Landscape photography hits different when color, light, and timing all line up—and the 2025 Chromatic Awards delivered exactly that. This collection of 32 award-winning landscape photos proves that nature doesn’t need filters or drama. It already brings the heat. These images don’t just show places; they translate feeling. Silence. Scale. Stillness. Power.
At the top of the amateur winners list is Bing Zhao, whose first-place image “Prairie Starry Sky” captures the vast calm of China’s Hulunbuir Grassland under a sky that feels endless. It’s quiet, cosmic, and humbling—the kind of photo that makes you stop scrolling and breathe for a second.
Second place goes to Tim Burgess, with “Alpine Pasture Alpe di Siusi.” Shot in the Dolomites, the early evening sun kisses snow-covered peaks while the high pasture glows softly below. It’s that rare moment where winter and warmth coexist, and the light does all the talking.
Third place belongs to Thibault Gerbaldi for “A Dynamic Interplay.” Against Iceland’s dark volcanic ash, three sulfur ponds explode with color—order and chaos sharing the same frame. It’s raw, graphic, and straight-up mesmerizing.
The Chromatic Awards exists to celebrate exactly this kind of work—bold color photography from both amateurs and pros across the globe. Beyond prestige, the awards open doors, support creative growth, and spotlight new voices shaping the future of photography.
These 32 landscapes don’t just redefine natural beauty—they remind us that the planet is still the greatest artist in the room.
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#1. 1st Place winner: « Prairie starry sky » by Bing Zhao, China
« Hulunbuir Grassland »
#2. 2nd Place winner: « Alpine pasture Alpe di Siusi » by Tim Burgess, United Kingdom
« Early evening sun lighting up the high up pasture of the Alpe di Siusi, in the Dolomites Italy.Eary snow fall covering the mountains. »
#3. 3rd Place winner: « A Dynamic Interplay » by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
« Amidst dark volcanic ash, three sulfur ponds create a striking contrast. Two smaller, nearly circular ponds flank a larger, more irregular one, their vivid hues standing out against the barren landscape. These natural formations highlight the dynamic blend of order and chaos in Iceland’s volcanic terrain. »
Honorable Mentions
#4. « Silent Crystals » by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
« On the black sand beach of Breiðamerkursandur in Iceland—known as “Diamond Beach”—fragments of icebergs glisten in the aftermath of the storm. Calved from the Vatnajökull glacier, they drift through Jökulsárlón lagoon before being cast ashore by the sea. Their fragile brilliance stands in stark contrast to the raw power of the elements—ephemeral witnesses to a changing polar world. »
#5. « A dream come true » by Magdalena Drzewiecka, Norway
« Do you ever have a frame that won’t let you go? A vision that keeps returning every time you pass the place where your dream photograph waits to be taken? For me, that place was this lake. I often watched the mountains gazing at their own reflection in its still surface — like in a mirror — yet I dreamed of something more: to see the Northern Lights dancing above it, their colors shimmering in the water.
#6. « Affeninsel » by Reinhard Stark, Austria
« An island at the Austrian Waldviertel appearing from the morning fog. »
#7. « Asphalt Snake » by Afreed Ali, India
« A long road curving and winding along the side of a mountain. »
#8. « Autumn » by Reinhard Stark, Austria
« Autumn in the Austrian Waldviertel »
#9. « Blue Hour in Hamnoy » by Jim Guerard, United States
« I captured this image at first light after an overnight dusting of fresh snow in the tiny fishing village of Hamnoy, Norway. »
#10. « Boka » by Reinhard Stark, Austria
« Slovenian mountains in the morning sun »
#11. « Comet 2022 E3 Above Snowy Mount Etna » by Dario Giannobile, Italy
« In a breath-taking snowy Mount Etna, the bluish-green Comet 2022-E3 (named the Neanderthal comet) raised above its right slope among the stars. A single image transmit a feeling of strength and delicacy. It is possible to see the volcano internal walls through the fracture that caused part of the conical building to collapse. Some hot spots appear in the dark: they are fumaroles from which volcanic vapors come out. »
#12. « Countdown » by Davide Reccanello, Italy
« Wonderful panorama of the Swiss Alps with Mount Cervino on the right covered with clouds and the Monte Rosa massif on the left. In the centre the majestic Gornergrat glacier. »
#13. « Dawn in the embrace of fog » by Krzysztof Sajnog, Poland
« This image was taken in August 2022 in Poland, on a bend of the Bug River, just near the border with Belarus. Just when I thought I’d finished filming and nothing more would happen, two anglers suddenly emerged from the swirling mists in a boat. The scene was so beautiful and captivating that I couldn’t resist recording it and sharing it with the world. »
#14. « Dawn in the Stone City » by Michaela Vinterová, Czech Republic
« Sunrise in the sandstone rock city in Bohemian Paradise, April 2025, Czech Republic. »
#15. « Desert Shadow » by Bing Zhao, China
#16. « Die Sonne kommt » by Matthias Menge , Germany
« It was an absolutely stunning sunrise over Hinterhermsdorf. I’m standing here on the Weifberg Tower, looking towards Hinterhermsdorf. At first, it didn’t look promising because there was absolutely no fog. But when the sun came out, the fog lifted, and the sky was filled with beautiful colors. It looks a bit like Tuscany, but it’s actually in Saxon Switzerland—completely surreal. I was incredibly lucky to have experienced that. »
#17. « Dunes » by Piotr Brzozowski, Poland
#18. « Evolving Stillness » by Sandeepa Wijey, United Kingdom
« Photograph taken at Monument Valley National Park, Navajo Tribal Park, USA. As twilight settled over the desert, light and form began their slow conversation. The towering monoliths over the backdrop of the desert landscape created a majestic vista that appeared eternal, yet each moment a grain shifts, a fragment falls – the landscape quietly rewriting itself. Framed to capture the formations, expanse and tranquility of this boundless plain, the image reflects on the paradox of time: that within stillness, change endures. It is a portrait of nature’s patience – where transformation is constant, and silence speaks of motion. »
#19. « Fairyland » by Bing Zhao, China
#20. « Flow » by Sandro Fabris, Germany
« After heavy rainfalls in spring the river Torrente Cimoliana is raging. This long exposure makes the stream seem gently flowing amongst the colorful stones. »
#21. « Golden Fjord » by Ami Levin, United Kingdom
« A solitary road threads through the valley, leading to a golden sunset casts a serene glow over a snow-dusted fjord, nestled amidst towering, majestic mountains. »
#22. « Hamnoy » by Ryszard Zembrzuski, Poland
« Lofoty , wioska Hamnoy ,marcowy ośnieżony dzień 2025r »
#23. « In the morninglight » by Claudia Barth, Germany
« This lighthouse is one of the oldest inland lighthouses in Germany and the only historical lighthouse in Saxony (one of the 16 federal states of Germany). It was built around 1780, but not in the function of a real lighthouse, but rather as part of a miniature harbor complex for an open-air theater to imitate sea battles. Early in the morning, when the day awakens, it creates a beautiful photo opportunity from different angles and when the light is as wonderful as it was on this day in March 2024, wonderful pictures are created. »
#24. « L’Éveil Corse » by Jessie Galichet, France
« This photo was taken during a morning hike in Corsica, on the path to the Piscia di Ghjaddu waterfall on September 1, 2025 with my Samsung S25 Ultra. »
#25. « Light Between Hours — II. The Sacred Watcher » by Hidehiro Ishii, Japan
« On a frozen mountaintop, the sleeping city below flickers faintly while Fuji stands unmoving beyond a silent sea of clouds. As the sky pales, the mountain emerges as a silent watcher, bridging the fragile rhythm of human life with the enduring scale of nature. This work captures a stillness where darkness yields to dawn, and the sacred rises without sound. »
#26. « Mountain Forest » by Sandro Fabris, Germany
« The sunlight, the pollen and the submarine colors give the illusion of an underwater scene. But it’s actually a Mountain-Forest scene in the Friulan Dolomites »
#27. « On the Waves of Inversion » by Michaela Vinterová, Czech Republic
« The photo was taken from the Terraces of Ještěd before dawn, November 2024, Czech Republic. »
#28. « Red Passion » by Davide Reccanello, Italy
« Aletsch Glacier – The largest glacier in Europe, now threatened by climate change. It’s hard to think that this wonder could one day disappear forever. »
#29. « Sail at nature’s pace » by Benoit Meunier, Belgium
« From above, land and glacier rivers of Greenland bled into the sea like brushstrokes. Swirling, alive, and endlessly shifting. »
#30. « The Dune » by Matteo Strassera, Italy
« This image was captured in the Rub’ al-Khali desert, wandering alone in the desert for several kilometres in search of the perfect shape and lighting. When I found this dune, with a texture so delicate that it seemed to have been sculpted by an artist’s hand, I knew it was going to be perfect. I waited for the sun to descend so that the dune in the background was completely in shadow and only the outline of the dune was illuminated by the light. Then, lying on the hot sand with my 100-400mm telephoto lens, I picked the perfect moment when the wind swept across the top of the dune, raising sand that created a golden veil around its profile. »
#31. « Veins of Fire » by Partha Roy, Singapore
« In the heart of East Java, Indonesia, lies a geological wonder that commands awe and reverence — Mount Bromo. Captured from a high vantage point, this image unveils the raw, elemental force of nature in its most magnificent form. The crater of the active volcano exhales thick plumes of steam into the morning sky, while the textured ridges and gullies etched across the volcanic surface resemble veins — the very lifelines of this living, breathing mountain. »
#32. « Wschód na Maderze » by Ryszard Zembrzuski, Poland
« Madera, wschód na skałach »
In Summary
What are the Chromatic Awards?
- An international color photography competition open to both professional and amateur photographers worldwide.
Who won 1st place in Landscape at Chromatic Awards 2025?
- Bing Zhao from China for “Prairie Starry Sky,” photographed in Hulunbuir Grassland.
What makes these landscape photos special?
- They combine strong color, natural light, and emotional storytelling into fine-art visuals.
Are Chromatic Awards open to amateurs?
- Yes, the competition actively supports and promotes emerging talent alongside professionals.
Why is color so important in landscape photography?
- Color adds emotion, depth, and mood—turning real locations into expressive visual art.