Every once in a while, a photography contest comes along that just nails the essence of visual storytelling — and the Chromatic Photography Awards does exactly that. This year’s Nature category is a total knockout, celebrating photographers who blend technical mastery with raw emotional power. From misty mountain peaks to the golden glow of wildlife at dawn, these 18 winning shots are more than just photos — they’re moments frozen in time, bursting with soul and color.
Topping the list is Alessandro Cantarelli from Italy, who snagged first place for his mind-blowing photo “Climbing.” Captured as a 360° panorama in Patagonia’s Fitz Roy area, the image offers a surreal, all-encompassing vision of the wild. Cantarelli admits the challenge was real — how do you bring something new to one of the most photographed spots on Earth? His answer: create something fresh, something bold, something that truly feels alive. And that’s exactly what he did — turning a familiar landscape into a one-of-a-kind visual odyssey.
What makes these Chromatic Award winners stand out isn’t just their composition or lighting — it’s their heartbeat. Each shot tells a story of patience, connection, and pure admiration for the natural world. Whether it’s an intimate portrait of a mountain fox, a symphony of clouds rolling across desert plains, or a macro shot revealing life invisible to the naked eye — every image radiates passion and precision.
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Nature Photography Winners
#1. 1st Place winner: "Climbing" by Alessandro Cantarelli, Italy
"360° panorama in the Fritz Roy area, my vision of Patagonia. When we decided to do this scouting in Patagonia I had no idea how to deal with such an iconic and objectively inflated location. The best artists in the world made breathtaking images from reallyvirtually every perspective, it was necessary to come up with something."
#2. 2nd Place winner: "Volcanic Blue Flames" by Hong Huazheng, Singapore
"There are a few volcanoes around the world where the lava appears blue or has blue flames, but none that consistently exhibit blue flames as Kawah Ijen does. The electric-blue flames are caused by the combustion of sulphuric gasses in the oxygen-rich air. Through the combustion, the sulphuric gasses condense into blue molten sulphur that spills down the mountainside, in dazzling electric-blue flames through a phenomenon called electronic excitation. At such high pressure, sometimes the temperature reaches 600°C."
#3. 3rd Place winner: "Heart of the glacier" by Jeremiasz Gądek, Poland
"The photo depicts ice chunks broken off from the front of Hoffellsjökull glacier, floating in a glacial lagoon that, in spring, has taken on the color of a latte. Among the hundreds of detached ice chunks, I spotted this one, uniquely heart-shaped. I wonder how many such moments I have missed, unaware of their existence. An hour earlier, an hour later, and the heart could have disappeared, dissolved into the icy chaos. Nature, constantly changing its face, gifted me this fleeting masterpiece, reminding me how precious the moments are that we can capture only for an instant."
Nature Photography Honorable Mentions
#4. "Foggy day at Stangala" by Sebastien Kech, France
"A serene, fog-draped summer morning in the Stangala Valley, an enchanting natural haven nestled near Quimper in Brittany, France. This valley is part of the larger Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique and follows the course of the Odet River, often referred to as "the most beautiful river in France" due to its clear waters and scenic route through verdant landscapes."
#5. "Forest Duel" by Thomas Andy Branson, United Kingdom
"Forest Duel" captures a striking aerial view of contrasting foliage within Cairngorms National Park, Scotland. The photograph showcases two distinct types of trees, divided sharply down the middle. On the left, a section of deciduous trees in their autumnal hues of yellow and gold creates a warm, inviting palette."
#6. "Paradigm Shift" by Tamra M. Gentry, United States
"Many people may see my work as solely artistic or as a literal representation of nature; in reality, it embodies both aspects. This image of a stunning, naturally formed, unenhanced agate perfectly illustrates that duality. My goal is to encourage a shift in how we perceive the Earth’s resources, particularly those we often take for granted, such as rocks."
#7. "Rock sundial" by Sebastien Kech, France
"As the sun sets over Roc la Tour in the Ardennes, France, it casts a mesmerizing sun star effect through the ancient rocks, reminiscent of a tale as old as time. Legend has it that this rugged landscape was once the site of a grand castle, built in a single night through a pact with the devil."
#8. "Summer Night Firefly Dance" by Yao Yuan Shang, Taiwan
"This is a beautiful dance scene on a summer night. The firefly living environment is only open to the public for a 30-day period to experience the green light of the mountains and valleys. Fireflies must grow safely in a place with the best environmental protection. Feel the shock together. Green Light, care about nature and cherish water resources together."
#9. "The Crocodile Stare" by Ngar Shun Victor Wong, Hong Kong
"A crocodile is searching for its prey in the middle of a lake at Zimanga reserve, South Africa."
#10. "The Laguna’s King" by Luciano Demasi, United States
"This photo was taken on Mount Laguna, in San Diego County. I loved the light and the landscape and I had to take this infrared photo. The forest of Mt. Laguna is a must-see location with superlative views."
#11. "The winter wonderer" by Ngar Shun Victor Wong, Hong Kong
"A magnificent iceberg was travelling in the icy water at Disco Bay, Greenland."
#12. "Volcanic Blue Flames" by Hong Huazheng, Singapore
"There are a few volcanoes around the world where the lava appears blue or has blue flames, but none that consistently exhibit blue flames as Kawah Ijen does. The electric-blue flames are caused by the combustion of sulphuric gasses in the oxygen-rich air. Through the combustion, the sulphuric gasses condense into blue molten sulphur that spills down the mountainside, in dazzling electric-blue flames through a phenomenon called electronic excitation. At such high pressure, sometimes the temperature reaches 600°C."
#13. "What lies beneath the night" by Kristopher Zeigler, United States
"And then there was light, revealing the true colors of nature."
Environmental Photography Winners
#14. 1st Place winner: "Sinkhole" by Eli Basri, Israel
"As a result of the drop in the level of the Dead Sea in recent years, groundwater that penetrates the ground, instead of the salty sea water, dissolves the layers of salt in the ground and the melting of the salt leaves a cavity in the ground. Thus the layer of soil above this space collapses at some point."
#15. 2nd Place winner: "Solar power" by Tim Bird, Finland
"A massive magnetic storm hit the planet in early May 2024. I ventured out from my Helsinki home to see what was going on, just in time to witness this aurora borealis – Northern Lights – ‘corona’ effect overhead in a clear sky, and lined up the power grid pylon as close as possible to the heart of the aurora. It was the best shot I got that night as the cloud began to gather. I think it’s a nice metaphor for the incredible power of natural forces and how they can be harnessed."
#16. 3rd Place winner: "Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta" by Francesco Depierro, Italy
"Questa foto e` stata realizzata componendo 6 foto in formato verticale con Sony a7r3 e Samyang 14 mm f. 2.8"
Environmental Photography Honorable Mentions
#17. "Alone against rapeseed field" by Martin Babarík, Slovakia
#18. "Silent Guardians of the Patagonian Coast" by Sajan Patel, United States
"In this photograph, two Magellanic penguins stand in the vast, fairly desolate landscape of Isla Martillo, a small island home to a penguin colony in the Tierra del Fuego of Patagonia."
