
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award Grand Prize
Gianluca Gianferrari’s Etna’s Paroxysm captures glowing lapilli erupting from Mount Etna, Sicily, against a snow-covered landscape. The dramatic contrast between molten fire and icy terrain, combined with perfect timing and composition, transforms a volcanic eruption into a vivid, almost painterly spectacle.
This powerful image earned him the world’s richest photography prize, highlighting nature’s unpredictable beauty and elemental force.
Fishing in Raining Season – Kyaw Zay Yar Lin
Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year (Royal Meteorological Society) Mobile category
Gear: Xiaomi camera phone
Kyaw Zay Yar Lin’s Fishing in Raining Season captures two Inle Lake fishermen navigating a sudden monsoon storm in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, in Southeast Asia. Their traditional single-leg, single-oar technique was frozen in vivid detail.
Against splashing water and torrential rain, this striking photo demonstrates the power of mobile photography, combining timing, skill, and modern technology. It showcases how smartphones can rival traditional cameras in capturing dramatic moments.
Author: Kim Bunermann
Source: DigitalCameraWorld
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
