Abstract

Photo © Simon Heather

1st classified

The eye
by Pawel Zygmunt


An aerial view of Hveravellir, in Iceland, shows a geothermal pool shaped like an animal’s eye, with a dark blue center and rich brown textures surrounding it. The barren, rocky landscape and layered mineral deposits give the scene a raw, ancient feel.

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Runner up

Tide Money Tree
by Xu Zhang


The Qiantang River tide is a famous natural landscape and phenomenon. When the tide recedes, it leaves many traces in the waterway. These tidal patterns, combined with the dry and yellow plants on the shore, resemble a huge money tree.

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Highly commended

Chromathic Rhythm
by Marian Plaino


From above, a daily ritual becomes an abstract mosaic. Colorful broom heads laid out to dry turn the ground into a living canvas. What seems like pure geometry is, in fact, tradition, rhythm, and human craft seen through a drone's lens.

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Highly commended

Third eye
by Marcin Giba


This photo shows a bird's eye view of a frozen lake in Marcin's hometown of Rybnik, Poland. Marcin has been photographing this subject for several years. He always waits in fascination for that moment when nature creates unique forms, and he is always surprised by it.

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Highly commended

Bubbles
by Maria Niebler


A small, shallow lake appears like a turquoise eye in one of many high-altitude salt flats located in northern Chile. The crystal-clear water reveals clusters of round, white formations, like salt bubbles. These natural structures give the pond a unique, surreal mix of color and...

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Commended

I see You..
by Marek Biegalski


At the break of dawn, the rugged terrain of Utah’s Badlands comes alive under the soft embrace of the first light. Viewed from above, the drone captures a mesmerizing tapestry of deep, textured blues that ripple like veins through the landscape. The golden light delicately graces...

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Commended

Yellow River
by Madelon Dielen


A glacial river, filled with mud and sediments, almost reaches a black lava beach in the South of Iceland, creating beautiful textures and colors on its path. The patterns change every season.

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Commended

Winter Pier
by Cameron Wilcox


A heavy late season snowfall and rough water conditions led to this ice abstraction around the pilings of a former pier. The ice that formed around the pilings collected snow and the motion of the waves separated it into this unusual jigsaw puzzle.

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Commended

Veins of a Dying Lake
by Serkan Dogus


The shape of the water source that feeds the Lake Düden, whose waters have receded as a result of global warming, reflects nature's cry for help. This situation, with the lake located on the migration routes of flamingos, poses a danger for the future.

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Commended

Levels
by László Tóth


A saline lake dries up continuously during the summer, which leads to the habitat of birds getting smaller and smaller.

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Commended

Life Raft
by Jeremiasz Gadek


From above, this green island resembles a life raft stranded amidst a lunar wasteland. Looking down from the sky, one feels deep respect for nature’s resilience—even in places where humans have tried to silence it.

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Commended

Ephemeral
by Thomas Dressler


A tree pattern emerges in the Barbate marshland at low tide, only to disappear completely when high tide arrives.

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