One of my favorite annual posts is the year-end Peers collection. Once again, we have a wonderful mix of long-time contributors alongside some newer faces. My wish is to keep my audience’s view of the wider world, and what better way to do that than through the work of my fellow photographers?
Some of these folks are pros, while others are semi-professionals or hobbyists, but they all have produced some fantastic images over the years. I hope you’ll take time to see their highlighted images below and visit their websites/social media accounts to see their full “Best of 2025” galleries or their general photo collections.
Also, be sure to check out my peers’ Best Of selections that I’ve shared from other years.
All photos below are posted with permission and remain the intellectual property of their original owners. Please respect their copyrights!
Amy Gerber
Amy is a fellow Yellowstone-area photographer who’s been documenting wildlife in the GYE’s eastern region for years, in addition to other locations such as Costa Rica and Africa. When I saw the encounter below earlier this year, I begged her to send me a photo for the Peers collection!
About the photo: “In August, while traversing the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Range outside Cody, I came across a sight I have never seen in all my years out in the field: two rattlesnakes engaged in a battle for dominance. I first thought they were a mating pair but after some research discovered they were both males, twisting and entangling one another in an attempt to out-maneuver their foe. The display was creepy and beautiful all at the same time.
“Snakes fascinate me. I really love seeing them. I would even go as far as saying I seek them out when traveling. I have countless anecdotes, but I won’t bore you with those. Like most people, their presence causes a tightening in my gut and a bit of unease. Is this a learned reaction? I think so. No animal, with the possible exception of a big hairy spider, causes more distress among humans. And I think we all learned, somewhere along the way, to fear these creatures even though they are mostly harmless. Mostly. Also, they play an incredibly important ecological role in the desert ecosystem. However, with all that said, I admit that as I was lying on my belly in the two-track road, at eye level with these snakes, I was unnerved at the possibility they (or possibly other snakes … like the female they were battling for) would suddenly be way too close. I maintained a distance of about 15 yards from them, mostly for my own personal safety but also so they weren’t disturbed. The display lasted for 30 to 40 minutes, right in the middle of the two-track trail. They eventually uncoupled and followed one another into the sagebrush. I spend a lot of time out in the high desert … next time I go traipsing across landscape, whether I’m on the two track or walking through the sagebrush, I will wear my X-TRA Tuff boots. I’m usually wearing Birkenstocks… not a very smart footwear choice for a smart girl. In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 was the “Year of the Snake,” and I am grateful for this wild moment with the snakes. Seems perfectly fitting.”
See more of Amy’s work:
Anton Sorokin
A biologist and photographer, Anton does a lot of work in the Americas, highlighted by his fantastic macro photography featuring reptiles and amphibians. In recent years he has delved into underwater photography as well, which helped land him an award in the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
About the photo: “At the bottom of a cold fast-flowing river in central California, two Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) come together to spawn. In order to photograph this species, I had to wade through the river looking for likely spawning habitat above and below rapids — when I found areas that looked right I’d submerge myself in the frigid waters and look for lamprey. Most of the time, I’d find nothing. On a few occasions, I found a solitary fish but here I found a pair and was able to photograph behavior. Often reviled for being parasites, the lamprey are native to these watersheds and are an important component of the local biodiversity. This pair was quite tender as they spawned and worked together to build a redd or nest for their eggs.”
See more of Anton’s work:
Bill Gussman
Bill is a long-time friend with whom we’ve shared adventures in Yellowstone, Africa and Australia. Even though he doesn’t have a website and only shares photos on his personal social media account, I’m happy to include his posts here.
About the photo: “Our trip to Uganda promised a chance to see gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild. