In Portugal the vast majority are concentrated in the Setúbal peninsula, where I live. Portugal has about 9% of the total world’s area of this species, which can also be found in other countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Spain, France, Italy and Turkey.

The Stone Pine or Pinus Pinea is a species of pine native to the old world, more precisely in the Mediterranean region. Congratulations to all my fellow winners who join in celebrating the true artistry of photography!” I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the judges and NLPA founders for selecting my work and creating an outstanding competition. The images presented in the competition reflect the kind of photography I aspire to achieve, making this award extra special and something I will be proud of for the rest of my life.

The competition has consistently showcased an exceptional lineup of talented photographers, many of whom I have looked up to and who have been a personal inspiration to me since I started my photography journey. Since its inception, the NLPA awards have set the gold standard for landscape photography – preserving the authentic experience of capturing our planet’s unaltered natural beauty in contrast to the growing popularity of AI and computer-generated imagery. “I am deeply honored to receive the Natural Landscape Photography Award’s Photographer of the Year award.

Vector shape winter landscape