Some landscapes don’t just look beautiful, they stop you in your tracks. The Academy Photo Awards 2026 Landscape winners do exactly that, turning mountains, waterfalls, deserts, forests, and wide-open skies into unforgettable visual stories.
This year’s collection brings together 34 remarkable photographs celebrating the art of nature photography and the photographers who know how to find magic in the wild. Each image is a reminder that the natural world is still full of surprises. You just have to slow down long enough to see them.
Taking the top spot is Ivan Pedretti from Italy with Golden Abyss, a breathtaking view of Iceland’s Háifoss and Granni waterfalls plunging into an ancient basalt canyon. The summer sun catches the volcanic walls at just the right moment, flooding the scene with warm gold while deep shadows create a dramatic sense of mystery. It’s the kind of frame that makes you think, “No way, this is real.”
But the beauty doesn’t stop there. Across all 34 winning photographs, photographers reveal nature from fresh, unexpected perspectives. Quiet valleys feel monumental. Rugged mountains become abstract paintings. Water, light, clouds, and rock seem to dance together.
More than a competition, these photographs carry a bigger message: protect what we’re lucky enough to photograph. By giving photographers a global platform, the Academy Photo Awards aim to celebrate and preserve the natural world through the powerful art of photography.
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#1. 1st Place: Golden Abyss by Ivan Pedretti, Italy
"Two waterfalls, one ancient canyon. Háifoss and Granni plunge into the basalt depths as the Icelandic summer sun ignites the sky, painting the volcanic walls in gold and shadow. A fleeting moment where fire meets water, and silence swallows everything."
#2. 2nd Place: Alone in the dark by Julio Castro Pardo, Spain
"Night panorama taked in the Teide National Park of Tenerife, Spain."
#3. 3rd Place: Stillness Beyond Time by Wendy Klein, Australia
"As the sun slips below the horizon, a small stand of mangroves stand quietly i the shallow waters,silhouetted agaist the fading glow of the evening. Their graceful form and delicate reflectios took my eye and created a scene of remarlable calm, while the sofy pastel collurs of suset stretch across the sky and water. I felt this image celebrates the serentiy of the natural world and the fleetig beauty of the day’s final light."
Honorable Mentions
#4. Path to Heaven by Anushtup Roychoudhury, India
"This image captured during my last Zanskar Photography trip is the most detailed photograph of the Milky Way I’ve taken to date. And apart from that another key element of this image is the intense airglow in the air. The Drang Drung Glacier spanning 23 kilometers is visible below although its length is decreasing due to global warming."
#5. Soaring by Ciaran Willmore, Ireland
"On a photography trip to the Faroe Islands, I set out early in the morning from my base on Vagar Island and made my way to Kalsoy via the ferry from Klaksvik. I drove the length of the island, planning a hike to Kallur Lighthouse."
#6. Bouquet of Flowers by Thomas Hartstang, Germany
"In a valley on the Icelandic Highlands water finds its way shaping the land into majestic forms, symbolizing resilience and interconnectedness. Rivulets, streams and brooks seemingly run over and under each other, crossing, parting and melting again, creating wonderful abstracts, that let your phantasy run."
#7. Acadia National Park by Karen Haberberg, United States (US)
"A pano of 12 frames."
#8. The dancing sky by Alessandra Castagnolo, Italy
"That night was forecasted cloudy all over the sky, with a minimum chance of clearing. We stayed in the car and waited patiently, chatting in the dark. Then I saw more and more stars shining bright trought the car’s window, so we got out and set all our cameras."
#9. Dancing Mangrove Trees by Laima Kuriene, Netherlands
"The "Dancing Mangrove Trees" are a unique, picturesque group of dwarf mangrove trees located on Walakiri Beach in East Sumba, Indonesia."
#10. 360° Covadonga by Andrea Curzi, Italy
"I planned the shot three months in advance: I knew I’d be in Spain in March and wanted to capture a double arch. After much research, I found this location: two lakes visible at the same time, immersed in total darkness. We reached the border after two days of traveling, checked the weather, and the only clear night was the following one."
#11. Mountain Of Moon by Sk Shahrukh Sohel, India
#12. Divine Sakura Waves by Tommy Weng, China
"From a scenic overlook on UNESCO World Heritage Site Mt. Yoshino, this shot captures the rare "Thousand Cherry Trees at a Glance" spectacle. Over 30,000 cherry trees bloom in waves of pink, cascading down the sacred mountain slopes."
#13. Kirkjufell Panorama by Livinus Bleyen, Belgium
"Panorama from the Kirkjufell falls and mountain in Snæfellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland."
#14. Night of the lights by Markus van Hauten, Germany
"A fantastic night with northern lights in Iceland last January."
#15. The Mother Of Mountains by Muhammad Hary, Indonesia
"In the heart of the Himalayas, Ama Dablam rises like a sacred guardian, majestic, calm, and timeless. From afar, its shape resembles a mother holding her child, embracing the valleys beneath her snowy crown."
#16. Meridian by Xuejun Long, China
"On April 22, 2024, over Utah, USA, drone perspective. The moment of day turning to night, under a beautiful round moon, snow-capped mountain, remnant sun, moon rise, ravine, texture, dark blue sky, what an amazing moment and everyone can find their own beauty."
