The Competition
Glanzlichter of Nature Photography
The competition “Glanzlichter of Nature Photography” is among the most prestigious nature photography contests worldwide. Since its founding in 1999, it has established itself as a platform that showcases the beauty and diversity of nature through outstanding photographs.
Since 2024, the competition has been directed by Florian and Lisa Marie Smit, who continue to develop it with fresh ideas while maintaining its original mission: to honor authentic nature photography. The focus is on images that are not only technically impressive or spectacular, but that also portray nature in an aesthetic, narrative, and respectful way.
The competition is open to photographers of all experience levels worldwide and welcomes submissions that capture nature in its diversity and uniqueness. In recent years, around 1,000 photographers from over 30 countries have regularly participated, submitting tens of thousands of images. This makes the competition one of the largest of its kind, providing a platform for international exchange and recognition.
The images are submitted in eight categories:
- Landscapes
- Plants and Fungi
- Shapes, colors and abstractions
- Birds
- Mammals
- Other animal species
- Special moments of nature
- Aerial photography by multicopter
In each category, there is one Winner and nine Highlights. From all categories, the All Over Winner is then chosen. In addition, the Junior Award is presented to young talents up to 17 years old to support emerging photographers. Overall, cash prizes and awards worth €28,000 are offered. The competition is also endorsed by the DVF (German Photographic Association), further emphasizing its quality and significance.
The award ceremony traditionally takes place during the International Nature Photography Days in Fürstenfeldbruck.
There, the winning images are presented for the first time on a large screen, followed by a gala dinner for the awardees. The awarded images then go on traveling exhibitions, shown in galleries, museums, and natural history centers across Germany. Additionally, the Glanzlichter annual photo book is published each year, featuring all the winning images along with background stories and technical details.
Participating in Glanzlichter offers photographers the opportunity to showcase their work on an international level, receive valuable feedback, and become part of a community of nature photography enthusiasts. Support from leading companies in the photography industry not only allows for the recognition of winners but also helps foster young talents who wish to further develop their skills.
Glanzlichter of Nature Photography thus represents an authentic, inspiring, and professionally organized platform that celebrates the beauty of nature in all its facets—a competition truly worth being part of.