The wait is over. The California Academy of Sciences has unveiled the winners of the BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition 2025 (BigPicture 2025), and the results are nothing short of breathtaking. Now in its 12th year, the competition continues to be a global beacon for nature photography, drawing in over 8,000 spectacular images from talented photographers in nearly 60 countries. These images do more than just showcase technical skill; they tell profound stories of life, struggle, beauty, and the urgent need for conservation.
This year, the esteemed jury, led by renowned wildlife photographer and Jury Chair Suzi Eszterhas, faced the monumental task of selecting the most compelling images from a pool of incredible submissions. The winning photographs not only capture once-in-a-lifetime moments but also serve as powerful reminders of the planet’s fragile beauty and the intricate dance of survival that unfolds every single day.
From the jagged cliffs of Madagascar to the icy tundra of the Canadian Arctic, the BigPicture 2025 winners transport us to the front lines of the natural world. Let’s dive into the awe-inspiring images that earned top honors.
BigPicture 2025 Grand Prize Winner: “Lemur’s Tough Life” by Donglin Zhou
This year’s Grand Prize was awarded to Donglin Zhou of Hangzhou, China, for her extraordinary image, “Lemur’s Tough Life.” The photograph captures a heart-stopping moment: a Common brown lemur, with her infant clinging tightly to her back, executes a perilous leap between the razor-sharp limestone pinnacles of Madagascar’s Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve.
The image is a testament to both the raw athleticism of the lemur and the sheer dedication of the photographer. To capture this shot, Zhou embarked on an hour-long trek through treacherous terrain to position herself perfectly. After a day of patient waiting, her perseverance paid off as the troop appeared in the golden light of early evening, led by this courageous mother. The resulting photograph freezes a split second of motion, encapsulating the daily risks these animals face to survive.
Jury Chair Suzi Eszterhas described the image as “Pure magic.” She elaborated, “The flow of the lemurs across the spires leads our eyes through the frame, culminating in the lemur captured mid-air in a ray of light over the massive chasm below. With all of the lemurs lined up so perfectly, at first glance, it looks like a painting. In addition to masterfully capturing incredible behavior and ethereal light, the photographer has also created a captivating sense of place. What’s more, this image serves as a reminder of the conservation crisis in Madagascar and what we stand to lose if we don’t take action to protect these habitats.”
Donglin Zhou is a co-founder of SKW Nature and an accomplished wildlife photographer and documentarian whose work has been recognized by Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the China National Geographic Wildlife Photography Contest, further cementing her status as a leading voice in conservation photography.
A Gallery of Wonders: The Other BigPicture 2025 Winners
Beyond the grand prize, the BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition 2025 honors excellence across seven distinct categories. Each winner tells a unique story, offering a window into a different corner of our planet.
Aquatic Life: “Octopus Mother” by Kat Zhou
Kat Zhou provides a rare and intimate glimpse into the final chapter of a Caribbean reef octopus’s life. Taken in West Palm Beach, Florida, the image shows a mother diligently guarding her clutch of eggs. The scene is bittersweet; this solitary and intelligent creature will not eat while tending to her young, sacrificing her own life to ensure the next generation hatches. The photograph’s soft lighting and sharp focus on the mother’s eye create a powerful emotional connection. Zhou, named Underwater Photographer of the Year in 2023, has a unique talent for revealing the vibrant and often hidden dramas of the underwater realm.
Terrestrial Wildlife: “Inside The Pack” by Amit Eshel
Amit Eshel’s “Inside The Pack” transports us to the remote and frigid landscape of Ellesmere Island, Canada. There, he came face-to-face with a pack of Arctic wolves, a species known for its lack of fear towards humans due to minimal contact. Eshel describes the encounter as incredibly intimate, with the curious wolves approaching so closely he could smell their breath. The photograph’s stark, high-key composition focuses entirely on the wolves, their intense gazes creating a powerful and unnerving connection with the viewer. It’s a striking portrait of wild curiosity.
