Audience and jury determine the victorious photographs in the "Environment&Me 2025" photographic contest
In March 2025, the annual "Environment&Me" photo competition, organised by the Research Department (Referat Forschung) of HTWK Leipzig, invited photographers from Europe and neighbouring partner countries to share images that capture their personal connection to the environment. The competition saw strong engagement across both southern and central Europe, with Spain and Italy leading the way, together accounting for nearly a third of all submissions.
The competition was structured around four categories: BLUE - Water & Me, GREEN - Nature & Me, ORANGE - Everyday Life & Me, a youth prize, and a public choice award. A total of nearly 1,800 entries were submitted from across 36 countries.
The winning image for the BLUE category is titled "Bridge over troubled water" and was submitted from Sweden. The Public Choice Award was won by an image capturing the contrast between cracked, dry earth and turquoise waters at Burdur Lake in Türkiye. This aerial photo, which also won the Public Choice Award, showcases a striking contrast of cracked, dry earth and turquoise waters, with birds scattered across the scene.
In the GREEN category, the winning image is titled "King of hearts" and was submitted from Spain. This photograph showcases a beautiful scene of nature, though the specific details are not provided.
The competition also highlighted the impact of human activities on nature. One of the standout entries is an image from Barcelona, Spain, which showcases a group of divers guiding a bulging net of marine waste to safety.
The Youth Prize, open to those aged 18-24, saw submissions from photographers across the globe. The winner of this category was not specified in the information provided.
The winners of the thematic categories and the youth prize were awarded to photographs from Sweden and Spain. Türkiye, Germany, and Portugal also ranked among the top contributors.
For more information on the photo competition, please visit the provided link. The competition serves as a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness with the environment and the importance of preserving it for future generations.
