Nature offers extraordinary moments, from breathtaking wildlife encounters to fascinating behaviors that often go unnoticed. But photography can do more than capture the natural world's beauty. It can also reveal the challenges our planet faces and highlight the efforts being made to protect it. That's exactly what the OurNature Environmental Photo & Video Award aims to achieve, bringing together photographers and filmmakers who use their work to tell meaningful stories about nature, conservation, and humanity's relationship with the environment.
The award originated at the FotoKozma Outdoor Photography Festival, and the Vértes Kozma Foundation, founded by photographer Milan Radisics, promotes both. Now in its third edition, the international competition attracted more than 2,100 entries from 35 countries in 2026. Unlike traditional nature photography contests, OurNature emphasizes environmental storytelling, recognizing not only stunning images of wildlife and landscapes but also photographs that document human impacts on ecosystems and potential solutions to environmental challenges. Through these powerful visuals, the competition hopes to raise awareness, inspire conversations, and encourage positive change.
Below, we've gathered a selection of winning and honorable mention photographs from this year's competition. Take a look at these incredible images, and don't forget to let us know which ones impressed you the most!
#21 “Riders On The Blue” By Michael Haluwana
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category
Location: Margaret River, Western Australia
Description: “From above, I followed a pod of dolphins moving together through the clear turquoise water. Using a drone, I waited for the precise moment they entered the face of a breaking wave, revealing their formation beneath the surface. The aerial perspective transformed the churning sea into a canvas of color and texture, capturing the dolphins’ effortless harmony with the power and rhythm of the ocean.”
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12points
#22 “The Busy Feeder” By Jan Pokluda
1st Place in the Pure Nature - Air Category
Location: Hornosvratecká Highlands, Czech Republic
Description: “A great spotted woodpecker returns to feed its chick in an unusually low nesting cavity in the trunk of an old oak tree. The low position of the nest offered a rare perspective on the intimate moment between parent and chick. I carefully positioned my camera beneath the cavity and observed the birds before continuing. As their feeding behavior remained unchanged, I used a remote trigger and photographed from a respectful distance. The entire session lasted only about ten minutes, allowing me to capture this natural behavior with minimal disturbance.”
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12points
#23 “Autumn Forest” By Hanneke Van Camp
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category
Location: Northern Sweden
Description: “Autumn colors emerge through a sea of low clouds during an early morning temperature inversion. From above, the forest becomes a pattern of color and texture, while the landscape below remains hidden beneath the clouds.”
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11points
#24 “David And Goliath” By Vince Burton
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category
Description: “Two grey herons fish at night in the pouring rain. One bird stood very close to the hide, its dark silhouette framing the second heron further in the distance. Illuminated by artificial light, the rain and the difference in scale transform an ordinary fishing scene into an almost theatrical encounter.”
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11points
#25 “Gentle Flight” By Tibor Litauszki
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Air Category
Description: “A banded demoiselle fly among translucent leaves, photographed against the light. Under an overcast sky, the bright background revealed the delicate veins of the leaves and the insect’s transparent wings. The restrained colors and simple composition draw attention to the dragonfly’s fragile beauty.”
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11points
#26 “The Gathering Storm” By Turgay Uzer
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category
Location: Serengeti, Tanzania
Description: “A lioness stands on a rocky outcrop beneath gathering storm clouds, surveying the vast Serengeti plains. In this largely flat landscape, the scattered rocks provide valuable vantage points for predators, allowing them to scan the horizon and locate the great herds of wildebeest.”
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11points
#27 “Nature Lives In The Homes Of Forgotten Families” By Julián Fernandez Quilez
Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category
Location: Spain
Description: “A black redstart lands on the window of an abandoned house, while an old portrait of the family who once lived there can be seen behind it. Hidden in the shadows of the house, I waited until the bird naturally appeared at the window. For a brief moment, past and present came together: a forgotten family photograph and a bird bringing new life into a once-inhabited home. The house may be empty, but nature has slowly returned.”
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10points
#28 “River Hunters” By Marcio Estevez Cabral
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category
Location: Rio da Prata, Jardim, Brazil
Description: “A rare moment in crystal-clear water: an anhinga and a green anaconda swim in opposite directions, both on the hunt. With its neck outstretched, the bird pursues its prey while the giant snake crosses the riverbed. A unique encounter capturing two predators in a single frame.”
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10points
#29 “The Forest Of Fairy Tales” By Federica Cordero
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category
Location: Kruger National Park, South Africa
Description: “A male klipspringer stands on a rock, surrounded by a forest dressed in autumn colors. While exploring the rocky hills, known as kopjes, I came across a small group of these antelopes, a species closely associated with rocky habitats. One male stepped onto a rock and stood motionless, surveying his surroundings. Framed by the glowing autumn foliage, the scene felt as if a storybook had come to life, taking me back to the tales I was told as a child.”
