The Landscape Awards 2025: A closer look at our four runners-up
While we often share the winners of our competitions, we often don't dive deeper into what made them successful.
So, we thought we'd share a little more information about our four category runners-up this year, and the reasons why the judges selected them over all the other amazing entries.
You can also see our story on the four competition winners here, and read the full competition wrap-up here.
Landscape category
“Discovering the endangered Miena Cider Gums in the heart of Tasmania's Central Highlands has profoundly shaped my life,” explains Joy Kachina.
“Over the past three years, I have documented these remarkable trees through wild weather and fierce blizzards, showcasing their incredible resilience.”
The cider gum holds a significant place in Tasmania's cultural heritage; Indigenous people historically harvested its sweet sap to craft the traditional fermented drink known as ‘Wayalinah’, hence the name ‘Cider Gum’.
“The deceased trees, now standing like sentinels, bear generational tapping scars,” she explains.
“But unfortunately, their survival is under threat from feral animals, overgrazing, and a changing climate,” she says.
“Only eight small living stands are left worldwide, covering just a few hundred hectares in Tasmania's Central Plateau region. By highlighting both the resilience and vulnerability of these trees, my hope is to inspire a call to action for the conservation of our Tasmanian native forests and urge everyone to take steps to protect them.”
What the judges said
This stunning black and white image is packed with captivating atmosphere and detail. The technicality of the image is impressive given that it was shot in snow and driving winds.
This same snow offers this beautiful specimen the background separation it needs, and with that separation the image has been composed beautifully with the far left branch arching over and reaching out to the gum in the background. The image exudes a wildness that perfectly represents Tasmania. - Matt Palmer
Seascape category
About the shot
“This set of sea stacks are a prominent feature of a local spot, about 20 minutes away from where I live,” explains Kavan Chay.
“Combined with the fact that there is relatively little light pollution in the area, it became an ideal candidate for a Milky Way panoramic shot years ago, when I was first testing out shooting wide field panoramas with a narrowish lens, in this case, a 40mm.
“At the time that I shot this, it felt appropriate to try again since I had a few extra years’ worth of experience and now an Astro modified camera, which allows hydrogen-alpha rich regions of the sky (like the reddish nebulae around Zeta Ophiuchi pictured) to be captured more easily in camera.”
The result is an image that wowed our judges with its confident balance of light, texture and tone, while also managing the many complexities of astrophotography.
What the judges said
This stunning image perfectly frames the Milky Way between towering sea stacks, offering a rare glimpse into a world rarely seen with the naked eye. The composition reflects meticulous planning and patience, with the Milky Way’s alignment creating a sense of wonder and scale.
The long exposure softens the waves into a dreamy mist, beautifully contrasting against the rugged rocks and tying the entire scene together perfectly. - Steph Vella
What I love about Kavan’s image is the thoughtfully composed alignment of the stars within the rock formation, which naturally draws the viewer’s eye into the scene. The lighting and colour are beautifully balanced, and the technical execution is flawless—coming together to create a truly stunning photograph. - Petra Leary
Aerial Category
About the shot
Julie Kenny’s graphically gorgeous Aerial category runner-up winning image Seeding reveals an aerial view of the seeding process, which documents the strong contrast between the dry and freshly ploughed earth.
At the same time, the alignment of horizontal lines highlights the precision of modern farming machinery. The result is an image captured with technical precision and a sense of visual symmetry that impressed our judges.
What the judges said
This image stood out in the Aerial category because it captures the quiet yet immense impact of human intervention on the land. The aerial perspective strips away the familiarity of farming and transforms it into a study of pattern, texture and asymmetry. It turns the mundane into something abstract.
There's a tension between control and necessity in this image. The structured precision of agriculture with alternating bands in the soil creates a visual rhythm that speaks to our relationship with the environment—one of manipulation, adaptation and dependence. It is a reminder of the power that we wield over Earth and the way that we shape it to sustain us. - Serena Dzenis
This image is all about simplicity, symmetry and balance, and shooting from above makes it even stronger. The lines and placement of the tractors are great. Its composition reminds me of the yin and yang symbol. - Ignacio Palacios
Urban category
About the shot
Darren Patterson’s Urban category runner-up winning image The shelter of dreams was captured on a stopover in Los Angeles when he was staying in Anaheim to visit Disneyland with his sons.
“In the mornings, we’d walk to the local supermarket and grab some bagels for breakfast. On the way we would walk past this bus shelter that had a homeless person sleeping under it. It was just such a powerful image. The world too busy, passing them by, while the lights of the shelter highlighted their isolation,” he says.
“I went back the following morning to photograph the scene. They were there, in the same place, like they hadn’t moved. I took many photos but the one I finally chose had two people waiting for a bus, on their phones, not invading the space, just carrying on with their lives.”
“I think the power of the image is increased by where it was captured,” he says.
“Someone who has little, sleeping rough, just a short distance from the entrance to an amusement park. A juxtaposition of affluence and poverty.”
What the judges said
Darren’s image carries a powerful narrative. It’s been very well observed, thoughtfully composed, and carefully executed with plenty of subtle details and contrasts to explore. The light trails from the vehicles add a dynamic and striking touch, enhancing the overall mood of the scene. - Ignacio Palacios
Darren has done a great job of storytelling with his image the Shelter of Dreams, making for a well composed and exposed image. The low light along the edges helps lead the eye to the main focal point of the figures and we have some nice subtle colours and light in various background elements which help add depth and context. The long exposure streaking the lights really caps off the image with a sense of movement and splash of colour. Great work. - Will Patino