Nature Photographer of the Year 2025: Surreal Reflection of Bird in Flight Takes Top Spot

Nature Talks has officially revealed the winners of the 2025 Nature Photographer of the Year. Leading the flock is Norwegian photographer Åsmund Keilen, whose ethereal image Sundance earned him the top title. His image shows a single bird in flight perfectly aligned with the glowing summer sun. Surrounded by scattered birch seeds and swifts on a car roof, this multiple-exposure photo looks just like a scene from a dream.

With a record-breaking 24,781 entries from 96 countries, this year’s contest proved, once again, that nature photography is more alive than ever.

Sundance: A Dance of Stillness and Motion

Åsmund’s award-winning image, captured just outside Oslo, began with something as ordinary as spilled coffee. “I have a stubborn habit of leaving my coffee cup on the roof of our old Mercedes when I open the door,” Åsmund said.

“That day, as I was backing out of the driveway, the cup fell over, miraculously remaining on the roof. A little discouraged, I reached out to pick it up. And then I suddenly envisioned the kind of photo I was about to take. Tiny orange birch seeds had fallen overnight on the blue roof of the car, and the summer sun reflected in them, alongside swifts dancing in the sky. Freedom seemed to take shape in chaos.”

The result is a layered, multiple-exposure photo that captures swifts mid-flight, floating like orange birch seeds across the summer sky, with the glowing sun reflected off the car’s roof. “Freedom seemed to take shape in chaos,” Åsmund explained. “It was an impression of a reflection – or perhaps a reflection of an impression.”

Chairman of the jury, Tin Man Lee, described Sundance as “a breathtaking moment of stillness and motion intertwined… With its ethereal colors, perfect balance, and otherworldly atmosphere, the image evokes a dreamlike sense of wonder that feels both universal and timeless.”

About the Contest

Organized by Nature Talks, the Nature Photographer of the Year celebrates the finest in nature photography. It features 12 categories, including Mammals, Birds, Landscapes, Underwater, and Human and Nature. This year’s competition also included the Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award and a Youth category for photographers aged 10 to 17.

Young Talents and Special Prizes

Fifteen-year-old Leo Dale from the USA took home the Youth Award with a sharp panning photo of a bobcat mid-hunt. “This photo was one of those dreams,” Leo said. “A sharp panning shot of a bobcat with prey is something I never thought I’d actually capture.”

Theo Bosboom won this year’s Fred Hazelhoff Portfolio Award. His Flowerscapes series asked what an insect might see while walking through a field of flowers. His innovative use of a wide-angle macro lens created a dive into the fragile and vibrant world of wildflowers.

Theo reflected on the alarming silence in these flower fields: “In places where you would expect great insect activity, it was sometimes eerily silent.” His project aims to bring attention to the loss of biodiversity while celebrating the magic still present in nature.

Supporting Nature Through Art

Each year, Nature Talks partners with organizations dedicated to environmental causes. The 2025 competition supported Photographers Against Wildlife Crime, reinforcing the contest’s commitment to using visual storytelling for good.

The Nature Talks Photo Festival 2025 also kicked off alongside the Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 awards ceremony on November 15. It offers masterclasses, talks, and the chance to vote in the People’s Choice Award.

Submit Your Nature Photos

If you want to submit your own photos, submissions for the Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 open on December 8, 2025. For the full gallery of winners and more information about entering the contest, visit the NPOTY website.

And now, sit back and enjoy the remaining category winners of this year’s contest.

More From the Nature Photographer of the Year

If you’d like to see more contest photos from other years, click on the links below and enjoy!

• This mystical giraffe photo wins Nature Photographer of the Year 2020
• Fascinating photo of geese migration wins 2021 Nature Photographer of the Year
• Polar bears took over an abandoned house and won Nature Photographer of the Year 2022
• Dreamy photo of a spectacled bear wins Nature Photographer of the Year 2023
• Nature Photographer of the Year’s 2024 winner captures the Holy Grail of wildlife photography

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