The winners of this year’s National Photography Month revealed

Winner: Sunsets and sunrises

Per Engström, @instaper

“The rolling hills of the Glumslöv nature reserve in the south of Sweden make a wonderful backdrop for capturing the summer flowers and tall grass, backlit by the warm yellow glow of the setting sun. For this picture, I was lying on the ground, using the out-of-focus grass to get a more interesting foreground for the shadowy hills in the background.”

Winner: Sunrises and sunsets

João Cabrita, @john.cabrita

“I was travelling in Denmark and went for a walk in Rold Skov forest. I arrived in thick fog and I hadn’t planned for the perfect picture but, as golden sunlight began to break through, I grabbed my camera without hesitation. I knew it would be a fleeting magical moment but those are usually the most powerful scenes to capture. More than a photograph, it’s a memory sealed in light and mist, a reminder that sometimes the subject finds you.”

Winner: Leading lines

Artner Matthias, @matt60351

“To improve my street photography skills I travelled to Munich, Germany, and researched the best local spots to capture. Unfortunately, when I got there a lot of the locations were obscured by construction sites and my pictures weren’t quite what I was aiming for. After a day of no luck, I stumbled upon this underground station at Westfriedhof and, with hardly any people around, I was able to take this picture – a new favourite of mine!”

Winner: Leading lines

Marcel Rux, @mrcl_rx

“While visiting the Zollverein colliery in Essen, Germany, I noticed this striking staircase leading up to the Ruhr Museum. The red lighting and the columns on either side of the stairs served perfectly as guidelines. To set the scene, I fortunately managed to capture a man walking up the stairs (instead of the more convenient escalator nearby). I managed to get everything in the picture using a slightly lower camera angle.”

Winner: Leading lines

Moritz Schlieb, @moritzschlieb

“For my daughter’s third birthday she received this yellow bike. Excited to take her new bike for a spin, we took to a highway that was still under construction, all new and yet to be opened. Riding right behind her on my own bicycle, camera in hand, I managed to capture this moment (with the help of my D850’s quick autofocus).”

Winner: Depth of field

Kinga Janca, @senkinema

“I enjoy creating depth through layers, reflections, different tones, colour intensities and movement – specifically dynamic moments frozen in frame. To achieve this, I use window reflections, urban features and architectural elements to divide but also connect the characters I photograph. This duality helps me meet my composition goals and narrates stories of people in constant motion, whether in their reflective mood and inner world or during their daily commute or leisure – but often in both.”

Winner: Depth of field

Zoltán Borossa, @borossa.zoli

“On my daily dog walk I discovered this little cluster of tiny mushrooms in the depths of a valley in Pilis, Hungary. The next day, I returned with my D5200, AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR and a battery-powered LED torch to illuminate the mushrooms from the side with a soft, warm light. I wanted to reveal the hidden micro-world that lives all around us that so few notice.”

Winner: Depth of field

Braet Elke, @all_nature_photo

“This image captures the refined harmony between architectural grandeur and the natural elegance of the Vizsla dog breed. Framed within Gothic arches and illuminated by directional, low-key lighting, the subject emerges with striking prominence against the shadowed backdrop. The deliberate use of chiaroscuro enhances the dog’s amber coat, creating depth and drama that draws the viewer’s eye immediately to the focal point. The symmetrical composition and textured stonework contrast with the organic form of the Vizsla, establishing a visual dialogue between history and vitality.”

Winner: 90s Nostalgia 

Pedro Antunes, @pedroantunesphotography
“The challenge was to freeze the soul of the race. Not just the body in motion, but the raw energy cutting through the air. In a split second, everything aligned: the speed, the light, the roar of the engine. While panning, I followed the rider and captured the vibration of the earth, the intensity in his gaze and the wild freedom of the track. This image is more than just a photograph – it’s a fraction of a second in which machine and human become one.”

Winner: Starry night

Maillard Alexis, @alexismaillard.photographie

“On a January night in France, I decided to climb the ridges of the Vercors massif in eastern France to immortalise the sea of stars above me. I stole a moment during my ascent and stopped beneath a rock face to take my first series of images. After waiting for the long exposure to capture everything, the camera screen revealed a faint airglow beneath the Milky Way.”

Winner: Starry night 

Marian Malaquin, @marianmalaquin

“With the weather conditions ideal and the sky clear and free from light pollution, I set off with a friend to Mercantour massif. I wanted to capture the Milky Way at the centre of the winding road surrounding the mountain. While my friend stayed behind the camera set-up, I drove my car around the trail, creating a trickle of light to contrast with the lunar landscape. With some planning, patience and teamwork to make it happen, this photograph reveals celestial and terrestrial beauty in perfect harmony.”

Winner: Starry night

Gwenael Blanck, @gwen.blanck

“I took this picture in the heat of the Morvan Regional Natural Park in France – a dark sky reserve that’s perfect for capturing striking lunar landscapes and immersing yourself in nature. The Milky Way’s core was clearly visible on the horizon and reflected just as vividly on the water below. The composition was a no-brainer: simple yet powerful. This is the kind of moment I seek when capturing the night sky: clear, dark skies, but with an atmosphere, offering a sense of immersion, solitude and connection with nature and with the cosmos.”

Winner: Starry night

Emilio García, @piensaenpixel

“There’s something magical about disconnecting under the stars. I took this photo in Selas, Guadalajara, one of my favourite places to enjoy the darkest of the night sky. Being out there, alone with the rock formations, silence and Milky Way, helps me slow down and reconnect. It’s not just about photography; it’s about the feeling of standing still in a world that’s always moving. Moments like this remind me why I fell in love with night landscapes in the first place.”

Winner: Starry night

Daniel Neustädter, @danielnfoto

“Captured at a lake in Hesse, Germany, this shot was technically possible with the combination of the Nikon Z5, the Nikon Z6II and the impressive NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S. Using a star tracker, I was able to expose the sky for a full 30 seconds without capturing any distracting star trails. Stacking the shots allowed me to extract even more details from the Nikon’s NEF files. Astrophotography is more than just a hobby for me – it’s pure passion and I’m glad I got to share this fascination with Sandra, my brilliant model on the jetty, who took her first Milky Way photo at this special location.”

Which one is your favourite?