Spectacular Winning Photos from the 2025 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition

Grand Prize Winner: “Lemur’s Tough Life” by Donglin Zhou, China

It is an honor to once again present the winners of the 2025 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition, which exists to inspire awe and conservation through powerful imagery.

Selected from over 8,000 global submissions, the winning photographs showcase not only technical brilliance but also the profound emotional and ecological importance of our planet. These images tell compelling stories of Earth’s biodiversity, capturing both its grandeur and its deep vulnerability. My greatest hope is that these breathtaking scenes serve as a poignant reminder of what’s at stake, urging us all to act with greater care for the natural world.

More: BigPicture, Instagram

Aquatic Life, Winner: “Octopus Mother” by Kat Zhou, United States

Terrestrial Wildlife, Winner: “Inside The Pack” by Amit Eshel, Israel

Winged Life, Winner: “Leaving The Roost” by Dvir Barkay, United States

Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora, Winner: “Third Eye” by Marcin Giba, Poland

Art of Nature, Winner: “Floating Upwards” by Sandra Bartocha, Germany

Human/Nature, Winner: “Black Rhino Revival” by Ami Vitale, United States

Photo Story: In My Backyard, Winner: “The World of Familiar Insects” by Takuya Ishiguro, Japan

Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Theatre of War” by Talia Nicole Greis, Australia

Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Yin Yang” by Melanie Müller, Germany

Aquatic Life, Finalist: “Dystopian Seas” by Angel Fitor, Spain

Terrestrial Wildlife, Finalist: “No Eyes” by Mohammad Murad, Kuwait

Terrestrial Wildlife, Finalist: “Pure Bliss” by Dewold Tromp, South Africa

Terrestrial Wildlife, Finalist: “Exorcism” by Sadie Hine, United States

Winged Life, Finalist: “Apollo” by Pål Hermanse, Norway

Winged Life, Finalist: “Radiant Dance” by Khurram Khan, United States

Winged Life, Finalist: “Queleas” by Bence Máté, Hungary

Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora, Winner: “Lightness of Summer” by Sandra Bartocha, Germany

Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora, Winner: “Desert Flood” by Stelios Misinas, Greece

Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora, Winner: “Acacia” by Talia Nicole Greis, Australia

Art of Nature, Finalist: “A Starfall” by Aniket Thopate, India

Art of Nature, Finalist: “I See You” by Marek Biegalski, Ireland

Art of Nature, Finalist: “Monster’s Eye” by Pawel Zygmunt, Ireland

Human/Nature, Finalist: “On Their Side” by Doug Gimesy, Australia

Human/Nature, Finalist: “Crossing the Line” by Rob Green, United States

Human/Nature, Finalist: “Brice and His Catch” by Thomas Nicolon, United States