Photographing the land is rarely about a single lucky moment. It takes early alarms, long waits, and the willingness to return to the same place again and again until the light, weather and season finally align.
That commitment is clear in the winners of the 12th International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards, which received 3,601 entries from professional and amateur photographers around the world. From that immense field, the judges selected a small group of images and portfolios that, in the words of Chairman of Judges Peter Eastway, elevate the standard of work “yet another level” above previous years.
The Winning Portfolio
The title of International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2025 goes to J. Fritz Rumpf of the United States, awarded for a folio of at least four images that impressed judges with both technical control and quiet, refined beauty.
In the awards materials, Rumpf’s collection unfolds as a gentle progression of scenes: a band of cloud resting over a calm horizon; a line of winter trees rising from pale ground; sweeping forms of sand or snow rendered in soft curves; and a richly patterned, earth-toned abstraction that feels almost painted. Together, the images show a photographer who understands restraint — how to leave space, simplify shapes and let subtle tones carry emotion.
To be named Photographer of the Year, a single standout image isn’t enough. The portfolio must hold together as a body of work, each frame strong on its own yet even stronger in sequence. Rumpf’s folio achieves exactly that unity.
Second place in the overall photographer category went to Karol Nienartowicz of Poland, and third place to Joyce Bealer of the United States, both recognized for portfolios that stood among the year’s best contemporary landscape work.
Landscape Photograph of the Year
Alongside the portfolio prize, the competition also honors the International Landscape Photograph of the Year — one image that encapsulates the extraordinary.
In 2025, that recognition goes to Lukas Trixl of Austria. His winning photograph shows a dramatic peak rising above layered clouds, its reflection mirrored in still water and framed by lush foreground foliage. The scene feels both grand and intimate: a mountain dominating the skyline, surrounded by a quiet world of reeds, branches and soft light.
Judges also awarded:
- Second place: Albert Dros, Netherlands
- Third place: Dave Drost, United States
Each image captures that elusive moment when landscape, light and timing fall into place.
Special Awards: Honoring the Many Faces of Landscape
To keep the competition fresh and recognize a wide range of visions, judges present changing special-category prizes each year. For 2025, the awards include:
- Black and White Award: Torsten Pull, United States
- Seascape Award: Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove, Iceland
- Snow and Ice Award: Kung-Fu Li, Taiwan
- Stormy Sky Award: Dennis Hualong Zhang, Armenia
- Lone Tree Award: Benjamin Barakat, Switzerland
From the tension of storm clouds to the quiet dignity of a solitary tree, these categories show the many stories a landscape can tell through patient observation.
Inside the 2025 Awards Book
Each year, the competition publishes an Awards Book featuring the Top 101 images, drawn from entries scoring at least 86.6%. Another selection of high-scoring photographs — the Top 202+ — is listed online to acknowledge additional strong work that nearly made the cut.
A total of US$12,500 is shared among the winners of:
- Photograph of the Year (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Photographer of the Year (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- The five special subject awards
All eleven top winners receive a physical copy of the book.
To view the full Top 101 collection, readers can download the official eBook at www.internationallandscapephotographer.com
A Year of Exceptional Work
Reflecting on this year’s submissions, Eastway noted a “noticeable lift in the level of work,” not only among finalists but across the top 501 images considered. Still, the Awards keep a clear distinction: while capturing a single prize-winning image is difficult, assembling a portfolio of four equally strong photographs is an even greater test of consistency and vision.
For the photographers featured in the 2025 eBook, the early mornings, late nights and weather-watching days have been rewarded. For everyone else, their images offer something quieter but just as meaningful — a chance to pause, step into another landscape and see the world with renewed attention.
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