1ST PRIZE: RUSS ROWLAND

The composition, moment and technical skill make this a winning image for me. The depth of field and use of the light source help bring balance to what could have easily been a chaotic scene. You can almost feel the flakes of snow touching your face as you look at this photo. I can just imagine being bundled up and walking along this iconic path with Simon and Garfunkle playing in my ears. Well done. – ALEX SNYDER

Snow is magical, no wonder it is often present in fairytales. But there is so much more happening in this image than snow. There is the cold and light of a winter day, a lonely walk in the park, layers of untold stories, and food for the imagination. The black and white aesthetic and the bokeh effect are smart choices because they allow the viewer to focus on meaning rather than on colorful or sharp details. This is an atmospheric shot more than anything else. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Wonderland 2, Central Park, New York.

2ND PRIZE: SALLY MASON

Technical skill elevated what would have otherwise been an average photo. Using a longer exposure and allowing the grasses to blur draws us into the scene. This painterly effect allows your eye to travel throughout the frame – noticing the sand, the waves in the distance and the soft beginnings of a sunset. You can almost feel the sea breeze. – ALEX SNYDER

This minimalist and artful composition captures beautifully the warmth of a summer day, the kind of place we’ve all visited and fallen in love with because it is untouched nature that speaks the language of love. You can almost hear the rustle of the grass, the rhythmic melody of the waves, maybe a few birds or human voices in the distance. It’s a visual haiku with a powerful impact on the viewer. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Summer Days.

THIBAULT GERBALDI

A splash of summer, a snapshot of pure happiness, and an environmental portrait that shows the meaning of a season in a child’s life. The high, unusual camera angle puts everything in perspective, making the composition more interesting, and the theme more inviting. The movement and colors are beautifully captured and enhanced by the overlapping of highlights and shadows. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Boundless Joy. A kid runs happily through the clear blue waters of Puglia during his summer vacations. His laughter fills the air as he splashes around, enjoying the simple delight of being in the moment. It’s a pure and carefree scene that reminds us of the joy of childhood, untouched by grown-up worries.

DYLAN SHAW

What a surreal blue take on seasons! This dynamic shot features a powerful leading line that guides the viewer from the main subject to the unknown. It’s an open perspective that leaves room for inner thoughts, a metaphor for where we are and where we are going. And because the subject travels towards light, we get the hint of hope and new beginnings. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Last light while dog sledding in Svalbard.

ALBERTO SANCHEZ

Summer is about vacations and adventures at any age. This photograph is masterfully framed, denoting an eye for space and proportions. The powerful focal point makes the most of the story, but it wouldn’t have been the same story without the endless pale blue of the ocean and sky. It’s a family story, and nature is and always will be part of the family. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – It all ends where it began.

SIMONE SANDER

This is spring in full bloom but also an artful composition with multiple, repetitive focal points. Furthermore, it is a moment of consciousness rather than a planned shot, which makes it even more valuable because it shows the photographer’s engagement with the subject. Only when your heart beats in unison with the rapeseed field can it have such a powerful effect. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Springtime.This photo was taken in Ostholstein, Germany. I had gone for a walk through the rapeseed fields. When I returned to my car, which I had parked on the side of the road, I noticed my passenger’s makeup mirror was folded down and the rapeseed was reflected in it. I decided to photograph the rapeseed field through the car window and its reflections.

BORIS GODNIČ

An excellent use of patterns and textures, this photograph invites the viewer into a black and white winter scene. It is graphical and artful, building its effect on lines and repetitions, but doesn’t lack feeling. The photographer clearly loves the subject of this photo and so does the viewer. Maybe because repetition calms us, providing the stability of a reference point. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Winter graphic 3.

DAVID BAXTER III

Summer may be the season of serenity and stillness, but also a time for tumult and extravagance. The photographer makes the stormy cloud the main focal point by cleverly using color contrast and a minimalist composition. Nature needs no embellishments to amaze us. But it needs a vast stage to perform on and an attentive photographer to record the performance. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – The Armel Mothership // Armel, Colorado | August 2024. Colorado Summers, where the atmosphere awakens in a wild, extreme way. Summer season in Colorado is the most intense in terms of weather across the state. From wild supercells, to electric monsoon lightning storms, it can display a plethora of photographer eye candy. I make it my mission to capture these wild weather events finding unique landscapes to pair them with. From supercells that take on a spaceship look, lightning striking up close and personal, or finding unique abandoned farmsteads to capture the beauty of the storm, it all is my passion to experience and feel what mother nature can do.

TUNA ANGEL

This cinematic approach on what hot can mean is playful and spot on. There are so many layers in this picture that can keep the viewer engaged and start a conversation. From a preferred summer leisure activity that can impact our health (for better or worse) to fashion icons, to unhealthy habits, there is a lot to take in and speak about. An inspired manner of displaying the human complexity in the face of a season. – LIFE FRAMER

JONATHAN JASBERG

Rainy season is celebrated in many cultures. This candid shot documents the joy and excitement rain can bring by capturing the blending between the falling of the rain drops and the movement of the children. It’s a dynamic shot, realisti, and playful, that lures the viewer in and invites them to appreciate rain a little more. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Kolkata, India.

