“The Florist” by Thomas Hempelmann. overall winner.
“This male zebra could hardly have chosen a prettier perch. The photo was taken in Greifswald, northern Germany.”
The young wildlife photographer rose to the top of the competition and was named Nature Photographer of the Year in the annual competition of the German Society of Nature Photographers. Thomas Hempelmann is only 23 years old, but he has proven to be a force in the world of photography. His portrait of a zealous man perched on a branch filled with flowers outperformed 6,400 other photographs for the win.
GDT Nature Photographer of the Year is an annual celebration for the community’s 400 members. Across many categories that celebrate all aspects of nature, the photographs showcase their exceptional talent. From the exotic locations of Kenya to the jungles of Germany, the photos show how award-winning photographs can be taken anywhere. In fact, the story behind Hempelmann’s winning photo is an excellent example.
Hempelmann was on his way home from an unremarkable photo tour when he stopped to photograph a bird of prey on a lamppost. These pictures may not be great, but what happened next for sure was. “When the lover got up and then settled among the white flowers that I had already seen from the corner of my eye, my heart began to beat faster as I had imagined such a situation so many times before,” said the German photographer. “While I was still thinking about whether to take the 2x extender off to fit more of the tree in the picture, it really went away again. In the end, it was only a few seconds that made my day as I whistled loudly in joy all the way home.”
The winners in the other category are equally impressive. Felix Wesch’s portrait of Gloves and Ferns looks like an oil painting and Radomir Jakubowski’s portrait of a wave frozen in time is a sculptural masterpiece. Other notable images include Stefan Emig’s photograph of a beech tree. The photographer received a special award of the year to celebrate the beech, one of Germany’s most ecologically important tree species.
Check out more winners and contestants below.
GDT Nature Photographer of the Year is an annual celebration of the German Nature Photographer of the Year.
“Hippo Spout” by Jose Fragoso. Winner, Mammals.
“At sunrise in the Masai Mara National Park (Kenya), a hippopotamus appears emitting a cloud of water droplets.”
“Foxglove and fern” by Felix Wesch. Winner, plants and fungi.
“Foxglove and fern in a birch forest near Wahner Heath, western Germany.”
“Barn Owl” by Karsten Mosbach. Runners-up, birds.
“Barn owl passes over the LED light. The flash lights up at the end of the exposure time, while a dark cloth darkens the background.”
Take off, directed by Heinz Bowles. Winner, other animals.
A ritual fight between stag beetles at sunset on the Swabian Albs.
“The Wave” by Radomir Yakubovsky. Winner, Nature Studio.
“A wave illuminated by the rising sun. Black lava rocks provide a dark background.”
400 members from 11 countries submitted their best work for consideration.
“Spring Dream” by Stefan Wagner. Runners-up, plants and fungi.
“Every March, wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) decorate the forest floor and invite our dreams to blossom after a usually gray winter.”
“Wasgau Illumination” by Stephen Jung. Winner, Landscape.
“Winter sunrise in Wegelnburg, Palatinate.”
“Curved” by Frauke Fuck. Fourth place, Nature Studio.
“Detail of a red fly (Amanita muscaria) near Remscheid in the Bergisches Land region of Germany.”
“The Seeweed Game” by Celia Koggala. Fifth place, mammals.
A California sea lion plays with kelp off Islas Coronado (Mexico) while watching another event.
“Reflections on the Meadows of March” by Joachim Wimmer. Third place is landscapes.
“A foggy day in the floodplain of March, a border river between Austria and Slovakia.”
“In Motion” by Christian Dietrich Morawitz. Runners-up, other animals.
“A tadpole of a green frog in a muddy pond.”
“Common Beech in the Fog” by Stefan Emig. A special category in cooperation with the Nabu Foundation for the National Natural Heritage: Beech – Tree of the Year 2022.
“An ancient beech tree in Kellerwald-Edry National Park.”
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