Magical Nordic bird photos win a 23-year-old photographer a major prize for the second year in a row

Black-and-white image of a duck swimming at night, with bright lights along the waterline casting long vertical reflections — 23-year-old photographer wins major competition for the second time. His award-winning project is called *The magic of the Nordic wilderness, and* highlights Nordic birds in their natural habitat through masterful photography (Image credit: Tobias Gjerde / Fritz Pölking Prize 2026))

For the second time in a row, Norwegian photographer Tobias Gjerde has won the Fritz Pölking Junior Prize with an atmospheric image series titled The magic of the Nordic wilderness. The photos showcase Nordic birds in his homeland, masterfully using fog, light, and minimalist composition to highlight the wildlife.

The 23-year-old photographer also won last year's Fritz Pölking Junior Prize with powerful portraits of resilient Norwegian wildlife braving extreme conditions. Now he has scooped the 2026 competition with quiet moments of birds in the barren tundra and endless forests in the early morning or late evening.

Gjerde's skillful use of the mysterious magic of light and dusk draws the viewer's eye beyond the animal itself to the character of the landscape as a whole, awakening curiosity and calmness.

Gjerde is an established member of Norske Naturfotografer / NN – an association for professional Norwegian nature photographers and served in the Norwegian Army as a combat photographer for the Arctic Ranger Battalion (GSV) for his national service.

Why Gjerde's work is award-winning

Silhouetted duck standing on a grassy bank beside dew-covered spider webs in golden morning light — "The eerie cries of red-throated divers and the insistent, repetitive calls of wood sandpipers (*Tringa glareola*) herald the start of a new day" (Image credit: Tobias Gjerde / Fritz Pölking Prize 2026))

Gjerde's work convinced the jury due to its "exceptional coherence" of "style, subject matter and a sensitive handling of light and space combine the individual images into a unified body of work."

The jury explains that his portfolio is an excellent result of "technical skill, a fine sense of composition and countless hours of patient observation in the field," inviting the viewer to wonder what lies beyond the visible.

A hawk flies through a dim forest, wings spread against a dark, softly blurred woodland background — "The agile bird of prey glides easily through the dark forest – until a gap in the canopy admits a narrow shaft of sunlight that sets the sparrowhawk's finely barred plumage alight" (Image credit: Tobias Gjerde / Fritz Pölking Prize 2026))

Gjerde will be honored as part of the official award ceremony of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition, held at the International Nature Photography Festival on the evening of October 23, 2026.

Discover more of Gjerde's work

Morning Magic | Photographing Rare Horned Grebes - YouTube

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Gjerde combines technical skill with a deep passion for nature and wildlife conservation.

In 2025, he began sharing mini-documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage on YouTube and Instagram, inviting us to witness the raw realities of wildlife photography in the extreme world.

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Kim is a photographer, editor and writer with work published internationally. She holds a Master's degree in Photography and Media and was formerly Technique Editor at Digital Photographer, focusing on the art and science of photography. Kim covers everything from breaking industry news and camera gear to the stories shaping photography today. Blending technical expertise with visual insight, she explores photography's time-honored yet ever-evolving role in culture.