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10points
#30 “The Illusion Of Grace” By Aubry Schaefer
Honorable Mention in the Our Footprints Category
Location: Rosello, Abruzzo, Italy
Description: “A great grey owl spreads its enormous wings, as if preparing to take flight from the upper floor of an old barn. While travelling through Abruzzo in November 2021, I heard the sound of wings from the building and discovered the magnificent bird inside. The owner explained that he had taken the injured owl in several years earlier after it had been rescued from a circus. The encounter was both beautiful and sad: a remarkable bird in a place that could never truly be its home.”
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10points
#31 “Watching” By Marina Gavrikova
2nd Place in the Young Photographers Category
Location: Moscow Region, Russia
Description: “An ant clings to a fern leaf, pausing for a moment in an unusual pose. I was watching the activity around an anthill when I noticed it on the fern directly in front of me. It remained motionless for a few seconds before moving down the stem. Just before disappearing, it paused briefly in this peculiar position — the moment captured in the photograph.”
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10points
#32 “Cry Of The Coyote” By Alex Pansier
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category
Location: Wyoming, USA
Description: “A lone coyote stands on a snow-covered mountain ridge, its head thrown back as it howls across the quiet, frozen landscape. The image was taken in late winter, when coyotes often use vocalizations to communicate and mark their territory. The photograph captures natural behavior: no bait or other attractants were used. The coyote’s call and the surrounding winter landscape evoke the solitude of the wilderness and the animal’s adaptation to its harsh environment.”
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9points
#33 “Saving Orangutans” By Alain Schroeder
1st Place for Stories or Portfolio
OurNature Story of the Year
OurNature Story of the Year
Description: “Sumatran orangutans are under severe threat from the continuing loss and fragmentation of their rainforest habitat. The expansion of palm oil and rubber plantations, logging, road construction, mining and hunting are forcing increasing numbers of orangutans out of their natural environment. The Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) cares for, rehabilitates and prepares rescued, injured and formerly captive orangutans for a return to the wild. This series documents daily life at its clinic and quarantine center, where the ultimate goal is to reintroduce orangutans and establish viable populations in protected forests.”
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9points
#34 “Shark Nanny” By Luciano Morales Corinaldesi
Honorable Mention in the Solutions Category
Location: Maiton Island, Thailand
Description: “A diver feeds young leopard sharks in a sea pen off Maiton Island. The sharks were bred in captivity as part of the StAR Project Thailand and are being prepared for release into the Andaman Sea. A dedicated team, including the project’s “shark nannies”, cares for the animals as they grow and develop the skills needed to survive independently in the open ocean. The programme aims to support the recovery of wild leopard shark populations and give a new generation the chance to return to the sea.”
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9points
#35 “Sun Worshippers” By László Tóth
Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category
Description: “The low light of the rising Sun sweeps across the rolling landscape, illuminating the blossoming trees of spring. Although the morning air is still freezing, within minutes the first rays of sunlight fill the landscape with warmth.”
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9points
#36 “Waiting For Mother” By Turgay Uzer
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Land Category
Description: “Two Amur tiger cubs wait for their mother to return. The Amur tiger is the world’s largest living cat, and with only a small population remaining in the wild, every new generation is vital to the species’ future. My camera trap captured these two healthy cubs in a rare and intimate moment — a hopeful sign for the survival of this remarkable species.”
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9points
#37 “Warrior's Rest” By Javier Lafuente
Honorable Mention in the Pure Nature - Water Category
Location: Svalbard, Norway
Description: “An aerial view of a polar bear resting in its natural habitat. It’s body bears the scars of previous fights. I used a drone equipped with low-noise propellers and kept a safe distance, allowing the bear to remain undisturbed while I composed the shot.”
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9points
#38 “Winter Canteen” By Paweł Smolik
2nd Place in the Pure Nature - Land Category
Location: Podlachia, Poland
Description: “Bullfinches move among dry grass stems in a snow-covered winter landscape. That day, the temperature was around –20°C. From the window of my car, I watched the small flock having breakfast, repeatedly shaking the dry plants to release their seeds before quickly devouring them. The small, colorful birds stood out beautifully against the muted tones of the snowy meadow. What captivated me most was the graphic, almost painterly quality of the scene.”
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9points
#39 “Ascent” By Imre Potyó
Honorable Mention in the Carpathian Basin Category
Description: “A bat rises above a mountain stream after approaching the water in flight. Behind it, the roots of a huge beech tree emerge from the evening forest. Photographing bats drinking on the wing requires extraordinary precision. I used an automated motion sensor and carefully positioned flashes to freeze the fast-moving animal together with the surrounding landscape. No artificial guidance or diversion was used to create the image.”
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8points
#40 “At The Bottom Of The Stream” By István Hogya
2nd Place in the Pure Nature - Water Category
Description: “Amphipods move among the veins of a decaying leaf, while a mayfly larva appears in the small “window”. These tiny creatures play an important role in the stream’s ecosystem: they feed on organic debris while also providing food for larger animals, including fish and birds. A miniature world, barely visible to the naked eye, yet essential to life in the stream.”
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8points