FELIX HUG

This abstract, minimalist, and artful composition manages to convey not only the feeling of a sunny summer day but also the hotness of the air and the coolness of the water. The amazing shade of blue by itself is a medicine for stress and makes the photograph a decorative artwork. This is a lot to communicate with two patches of blue, a strip of white, and a silhouette. Well done! – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Summer Pool..

ANNE NOBELS

This photograph presents a unique and ambitious fine-art composition featuring tulip blossoms. The photographer skillfully employs light, contrast, and shapes to convey emotions, crafting visual narratives that inspire curiosity and transcend conventional photography techniques. – LIFE FRAMER

SÉBASTIEN DURAND

Artfully mastering highlights and shadows, the photographer captures a moment of presence and bliss. A single sun ray can light up an entire day, if you allow it in. This photograph shows that even in an urban environment, the seasons are a big part of our lives and impact us wherever we are going and whatever we are doing. No one is exempt from the grand circle of life. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Sun expected.

RICHARD VAUCHER

What a peaceful landscape! Everything is in harmony, from the calmness of the cotton field to the soft color palette. The composition is well-balanced and inviting, the low camera angle providing a sense of depth and the three-dimensionality that landscape photography needs. It’s so easy to enter a meditative state by looking at this photograph. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Coton spring in a volcano.

OLIVIER CAUNE

There is a solitude and silence only winter can bring. We are designed to slow down during winter and let nature regenerate in peace. This muted, minimalist composition encapsulates many of the season’s attributes, from stunningly beautiful nature to isolation, restoration, and resilience. The soft, tonal color palette, the diffused horizon, and the small size of the subject compared to the space around them all emphasize the theme of the photograph. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Winter Solitude – A Photographic Journey Through the Canadian Winter.

This series captures the stark beauty and quiet solitude of the Canadian winter, where vast snow-covered landscapes and empty streets become a canvas for light, shadow, and human presence. Each image explores the interplay between isolation and contemplation, depicting moments where the cold, the silence, and the sheer scale of nature evoke a sense of introspection.

Minimalism plays a key role in these compositions, with lone figures, abandoned vehicles, and deserted roads serving as metaphors for resilience and stillness. The muted tones of winter light, the glow of streetlamps against falling snow, and the contrast of footprints vanishing into the distance create a visual language that speaks to both the harshness and poetry of the season.

Shot on medium format, the series brings out the subtle textures of frost, the diffused light of overcast skies, and the delicate balance between emptiness and presence. Whether in urban Montreal or the rural countryside, these images are not just about winter–they are about the emotions it stirs, the fleeting moments of warmth within the cold, and the quiet beauty that emerges when the world slows down.

NICK PRICE

Winter is the black and white season, which invites abstract representations such as this photograph. But one has to see beyond the trees and the forest to be able to spot the patterns and contrasts that lie behind them. The photographer shows a good understanding of visual elements, visual weights, and conceptualization. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Burn and snow. Idaho.

NICOLAS CASTERMANS

We often think seasons are something so universal that no human power could disturb them. However, our impact is becoming larger and larger, and we can already see how seasons have changed in our lifetimes. The photographer contrasts human activity and natural elements, raising awareness and showcasing environmental changes that affect all of us. This documentary approach shows yet another face of photography. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Every time I visit Patagonia and witness the Perito Moreno glacier or the floating icebergs of Lago Grey, I find myself torn between two powerful emotions: awe at the sublime beauty of these natural wonders, and fear for the impact we have on them, along with the impermanence and fragility of both the natural world and humanity itself. How long will these landscapes last? Are we passive observers, or do we have a responsibility to actively protect these wonders, and in doing so, protect ourselves as well? These are some of the questions that constantly run through my mind, leaving me deeply unsettled and restless…

CHRISTIAN MEIXNER

Fall is definitely the lady of the four seasons, always elegant, chic, and gracious. Autumnal colors, whether glowing in the sun or under a gloomy cloud, are exquisite to look at and very photogenic. The photograph does them justice by using layers to add a sense of depth by taking advantage of a very offering (but very hard to photograph!) sky. The tones are accurate, natural-looking, and well-balanced. There is nothing more the viewer can wish for than visiting this lovely place. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – The colors and textures of autumn across Graubünden, Switzerland

PIOTR SKUBISZ

This is our world, our home, but we rarely get to see it. It takes a photographer’s eye and soul to show us the beauty of nature, the repetitions that rule our lives, the endless possibilities and lights. This long exposure, mesmerizing as it is, brings us back to reality and maybe, for a split second, makes us stop and wonder. A summer beach scene turned on its head. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Stars at your feet. Night photograph of the beach and ocean on a long exposure, the white line visible in the background is the waves blurred by time, the foam of the ocean. Gambia 2024.

TERI VERSHEL

The power of photography is in showing us that seasons look different in different parts of the world. A summer day may be still and quiet or busy and loud. In the case of this photograph, summer is exuberant, energetic, and crowded. It’s a time for watching sunsets and being with friends, spending entire days at the beach, and seeing life in a better light. The photographer captures all these ideas and more through composition and color; one of the best ways to do it. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – In my humble opinion, nothing says summer in LA like this photo. I went out to Santa Monica one very hot day and shot this from the beach.