There’s something crazy magical about stripping nature down to pure black and white — no loud colors, no distractions, just raw emotion sitting front and center. And the Monochrome Photography Awards 2024 proved exactly that. These 27 soulful nature photos hit like visual poetry, showing how the wild can whisper louder in shades of gray than it ever could in full color. From animals locked in frozen moments to lonely trees standing like ancient storytellers, each shot nails that vibe of quiet beauty you can literally feel.
What makes monochrome nature photography so damn addictive is its honesty. Without color flexing its muscles, everything leans on contrast, composition, and mood. A mountain range suddenly looks like a sketch from the universe. A bird mid-flight becomes a symbol of freedom. Even a simple ripple on a lake turns into a whole emotional storyline. These award-winning photographers know exactly how to frame stillness, shape light, and let shadows do the heavy lifting.
Minimalism plays a huge role here too. Many of the winning shots from 2024 prove that “less” really does hit “more.” A lone branch against a stormy sky. A trail of animal footprints fading into fresh snow. A silhouette that feels like a memory. When you remove the noise, the story finally speaks.
And that’s the magic of monochrome — it slows you down. It makes you breathe for a second. It reminds you that beauty doesn’t always shout; sometimes, it hums quietly in the background, waiting for us to notice.
These 27 photos don’t just capture nature… they capture the soul inside it.
As we celebrate these breathtaking winners, one thing is clear: monochrome nature photography is on a whole new level. And the hype doesn’t stop here—the 2025 Monochrome Photography Awards winners will be announced shortly, and if this year is anything to go by, we’re in for another round of jaw-dropping magic.
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#1. 1st Place Winner: "Black woodpecker flying through the trees" by Zdeněk Vošický, Czech Republic
"Black woodpecker flying between the trunks of an old tree in the autumn mood of Slavkov Park."
#2. 2nd Place Winner: "Aquatic Flame" by Juan Carlos Pinto, Mexico
"This image taken in the moat of the imperial palace in Tokyo shows a swan floating on the dark surface of a moat, viewed from above. Its neck curves back along its body, creating a shape that resembles a white flame. The scene evokes the principles of ma—the beauty of space and stillness—and wabi-sabi, the appreciation of impermanence and simplicity."
#3. 3rd Place Winner: "Whispers Of The Immortal Tree" by Alicja Zmysłowska, Poland
"This image captures a dog listening intently within the Tree Root Cave, a space carved beneath the iconic Tree of Life in the Pacific Northwest. With its exposed, suspended roots defying gravity and logic, the tree seems to whisper its secrets to those who pause to listen. The dog’s quiet presence in this surreal environment emphasizes the wonder and mystery of this natural anomaly—a living paradox, thriving despite constant erosion and the absence of soil. This photograph celebrates the unique beauty of the tree and the sense of quiet connection it evokes."
Honorable Mentions
#4. "Untitled" by Hrvoje Sarajlija, Croatia
"Lily of the valley leaves showing off curves, forms, nuances between black and white."
#5. "Angel’s Hair" by Aga Karmol, United Kingdom
#6. "Black Neural" by Robert Maynard, United Kingdom
#7. "Crown Shyness" by Alexander Fattal, United States
"In mid-winter, bare trees in the US midwest clearly show "crown shyness", a phenomenon where the tops of trees grow to allow gaps between their canopies. It isn’t known for sure, but it is hypothesized that this an evolutionary trait protecting the branches from wind damage."
#8. "Dancing tree" by Bin Zhang, China
"On the Indonesian island of Sumba, a special kind of tree grows. We call it the Dancing Tree. This was taken in May this year."
#9. "Guardians of the Storm: Maasai Warriors Under the Thunderous Sky" by Sven Jacobs, Netherlands
"This striking image features three Maasai warriors standing on large rocks overlooking a vast, rugged landscape. They are dressed in traditional Maasai attire—vibrant red shukas (cloaks) adorned with intricate beadwork and accessories, and each holds a spear. The warriors appear to be observing the dramatic natural elements unfolding in the sky."