Winged Life: “Leaving The Roost” by Dvir Barkay
Dvir Barkay’s perfectly timed shot captures a Honduran white bat at the moment of departure from its “tent,” a shelter cleverly constructed from a leaf. The backlighting illuminates the bat’s delicate, almost translucent wingspan, a feature often overlooked. Taken near La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica, the image reveals the secret life of this enigmatic species as the family prepares for its nightly search for figs. Barkay’s work masterfully erodes the boundary between documentary and fine art, finding artistic inspiration in the unadorned wilderness.
Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora: “Third Eye” by Marcin Giba
From his hometown of Rybnik, Poland, Marcin Giba used a drone to capture a mesmerizing natural abstraction. “Third Eye” shows a lake in the process of freezing, with snow-covered edges transitioning to ice and then to a dark, unfrozen center that stares back like an unblinking eye. The freckles of animal tracks across the snow add a sense of mystery and scale. Giba, a specialist in drone photography, consistently finds surprising patterns and motifs in the landscape, transforming familiar scenes into otherworldly art.
Art of Nature: “Floating Upwards” by Sandra Bartocha
At first glance, Sandra Bartocha’s “Floating Upwards” appears to be an impressionistic painting. In reality, it is a photographic portrait of waves crashing on the coast of Rügen, Germany’s largest island. The image uses slow shutter speed and intentional camera movement to transform the turbulent water into a soft, ethereal texture. Bartocha, a German photographer specializing in natural abstracts, aims to evoke an emotional response, and this image succeeds by capturing the timeless, historical weight of a place in the motion of its waves.
Human/Nature: “Black Rhino Revival” by Ami Vitale
Legendary National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale captures the high-stakes reality of conservation in “Black Rhino Revival.” The image documents the tense moment when a Kenya Wildlife Service team scrambles to save a sedated black rhino after it stopped breathing during a relocation procedure. The photo highlights the immense challenges and precise coordination required to protect these critically endangered animals. It’s a powerful testament to the human effort driving the hopeful recovery of Kenya’s black rhino population, which is on its way to a sustainable number of 2,000 individuals.
Photo Story: In My Backyard: “The World of Familiar Insects” by Takuya Ishiguro
Takuya Ishiguro invites us to look closer at the creatures we often dismiss. Using a custom-made lens, he transforms a common housefly into a magnificent, jewel-covered specimen. The photo, taken in his native Japan, reveals the intricate beauty of an insect covered in morning dew, temporarily grounded until the droplets evaporate. Ishiguro’s series forces us to reconsider our relationship with the insect world, revealing the stunning and complex lives unfolding right in our own backyards.
The Power of an Image and What Comes Next
The BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition 2025 is more than just a contest; it is a platform for change. Each image is a data point, a story, and a plea for the preservation of Earth’s biodiversity. The winning photographs will be featured in a public exhibition at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, scheduled to open on October 2, 2025.
For those who feel a spark of inspiration from these incredible works, remember that photography is a powerful tool for storytelling. Competitions like BigPicture offer an invaluable opportunity to share your perspective with the world and contribute to a global conversation about our planet. If you’re an aspiring photographer looking to find the right venue for your work, exploring a comprehensive list of photography contests can be the perfect next step to showcase your talent and passion.
And the excitement isn’t over yet! The competition will soon open voting for the People’s Choice Award, allowing the public to select their favorite from a selection of finalist images. The winner will be announced in early August, so stay tuned for your chance to participate.
Our deepest congratulations go out not only to Grand Prize winner Donglin Zhou and the category winners, but also to the magnificent finalists whose work contributed to the incredible depth of this year’s competition. Together, their images offer a powerful, moving, and unforgettable look into the state of our natural world. To fully appreciate the artistry and storytelling on display, we strongly encourage you to explore the full gallery of winning and finalist images on the official BigPicture website.