Under-14 photography winner captures the last rays of winter sunshine and turns them into magic – honored in major wildlife competition

Golden sunlight illuminates tall reeds silhouetted against a dark, misty background — The award-winning image *Winter gold* showcases how the golden sunlight illuminates tall reeds silhouetted against a dark, misty background (Image credit: GDT EWPY 2026, Marla Schwarze)

A young photographer from Germany has captured the fleeting magic of a winter sunset in an award-winning image that transforms the last rays of sunshine into a golden spectacle.

Marla Schwarze's image, Winter Gold, shows the reeds along Dortmund's Lake Phoenix glowing in the evening light and sparking water. The image earned Marla top honors in the Youth Category (ages 14 and under) of the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, selected by the German Society for Nature Photography.

Captured with a Nikon Z6 and a 70-300mm lens, Marla captured the sun just before it disappeared. As she explains, the challenge was to capture the atmosphere of the winter evening and the flickering play of light as the sun illuminated the swaying reeds.

Winner: Youth Category | Ages 14 and under

Close-up of a black Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body with its lens mount exposed, revealing the red interior sensor area — Nikon Z6 review insight: "Every camera has flaws and weaknesses, but the Z6 almost squeezes them out of existence. What's more, Nikon's steady stream of firmware updates has made the Nikon Z6 even more attractive" (Image credit: Future)

Image info
Title: Winter gold
Location: Lake Phoenix, Dortmund, Germany

Tech details
Camera: Nikon Z6
Lens: 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6
Exposure: 1/500sec, f/5.6, ISO400

Story behind the still
Marla explains, "I wanted to hold onto that one second, that fleeting instant.

"The image shows the low evening sun, the swaying reeds flooded with light, set against the sparkling water, with the rays refracting inside the lens.

"I made a particular effort to capture exactly this special winter atmosphere and the flickering play of light in that one moment."

Discover all winning images on the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year website.

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Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from October 2026 to February 2027.

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.