"For me, nature photography is so much more than just sharp documentation," says award-winning photographer shooting with Canon's most powerful camera

Bird with wings spread wide, illuminated by golden sunset light, descending toward dark silhouetted bushes.

Nature photography can follow a strict documentary approach – but when light, environment, and wildlife align, it also offers incredible opportunities to explore a more artistic vision. The challenge, of course, is that we can't influence wildlife behaviour, so stepping out of your comfort zone and using light and surroundings creatively requires a trained photographic eye.

A prime example of this approach is the image, Lachmöwe (Black-headed gull), that took the top spot at the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year competition. German photographer Radomir Jakubowski – known for his distinctive wildlife style – has now been named winner of the Bird category.

His award-winning image was captured with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II – Canon's ultimate mirrorless camera and, as noted in our review, Canon's most powerful camera. Jakubowski's image was also a Finalist at the Festival de l’Oiseau et de la nature and stands out for its striking use of backlight, timing, and composition.

Winner: 'Black-headed gull'

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II was launched in August 2024 and features in-camera 180MP upscaling, 2-stop denoising, 30fps burst speed, 8K 60p RAW, exceptional AI-powered predictive autofocus and more... (Image credit: James Artaius)

Tech info
Gear: Canon EOS R5 Mark II + RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
Exposure: 1/6400sec, f/2.8, ISO 400

Speaking about his approach, Jakubowski explains on his blog, "For me, nature photography is so much more than just sharp documentation. It is playing with light, blurring reality into a dream of colours."

Jakubowski also placed sixth in the Atelier Nature category with an abstract Intentional Camera Movement image, captured at one of his workshops in Switzerland.

Shot with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II and RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM at 13 seconds, f/16, and ISO 100 (Image credit: GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2026, Radomir Jakubowski)

He says, "There, where the emerald-green water dances over the rocks that are millions of years old, I tried to transform this dynamism into an abstract painting. It is a picture that does not explain, but evokes a feeling – an invitation to lose oneself in the colours and shapes."

Jakubowski won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition and regularly hosts workshops. As a Canon ambassador and author of photography-related books, he's an expert in his field – and if you understand German, his podcast Bohnensack is definitely worth a listen.

To see more winning images and for more information, visit the GDT website.

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