#10. "High Altitude Mist" by Gustavo Acosta, Colombia
"Photograph taken in the Huascaran national park – Peru in June 2024. Arriving at the moraine field of the snowy Chopicalqui, I came across this image that captivated my eyes, the mist that covered the mountain gave a sensation of mystery upon entering the territories of 6000 meters, inhospitable territories that are covered with a cold white mantle, it was impossible to pass the image on my camera."
#11. "Resilience" by Andrea Maci, Italy
#12. "Starry Sky Messenger" by Ru Fang Dong, Taiwan
"As night falls, send messages to the distant universe in the dark, and the galactic arch hanging high in the sky is like a channel, and someone will come out to greet you."
#13. "Sun kissed" by Angela Sabino, Portugal
"A female Atlantic Blue Shark swims at the surface of the waters of the Biscay Bay. Prionace glauca are highly migratory, with complex movements related to prey availability and reproductive cycles. They undertake numerous trans-Atlantic migrations, swimming slowly and clockwise with the major currents systems. Like this female many Blue Sharks come to spend summer in European waters."
#14. "Sunbeam Moods" by Robert Maynard, United Kingdom
#15. "Sunrise in Trung Khanh" by Tuan Nguyen Tan, Viet Nam
"I love coming here to see the limestone mountains that stretch to infinity. When the first rays of sunlight appear, this land of Cao Bang, Vietnam is like a fairyland under the morning mist that permeates the mountain slopes."
#16. "Super Power" by Andreia Costa, Portugal
"The supercell dominates the horizon, bringing a sense of overwhelming power and immensity. The layers of dark, swirling clouds form a mesmerizing structure, reminiscent of a spaceship about to touch down. Captured across a vast plain in the United States, the storm highlights the earth’s vulnerability under the uncontrollable force of nature."
#17. "Survivors In The Dark" by Ru Fang Dong, Taiwan
"The desert and dead trees in the starry sky show the loneliness in the wilderness."
#18. "The Arch of The Milky Way" by Didi Hsu, Taiwan
"In a place without urban light pollution, the Milky Way hanging high in the sky seems to bring me into a place where my soul can rest."
#19. "The Climb" by Gayle Sheahen, United States
"This male polar bear was making his way to the top of a cliff to get a view of the surrounding. He is waiting on the ice to form on Hudson Bay. This shot was taken in Nov 2024 at Churchill, Manitoba."
#20. "The Lord of the Volcanoes" by Francisco Negroni, Chile
"Pucón, Chile. Villarrica is the most dangerous volcano in Chile and one of the most active in the Americas. In the photo you can see an intense electrical storm over the volcano while the lava pit lights up the clouds."
#21. "The only one" by Andrea Maci, Italy
#22. "The Unexpected" by Xi Liu, United States
"This was taken during the hybrid solar eclipse in the year of 2023 in Timor Leste. To witness this cosmic encounter that will only last 1minute and 14 seconds, I embarked on a journey involving four flights across three different countries."
#23. "The winter" by Bin Zhang, China
"Photos taken in Xinjiang, China, in January 2023. There was a lot of fog and the temperature reached minus 35 degrees Celsius."
#24. "YinYang" by Alicja Zmysłowska, Poland
"YingYang is a portrait that beautifully captures the essence of my two Border Collies, one black and one white, embodying the harmonious balance of yin and yang. Not only do their contrasting coats create a striking visual interplay, but their personalities also reflect this ancient symbol of duality and balance. Together, they create a perfect harmony, complementing each other’s strengths and completing a serene, balanced unity."
#25. "Horse stampede" by Xavier Ortega, Spain
"Horses running through the Camargue marsh."
#26. "Dance of Daisies" by Pierre Allain, France
"While working on macro and proxi photography this spring and summer 2024, there was a daisy bush near to the house where i was on vacation. I crouched down and saw these two subjects stand out from the bush with beautiful intertwined curves that reminded me dancing flowers. I decided to underexpose to create a minimalist photo, eyes are focuses only on the flowers as during a show where the spotlights would be directed on dancers."
#27. "Confrontation" by Alexander Zheleznyak, Germany
"The photo was taken while traveling through the German Alps."
