Nature doesn’t whisper—it sings. And in the 33 enchanting landscape photos from the Chromatic Awards, that song comes through loud and clear, drenched in color, mood, and emotion. These images remind us why landscape photography still hits deep in a scroll-happy world. It’s not just about places; it’s about feeling small, present, and connected. Mountains glow like memories, skies burn with color, and silence somehow becomes visible. This collection proves that when light, land, and timing line up, photography turns into poetry.
The spotlight this year shines on the Chromatic Photo Awards 2024 Amateur Landscape Category winners, where color isn’t decoration—it’s storytelling. First Place went to Italian photographer Matteo Strassera for “Yggdrasill,” a powerful image that feels mythical, grounded, and timeless. Second Place winner Markus Albert from Germany captured fading brilliance in “Last Glory,” while Third Place went to Jesse Leake of the United States for “Cordillera Paradise,” a frame bursting with scale, serenity, and awe. Together, they show how diverse visions can still speak the same emotional language.
What makes the Chromatic Awards special is its openness. It’s a truly international color photography competition welcoming both professionals and amateurs from every corner of the globe. Beyond prestige, the awards offer real support—recognition, exposure, and financial backing to help photographers keep chasing the light. With 20 categories judged by an international jury of editors, curators, and industry pros, it’s a serious stage for anyone passionate about color-driven storytelling.
And the journey continues. The 2025 Chromatic Awards winners will be announced on December 21, 2025. If this year’s landscapes are any clue, the future looks vivid.
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#1. 1st Place winner: "Yggdrasill" by Matteo Strassera, Italy
"For this peculiar image, captured during the eruption of Litli-Hrùtur, I chose the name Yggdrasill. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasill represents the cosmic tree that sinks its roots into the realm of the underworld, while its branches reach out to support the worlds, giving them life."
#2. 2nd Place Winner: "Last Glory" by Markus Albert, Germany
"Taken in the Dolomites in fall 2024."
#3. 3rd Place Winner: "Cordillera Paradise" by Jesse Leake, United States
"Standing is the wind and cold and watching the last light fade on the epic peaks of the Cordillera Huayhuash is an experience I will not soon forget."
#4. "A Citadel above a Sea of Clouds" by Jesse Leake, United States
"Every evening I watched as clouds rolled in and blocked much of the view while spending a month photographing the Everest Region of Nepal. I had climbed the mountain of Gokyo Ri in hopes of seeing the epic lakes down below. However, once again the clouds rolled in and blocked my view of the valley floor. This time I was high enough to be above them and so decided to stay and wait for sunset. The sea of clouds ended up being the most beautiful sunset inversion I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing."
#5. "A Line in the Sand" by Jim Guerard, United States
"This image was captured in White Sands National Park, USA. White Sands is located in the southwestern part of the United States and is the largest gypsum dunefield in the world. At dawn and dusk, the white gypsum crystals do a wonderful job of reflecting the pastel colors in the desert sky. The park is in a continual state of change as the dunes are constantly being reshaped by the wind."
#6. "A Patriotic Barn" by Violet Shen, United States
"This barn painted with the American Flag style is located in the Palouse region of the northwestern United States. The region is famous for the scenic gentle rolling hills with farmlands."
#7. "Above the Clouds: Mt. Hood" by Dan Scott, United States
"That morning, we had a 3 a.m. wake-up call followed by a two-hour drive to reach Trillium Lake in Oregon. A good friend indulged me in this early-morning adventure! My mission was to capture sunrise with the towering Mt. Hood in the background, hopefully framed by a dramatic sky."
#8. "Aerial Vestrahorn" by Nicholas Fong, Hong Kong
"Aerial view of the Vestrahorn"
#9. "Afterglow" by Ivan Ho, Hong Kong
"2mins of fogs/clouds stacked in magic hours. Taken in Sunset Peak, Hong Kong."
#10. "Bridge over troubled water" by Judith Kuhn, Germany
"I had already looked at this bridge in autumn, but the motif only develops its effect in winter, when the snowy, monochrome landscape contrasts with the blue glacial water of the Hvítá River."
#11. "Cadini di Misurina" by Andrew Wu, United States
"Photo taken from the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint in Tre Cime di Lavaredo, located in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy."
#12. "Dancing trees" by Orofino Nicola, Italy
"Trees dancing into the autumnal fog – Dolomites, Italy"
#13. "Dawn’s Golden Embrace" by Maggie Law, Hong Kong
"A quiet village awakens below, wrapped in nature’s misty blanket while the sunrise paints the sky in warm hues."
