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A now 18-year-old photographer has turned a misty morning and a lake full of swans into an award-winning wildlife image – using a Nikon DSLR that’s been around for a decade.
Szymon Bartold‘s Swan lake captures the birds gliding through glowing orange hues at sunrise, their silhouettes reflected in the water’s surface to create an almost mystical scene. As mute swans rose majestically from the mist, bathed in golden light, he pressed the shutter.
Previously, the image won Silver at the Bird Photographer of the Year competition. Now it was awarded the top prize in the 14-17 years Youth Category of the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, selected by the German Society for Nature Photography. It is one of Europe’s major wildlife photography contests.
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Winner: Youth Category | 14-17 years
Nikon D5 review insight: “The Nikon D5’s AF system, rugged build, continuous shooting speed and buffer capacity are still well ahead of any other camera not designed for this kind of work, and its 4K video capabilities will still pass muster even today” (Image credit: Nikon)
Image info
Title: Swan lake
Tech details
Camera: Nikon D5
Lens: 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Exposure: 1/6400sec, f/6.3, ISO 1000
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Story behind the still
Szymon explains, “Out walking, I came across a lake with a large number of waterbirds, and decided to return before dawn the next morning.
“Well hidden, I watched as mute swans (Cygnus olor) rose majestically out of the mist in a scene bathed in gold light.
“One perfect moment, one frame – and a feeling of pure joy I’ll never forget.”
Discover all winning images on the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year website.
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Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from October 2026 to February 2027.