13-year-old photographer wins at world's biggest wildlife photography competition with stunning Alpine ibex image

The winners of the 61st Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition have been unveiled. Developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London, the 2025 competition saw a record-breaking 60,636 entries from 113 countries.

Among the standout winners is a rising talent from France whose patience and vision transported judges to the misty heights of the Alps. Lubin Godin has been awarded the Winner of the 11-14 Years category for his image Alpine Dawn – a dreamlike image of an Alpine ibex resting above a sea of clouds.

Lubin took this image with a Canon EOS R7 – the first APS-C member of the EOS R family – a 100-400mm f/4.5–5.6 telephoto lens, and 1.4x teleconverter, at 1/640sec, f/8, and ISO 100.

Captured in the mountains of Haute-Savoie, France, the photograph was the result of an early morning ascent and a quick decision to retrace his steps when the perfect combination of rising mist and breaking light emerged.

The Alpine ibex, once hunted nearly to extinction in the early 19th century, has made a remarkable comeback thanks to species protection and reintroduction programs. However, their future remains uncertain. Climate change is shifting alpine ecosystems, altering food availability during breeding seasons, and putting renewed pressure on the species.

If you'd like to see Alpine Dawn and other winning images in person, visit the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. The exhibition opens on October 17 2025 and runs through July 12 2026.

You can also explore more winners here on Digital Camera World or discover the full winners' gallery on the National History Museum website.

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