#17. Arctic Echo by Jan Jaskula, Poland
"Where the black sands meet the sky." The raw landscape of Vestrahorn in Iceland is a place where time seems to stand still. The soft morning light emphasizes the texture of the Stokksnes dunes, creating an almost surreal, cinematic atmosphere.
#18. Winter’s Ethereal Veil by Sk Rahaman Hossain, India
"India is our land of six seasons. Each season has different characteristics. Meanwhile, the winter season appears before us in a completely different mood. Winter comes with cold northern wind and fog."
#19. Cliffs of Cantabria by Jan Jaskula, Poland
"Photo taken on a beautiful evening on the cliffs of Cantabria."
#20. Escape from the storm by Stephane Navailles, France
"Le Havre, France. Towards the end of the day, I find myself near the beach at Le Havre; before me lies a sunset disrupted by a mass of clouds, and I can make out a teenager running across a mound of sand, seemingly trying to escape the storm."
#21. Sun and Rain by Mike Eyett, Austria
"Rough weather hit the “Old Man of Storr” with heavy wind and rain, but occasionally the sun would break through, bathing the landscape in soft morning light."
#22. Under the Lake by Dae Jin Kim, Canada
"Beneath the beautiful lakes of the Rocky Mountains, a jewel-like landscape is hidden."
#23. Reflections of Sunrise Over Terraced Fields by Rahmad Himawan, Indonesia
"The morning view of Kemumu Village, North Bengkulu, shows expanses of flooded rice terraces reflecting the golden light of the rising sun. The lines of the rice paddies form a beautiful natural pattern, leading to the silhouette of the mountains in the distance."
#24. Solitude by Mara Leporati, Italy
"Solitude is an existential state of mind. The protection offered by a small home exposed to tough and hostile nature dulls the feeling of loneliness, showing how deep it can be. Image taken in Iceland January 2024."
#25. Blessings of Mount Kilimanjaro by Shivashankar Hebbale, India
"The last morning of our safari in Amboseli, Kenya was fruitful. The golden light, perfect backgournd of Kilimanjaro with the backdrop of golden yellow sunlight, a loan dried out tree on to the left and a greenishtree top to the right, an angry tusker kicking the ground raising the dust, an Egret watching the animated but calm and serene atmosphere is a photographers delight."
#26. Sigöldugljúfur by Thomas Hartstang, Germany
"Sigöldugljúfur valley at the highlands of Iceland is also called valley of tears, as it has so many waterfalls."
#27. Silence by Flegner Calin, Romania
"Quiet morning on the dumesti village from Apuseni Mountains Romania."
#28. Crown of Stillness by Robert Keller, United States (US)
"Crown of Stillness" was photographed on March 11, 2026, at sunset during a very rare lenticular cloud event over Mount Shasta. Made with a Hasselblad X1D during a three-minute exposure, the image captures the mountain in luminous evening light, suspended beneath a smooth atmospheric crown and reflected in the still water below.
#29. Desert Cloud by Erfan Rabiei dastjerdi, Iran
#30. Lettuce Leaf quadrat by Thomas Hartstang, Germany
"In a valley on the Icelandic Highlands water finds its way shaping the land into majestic forms, symbolizing resilience and interconnectedness. Rivulets, streams and brooks seemingly run over and under each other, crossing, parting and melting again, creating wonderful abstracts, that let your phantasy run."
#31. Greenland Iceberg by Leo Tujak, United States (US)
"Icebergs on a fjord in Greenland"
#32. In Solitude by Anastasiia LeoNova Kramarenko, Ukraine
#33. Loch Leine by Harry Giglio, United States (US)
"Dawn breaks on the still waters of Ireland."
#34. Where the Clouds Unfold by John Twiname, New Zealand
"Morning light cuts through drifting cloud, illuminating the crest of a solitary hill beneath a shifting veil of mist. In this highland scene, changing weather reveals a brief glow across the slopes, tracing a lone road through a quiet, remote expanse—an ephemeral moment where landscape and light converge in silent drama."
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who won first place in the Landscape category at the Academy Photo Awards 2026?
Italian photographer Ivan Pedretti won first place in the Landscape category with Golden Abyss, featuring Iceland’s Háifoss and Granni waterfalls glowing beneath dramatic summer sunlight.
What is Golden Abyss by Ivan Pedretti?
Golden Abyss captures two Icelandic waterfalls plunging into an ancient basalt canyon. Golden summer light illuminates the volcanic walls, creating a striking contrast between warm highlights, deep shadows, water, and rugged geology.
What do the Academy Photo Awards 2026 Landscape winners celebrate?
The Landscape winners celebrate the beauty, diversity, and fragile character of the natural world. Through carefully composed photographs, they encourage viewers to appreciate wild places while inspiring greater awareness about conservation and environmental protection.
How many Landscape photographs are featured among the Academy Photo Awards 2026 winners?
The Academy Photo Awards 2026 Landscape collection features 34 winning photographs, showcasing a wide range of environments, photographic approaches, lighting conditions, and creative interpretations of nature from photographers worldwide.
Why is landscape photography important for conservation?
Landscape photography can make distant or threatened environments feel personal and immediate. By showing nature at its most beautiful and powerful, photographers can spark curiosity, emotional connection, appreciation, and ultimately stronger support for protecting vulnerable natural places.