#14. "Desert" by Tiago Bonato, Germany
#15. "Eclipse" by Joshua Moulton, United States
"Taken during he 2023 partial solar eclipse in Joshua Tree National Park. The image is an exposure, time, focus and focal blend. The finish photo comprises several 16mm images for the foreground at different stages of the morning and at different levels of focus combined with a 200mm image of the sun during the peak convergence in southern California (70%). The red sky helps bring home the apocalyptic feeling as envisioned."
#16. "Erta Ale" by Greg Metro, United Arab Emirates
"Erta Ale is an active shield volcano in the Danakil Depression, Ethiopia. It has recently become more active with volcanic spouts scattered around the volcanic crater. Erta Ale is located in the Danakil Depression, one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. It has the highest recorded temperatures in the world."
#17. "Fearless" by Thomas de Franzoni, Italy
"From this spectacular place, the human presence makes us understand the majesty of the mountains. I was waiting for someone to go to the viewpoint to shoot, and after a long wait a guy, seeing me with the tripod and the camera ready, looked at me and we nodded in agreement. Thank you again, without you the photo would not have succeeded as I wanted it."
#18. "Frozen king" by Gianluca Rubinacci, Italy
"Panoramic view of Mount Kirkjufell taken after a heavy snowfall in February."
#19. "Grobla Olbrzyma" by RYSZARD ZEMBRZUSKI, Poland
"Grobla Olbrzyma cud natury w Irlandii Północnej"
#20. "Ice Theet" by Marco Pintore, Italy
"While driving through the beautiful streets of the Lofoten Islands, I noticed a small cave from which to photograph the last moments of sunlight with a very beautiful close-up."
#21. "Islet in the Fog" by Michael Schmidmeister, Switzerland
"This was rather a handheld test shot beforing setting up the tripod. When I was done finetuning the composition and settings the fog had already started to lift and dissipate, revealed lots of the background and the scene did no longer work for me. I waited for another around 20 minutes but these conditions never happened again in that time frame. And it was only at home on the big screen when I noticed the bird on the tree."
#22. "Last sunset" by Gustavo Acosta Alvarado, Colombia
"Photography captured at the base camp of the mountain Yanapaccha in Peru, in July 2024. There I captured the last and most beautiful sunset of the season that closed with this expedition."
#23. "Mt. Fuji Sunrise" by Nicholas Fong, Hong Kong
"Aerial view at sunrise over Lake Kawaguchiko overseeing Mt. Fuji"
#24. "Moon Calling" by Marco Pintore, Italy
"The connection between moon and humans in a heart-breaking place in Lofoten Island."
#25. "Mirror of the sky" by Gianluca Rubinacci, Italy
"360 panoramic view of the Vestrahorn. The fantastic conditions that morning allowed me to reflect the sky in a puddle found on the beach and the clouds did the rest of the work: as the sun rose they lit up, creating a magical atmosphere."
#26. "Winter Reflections" by Jim Guerard, United States
"I captured this image in one of the cypress swamps in the southeastern United States in November, 2023. In early winter, the cypress needles change from green to yellow and orange before falling. The still, black water of the swamp provides a perfect mirror-like reflection."
#27. "Volcanic eruption in Iceland" by Nicholas Fong, Hong Kong
#28. "The tongue of Svinafell" by Gianluca Rubinacci, Italy
"The imposing tongues of Iceland’s glaciers are perfect subjects for landscape photography, but the view from the ground doesn’t do justice to these immense expanses as aerial photography can. the shot is a 360 degree panorama of one of the most beautiful tongue,the tongue of the svinafelljokull glacier."
#29. "The mountains hug" by Marco Pintore, Italy
"The armony between mountains and ice in Lofoten Island at sunrise."
#30. "The beautiful Mount Bromo" by Partha Roy, Singapore
#31. "Still" by Markus Albert, Germany
"Taken on a foggy day in the German Biosphere reserve Rhön."
#32. "Nordic Splendor: Lofoten Islands" by Dan Scott, United States
"Winter is magical in the Loften Islands, Norway. While this location is one of the most popular and iconic spots, I couldn’t help but be in awe. I lined up on the bridge along with many other photographers. The winter light in Norway is amazing and sunrise brought a dash of color to make this morning special."
#33. "Witch’s Window" by Markus Albert, Germany
"Taken in spring 2024 on Madeira."
Summary
What are the Chromatic Awards?
- The Chromatic Awards are an international photography competition dedicated exclusively to color photography.
Who won the 2024 Amateur Landscape Category?
- Matteo Strassera (Italy) won first place with “Yggdrasill,” followed by Markus Albert and Jesse Leake.
Who can enter the Chromatic Awards?
- Both professional and amateur photographers from around the world are eligible to participate.
How many categories are judged?
- The competition features 20 categories judged by an international panel of photography professionals.
When will the 2025 Chromatic Awards winners be announced?
- The 2025 winners will be revealed on December 21, 2025.
