We asked our Sony Artisans Of Imagery and Alpha Collective members to submit their favorite images of 2025. See Part 3 of this five-part series below, featuring a mixture of outdoor, landscape, adventure and nature photography that highlights just what you can accomplish when you get outside with your camera. To learn more about how you can photograph the wild and wonderful outdoors, check out our Landscape Photography 101 course on Alpha Camera Academy.
ICYMI, here's Part 1 and Part 2. Stay tuned to Alpha Universe as we count down to 2025 with another selection of images each day.
David McLain
Photo by David McLain. Alpha 1. 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II.
“On the final day of a two-week sailing canoe voyage through the Hawaiian Islands, we set out at dawn from Sunset Beach, Oahu for the 90 mile crossing to Hanalei Bay in Kauai.”
“This voyage was an opportunity to connect with the ocean and ancient Polynesian culture – two things I love.”
Renan Ozturk
Photo by Renan Ozturk. Alpha 1 II. 24-105mm f/4 G.
“On a remote glacier in Iceland shooting world class ice climbers. Most of the challenge of getting the shot was finding the right glacier and collaborating with Icelandic locals to find something that was not going to collapse in the early season.”
“In terms of ice climbing, you don’t normally see this type of ice mixed with ash as well as ancient glacier ice. It’s like a look back in geologic time also combined with modern world class climbing.”
Drew Geraci
Photo by Drew Geraci. Alpha 1 II. 50mm f/1.2 G Master.
“Visiting Biltmore Estate was one of my bucket list items to achieve this year and when the opportunity to both visit and photograph it for an assignment came up, I jumped at the chance! Without a doubt this is my favorite architectural structure in the US and I'm so happy to have gotten to photograph it. “
“For me, filming in the fall, with the warm colors of the changing leaves and vibrancy of the landscape all culminated when I was able to capture Biltmore Estate as the sun dipped behind the mountains. It brought peace to my mind after a very long and difficult 2025. Things are looking brighter now and this image brought so much joy to my heart.”
Andy Katz
Photo by Andy Katz. Alpha 7R V. 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G.
“I was in Worcester, Massachusetts on a boat and the sunset was insane when we passed an old rusty boat and its reflection. The image literally came to me. Abstract beauty in a year we needed any beauty we could get.”
Gina Danza
Photo by Gina Danza. Alpha 7R V. 100mm f/2.8 Macro G Master.
“I was creating macro art with some sleeping bees in the Vermont countryside. My arms and legs got heavy and needed a break. I looked up to see this scene in the short distance from me and my eyes lit up. Simple yet elegant- it described an autumn scene. Its warmth to the different textures and colors of autumn coming together - I capture this shot without intention and more so of remembering a moment that I would never want to forget during my time in Vermont in October.”
“Autumn is my favorite season and I have always been in search of creating images that engulfed me into the season especially since I no longer live in the northeast. I grew up with falling leaves and the warmth of the season. Now, in California - I feel like I need to pocket these moments for myself in photos. As an intimate landscape photographer - I felt like this moment was a true reflection of what intimacy in nature is. And, everytime I look at it - I’m telling myself that this is my favorite image I took this year.”
Jess Santos
Photo by Jess Santos. Alpha 7S III. 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II.
"The foreground was taken during blue hour, then when it got dark enough to see the lantern I captured my bestie posing. And finally the night sky was taken well after dark. Every year we host Dark Sky Week, it’s a chance for fellow night photographers to come together under dark skies, learn about light pollution and make new friends. This was from the last night of Dark Sky Week this year and it was so cool to be able to create a scene in one of my favorite places with such a great group of fellow night sky photographers and enthusiasts. Can’t wait to see them all next year!"
Sapna Reddy
Photo by Sapna Reddy. Alpha 1. 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master.
“Earlier this year I returned to the incredible cave system of Central Vietnam. Never imagined that one day I would be conducting a photography workshop 300 ft. underground! The unique experience involved hiking through lush tropical forest, entering secluded cave entrances, swimming through underground rivers and arriving at Nature's subterranean palaces decorated with incredible formations. We carried lights to illuminate the subterranean landscape and the scenery was nothing short of spectacular.”
“Last year I experienced a different part of this cave system when I did the Son Doong cave expedition. I wanted to bring a similar experience to others and offer the unique opportunity to photograph a landscape very few have the opportunity to view let alone photograph. This year I was able to take my clients to the Hang Va cave. The challenge of illuminating a landscape 300ft underground with the aim of creating compositions that convey a sense of that place was both interesting and demanding. It gave me the opportunity to improve myself both in the creative sense as well as to overcome fears and self doubt.”
Nate Luebbe
Timelapse by Nate Luebbe. Alpha 1 II. 16mm f/1.8 G. Read more in Behind The Shot: An Arctic Moonlit Rainbow & Northern Lights Timelapse.
"This was our first night in Norway. We were extremely jet-lagged and had already fallen asleep at 5 p.m. After waking up around 9 p.m., I thought to check outside, just in case the aurora was happening. To my surprise, I saw it with my naked eye and immediately rushed to set up my camera. I basically blew the door off its hinges to get Autumn, my partner, out of bed to see it with me.”
Stan Moniz
Photo by Stan Moniz. Alpha 9 III. 50mm f/1.4 G Master.
“I shot this at 120 frames per second on the Alpha 9 III, knowing the moment I was waiting for would be brief. That speed gave me the freedom to stay present in the water and trust the camera to keep up with what I was seeing and feeling. This frame is the result of patience, repetition, and a deep respect for how quickly the ocean can reveal special moments in the blink of an eye.”
“This image was made at first light during one of the best south swells of the year. I have photographed this wave many times over the years, but that morning everything aligned. The light skimmed across the face just right, revealing texture, motion, and fleeting golden reflections that mirrored the surrounding landscape itself.”
Michael Hollender
Photo by Michael Hollender. Alpha 7CR. 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II.
“The days and months go by and so changes the position of the sun in the sky along the concrete jungle of NYC. From Brooklyn looking west I patiently tracked the days as the sun set behind Manhattan. With a clear sky I dug up my solar filter that’s been hibernating since the 2017 Solar Eclipse. With the world’s most famous building in my frame I knew its silhouette would make for an easy ID! Any guesses?”
“Time with my camera is time spent outdoors and in the moment. For weeks I took note of the sun's position during sunset and each day brought me closer to the photo I had in mind. The hunt for this photo was exhilarating and memorable!”
Jason Frankle
Photo by Jason Frankle. Alpha 7R IV. 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master.
“I captured this image while surfing with my brother at sunset. When we got out of the water, I noticed the clouds forming a defined pattern and the low tide creating reflections, so I quickly went to my car to grab my camera and got close to the water to capture the reflection. I framed the surfer as the subject in the center and used the clouds and their reflections as leading lines to guide the viewer to the subject before the light changed.”
“This is my favorite image I took this year because I love capturing photos by the ocean and working close to the water. Living in Los Angeles, I am fortunate to be near the ocean, something many people do not get to experience regularly. The ocean is constantly changing, which means every visit offers something different, and that dynamic nature keeps it interesting and keeps me coming back. Sharing that moment with my brother and catching the timing and cloud patterns made this image especially meaningful.”
