There’s something refreshing about a photograph that doesn’t try too hard. No pumped-up colors, no impossible skies, no digital tricks just the landscape as it really looked. That philosophy sits at the heart of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards 2026 (NLPA), and the 2026 winners are a beautiful reminder of how powerful honest photography can be.
The competition celebrates photographers who believe a scene’s integrity should remain intact. Its rules are intentionally strict, limiting techniques that introduce elements or effects that weren’t actually present at the moment of capture. Digital finalists must provide RAW files, while film photographers are absolutely welcome.
And the competition was no small affair. The sixth annual edition attracted 11,929 photographs from 1,086 photographers across 52 countries. After the initial judging, 2,558 photographs and 88 projects advanced to RAW verification and final judging.
Among them, Lukas Furlan earned Photographer of the Year with a diverse winning series ranging from delicate macro images of ice to sweeping mountain vistas. Different subjects, different scales, but one common thread: a commitment to natural, realistic processing.
These 53 winning images celebrate the wild without dressing it up, and that’s exactly what makes them so compelling.
You can find more info about NLPA:
#1. Photographer of the Year – Winner: Lukas Furlan
“I’m deeply honored. It’s kind of a déjà vu also for me, because I was runner-up last year. I am a bit speechless, and I appreciate it. Thank you so much. A big part of my portfolio came from a solo trip, my very first solo trip from last year, in Spain. The rest of it is around Vienna where I currently live and, of course, the Dolomites. The last few years, I tried to get more personal with it to avoid the main viewpoints and also to keep an eye out for the smaller details there.”
#2. Photographer of the Year – Runner Up: Dorin Bofan
#3. Photographer of the Year – Third Place: Koki Dote
#4. Photographer of the Year – Fourth Place: Ross Davidson
#5. Photographer of the Year – Fifth Place: Martin Rak
#6. Photographer of the Year – 6th Place: Iain Macleod
#7. Photograph of the Year – Abraham Saikley
#8. Grand Landscape – Winner: Xavier Lequarré
#9. Grand Landscape – Runner Up: Valeria Castiello
#10. Grand Landscape – Third Place: Iain Macleod
#11. Grand Landscape – Highly Commended: Mathias Libor
#12. Grand Landscape – Highly Commended: Kevin Thompson
#13. Intimate Landscape – Winner: Hiroyuki Tsuchiya
#14. Intimate Landscape – Runner Up: Brent Clark
#15. Intimate Landscape – Third Place: Alex Pansier
#16. Intimate Landscape – Highly Commended: Rupert Kogler
#17. Intimate Landscape – Highly Commended: Johannes Kowalewski
#18. Abstract Landscape – Winner: Vincenzo Mazza
#19. Abstract Landscape – Runner Up: Adam Gibbs
#20. Abstract Landscape – Third Place: Joy Kachina
#21. Abstract Landscape – Highly Commended: Mark Griffiths
#22. Abstract Landscape – Highly Commended: Karin de Jonge
#23. Project – Winner: The Pine Constant by Gabriel Stankiewicz
This project developed unconsciously over years of exploration. Growing up in the flat landscapes of Central Europe, I initially found the local pine forests “unphotogenic” and unremarkable. It was only after traveling across the continent to photograph dramatic mountains and waterfalls that I noticed a recurring theme: the pine tree. I realized the irony of my journey – I had traveled far away from the familiar only to photograph the “familiar.”
#24. Project – Runner Up: Caledonian Winter by Kenny Muir
"The Caledonian Forest, an ancient wilderness, once covered much of Scotland. Through centuries of clearance and deforestation, these woodlands have been reduced to small, ecologically degraded fragments, surviving in remote corners of the Highlands. Within these remnants, a feeling of wildness, a sense of place, and a distinctive atmosphere persist."
#25. Project – Third Place: The Ancient Guardians by Vincenzo Mazza
"These ancient trees high up in the mountains in Italy might just be my favourite place in the world. I have returned there many times in order to create this series, which required hiking in the night for hours sometimes in very challenging weather – all to see the beauty of these trees in different conditions. This place is true wilderness and I’ve felt so connected and one with nature there. These trees are truly unique and I really hope that my photos show that. Having been shaped by a challenging climate for hundreds of years, they are still resilient and magnificent today."
#26. Project – 4th Place: Architecture of Cold by Misaki Nagao
"I have been coming back to the highlands of central Japan in winter for years now. The marshes of Tanohara. The wind on Shibutoge. The grasslands of Utsukushigahara. The frozen surface of Lake Suwa. I came to photograph. I ended up watching more than I shot. The cold settled something in me, too, after a while."
Special Awards
#27. Black and White – Winner: Lynn Fergusson
#28. Black and White – Runner Up: Jeff La Frenierre
#29. Black and White – Third Place: Tristan Todd
#30. Platinum / Palladium – Winner: Julian Baird
#31. Platinum / Palladium – Runner Up: Philipp Jakesch
#32. Platinum / Palladium – Third Place: John Goossens
#33. Multiple Exposure and ICM – Winner: Julian Lozinski
#34. Multiple Exposure and ICM – Runner Up: Dylan Nardini
#35. Multiple Exposure and ICM – Third Place: Heather Tonge
#36. Night – Winner: Shane Turgeon
#37. Night – Runner Up: Christian Burth
#38. Night – Third Place: Virgil Reglioni
#39. Mountains – Winner: Benjamin Maze
#40. Mountains – Runner Up: Gabriel Stankiewicz
#41. Mountains – Third Place: Ross Davidson
42. Fungi and Lichens – Winner: Jason Pettit
#43. Fungi and Lichens – Runner Up: Andrew Phipps
#44. Fungi and Lichens – Third Place: Tomasz Niedzwiedz
#45. Waterscapes – Winner: Annette Cuthbertson
#46. Waterscapes – Runner Up: Timea Ambrus
#47. Waterscapes – Third Place: Brent Clark
#48. Common Places – Winner: Matt Redfern
#49. Common Places – Runner Up: David Southern
#50. Common Places – Third Place: Ryota Tamura
#51. Frozen Worlds – Winner: Tom Putt
#52. Frozen Worlds – Runner Up: Lukas Moesch
#53. Frozen Worlds – Third Place: Alex Pansier
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the Natural Landscape Photography Awards?
The Natural Landscape Photography Awards celebrate photographers who capture landscapes authentically. The competition emphasizes maintaining the integrity of the original scene, with rules designed to discourage techniques that significantly alter or misrepresent what appeared before the camera.
How many photographs entered the 2026 NLPA?
The sixth annual Natural Landscape Photography Awards received 11,929 photographs submitted by 1,086 photographers from 52 countries. After initial judging, 2,558 photographs and 88 projects advanced to RAW verification and final judging.
Who won Photographer of the Year in 2026?
Lukas Furlan was named Photographer of the Year at the 2026 Natural Landscape Photography Awards. His winning series includes varied subjects, from detailed ice macro photographs to expansive mountain landscapes, united by realistic processing.
What editing techniques does the NLPA restrict?
The NLPA restricts techniques that introduce new elements or effects not present during capture. Generative AI and compositing are prohibited, while techniques such as stitching and stacking can be allowed under the competition’s authenticity-focused rules.
Does the NLPA accept film photography?
Yes. Film photography is welcome in the Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Digital photographs that progress beyond the first judging stage must be supported by RAW files, helping judges verify that the submitted images maintain the integrity of the original scene.
