Sunset views overlooking Brewster Hut Photographer: Joshua Wilson

2025 Wilderness Outdoor Photographer of the Year

Fresh takes on old huts, breathtaking traverses and birds on the hunt – this year’s competition has it all.

This year, we received a whopping 2600 entries in the Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition. Whittling down the entries was a vicarious trip around the country, from sketchy ridgeline scrambles to joyous river crossings. The quality of the entries in the wildlife category, in particular, was especially high. Thanks to everyone who submitted, and huge thanks to sponsor Panasonic New Zealand for supplying the amazing Lumix camera prizes.

Here’s a selection of finalists:

Out There winner

Tongariro Northern Circuit Photographer: Grant Edwards

Judges’ comments

Alistair Hall: An original photo from my favourite national park. Grant has worked hard to get a unique perspective – I love the scale of the trampers exploring this vast volcanic landscape.

Mark Watson: A sense of scale, depth and subtle, well-observed light in an extraordinary landscape are the qualities Grant has expertly blended to make this photo a cut above the rest.

Grant is the third-place winner and receives a Lumix DC-TZ99 valued at $849.

Wild life winner

Titipounamu in flight Photographer: Jeremy Sanson

Judges’ comments

Alistair Hall: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of the titipounamu/rifleman in flight. That demonstrates how tricky this shot was to take. It’s a sign of a highly competent photographer.

Mark Watson: New Zealand’s smallest bird is an erratic, fast-moving flier. Capturing one in flight, as well as this, displays not only Jeremy’s skill with his equipment but his patience.

Jeremy is the second-place winner and receives a Lumix DC-G100Dk valued at $1349.

2025 Wilderness Outdoor Photographer of the Year and Huts and Camping winner

Sunset views overlooking Brewster Hut Photographer: Joshua Wilson

Judges’ comments

Alistair Hall: This photo fits the brief perfectly: a slice of hut life with people milling about the tents and on the hut deck. The composition is impressive, and light couldn’t be better.

Mark Watson: Golden light lends a deeply relatable ambience to Joshua’s photograph of Brewster Hut, but it’s the strong composition and the ephemeral glow captured on the knoll around the hut that elevates this beautiful photo from snapshot to champion.