Frozen Spine

Photographer

Rares Besliu

Category

Nature Photography - Adventure

Company

raresbesliu.com

Submission Group

Professional

Year

2025

Country / Region:

Romania

The iceberg rises from the Arctic waters like the back of an ancient creature, its jagged ridge resembling the spine of a prehistoric dinosaur. A flock of birds rests along the crest, as if perched on the scales of a frozen beast. Opposite, a small sailboat with crimson sails advances carefully, the human presence dwarfed by this surreal vision. This photograph plays with perception: at first glance, it may seem like a landscape, but the longer you look, the more the iceberg transforms into something alive, a reminder of the deep time and hidden power embedded in polar ice. The birds add a touch of fragility, while the boat brings scale and contrast, its red a defiant stroke against the endless blue. I wanted the viewer to feel both wonder and humility — to imagine the iceberg not only as ice, but as a living monument from another age, confronting us with the mystery and resilience of the natural world.

More Silver Winner Winners
Student
2025

Photographer

Minyao Gu

Category

Special Category - Smartphone Photography

Country / Region:

Australia

Professional
2025

Photographer

Mark Gray

Category

Fine Art Photography - Abstract

Country / Region:

Australia

Amateur
2025

Photographer

Lee Fulmer

Category

Nature Photography - Landscapes

Country / Region:

Ireland

Amateur
2025

Photographer

Category

Nature Photography - Golden Hour

Country / Region:

Japan