“Dipper flying through waterfall” by Konrad Wothe. GDT Nature Photographer of the Year.
“White-throated dipper flying through a waterfall.”
Photographer Konrad Wothe spent 20 years waiting for a photographic opportunity that paid off in a big way when he was named GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025. Wothe's fascinating photo of a small bird flying through a waterfall earned him the title, beating out over 8,000 images entered into this contest for members of the German Society for Nature Photography.
Wothe first encountered a white-throated dipper flying through a waterfall 20 years ago, but his analogue equipment didn't allow him to capture the scene. It would take two decades, but two years ago, he stumbled upon a dipper nesting behind a waterfall
“This one also regularly shot through the curtain of water, even though it had the option of flying to its nest from around the side. Armed with cutting-edge digital gear and ultra-fast cameras, I felt I had a realistic chance of capturing this extraordinary behavior,” he shares. “Even so, the challenge remained immense: there was no predicting exactly when the dipper would leave its nest and dive through the waterfall, nor could I pinpoint the exact spot where it would emerge.
“Thanks to the new pre-burst mode on my camera, capturing the bird in frame wasn’t difficult. Still, getting the focus just right with the perfect composition took thousands of exposures. I have lost count of the number of trips I took to the dipper's nesting site before I was reasonably satisfied with the result.”
Wothe's perseverance was rewarded with a stunning photo, featuring a small passerine bursting through water that is perfectly frozen by the photographer's camera. It's a wonderful victory for Wothe, who has worked as a freelance nature photographer and wildlife filmmaker for over 40 years.
Scroll down to see even more winners from this nature photography contest.
The German Society for Nature Photography has announced the winners of its Nature Photographer of the Year contest.
“Patterns in the snow” by Levi Fitze. Jury Prize.
“A perfectly camouflaged rock ptarmigan in the snow-covered Swiss Alps.”
“Stars above” by Paul Kornacker. Winner, Plants and Fungi.
“Quiver trees (Aloe dichotoma) are native to southern Africa. This photo was taken in Namibia near Keetmanshoop.”
“Common redstarts in meadow orchard” by Christian Höfs. Runner-up, Birds.
“Territorial fight between two male redstarts in the orchard in front of my house.”
“Fairyland” by Katja Manski. Runner-up, Special category: Both eerie and beautiful – Germany's mires.
“Cottongrass glowing at dusk among bog birches in Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. The scene reminds me of Tolkien.”
“Chamois” by Radomir Jakubowski. Winner, Mammals.
“Chamois photographed through blades of dew-covered grass in the Vosges.”
“Abstraction” by Katja Manski. Winner, Nature's Studio.
“Long-exposure photography unifies the movements of the waves, reeds, and camera into an abstract image (Bornholm).”
“Misty Morning” by Andreas Volz. Winner, Special category: Both eerie and beautiful – Germany's mires.
“Spider webs in Kochelmoos.”
Over 8,000 images were submitted by 507 GDT members from 11 countries.
“West coast dragon” by Dr. Gerald Haas. Winner, Other Animals.
“Wind and waves create striking patterns in the sand along the west coast of Fuerteventura. This dragonfly was a perfect eye-catcher.”
“Iceworms at sunrise” by Dirk Godlinski. Runner-up, Nature's Studio.
“Unusual worm-like structures on the ice surface after a frosty night in January.”
“Deforestation” by Hanneke Van Camp. Winner, Landscapes.
“Even today, old-growth forests in Sweden are regularly cut down and replaced with commercial plantations. Undisturbed forests can harbour over 2000 species (many of which are endangered) and must be preserved at all costs.”
“Carnivore” by Klaus Tamm. Runner-up, Plants and Fungi.
“I discovered this spoonleaf sundew in a bog in North Rhine-Westphalia.”
“Weevil” by Christ Torsten. Runner-up, Other Animals.
“Unidentified weevil (Curculionidae) on the stem of a mushroom.”
“King of the Alps” by Karsten Mosebach. Runner-up, Mammals.
“An ibex silhouetted against a lake and the blue evening sky in the Alps.”
“Radiance” by Thomas Froesch. Runner-up, Landscapes.
“For just a brief moment, the sun broke through the dark clouds and illuminated a waterfall on the Faroe Islands.”
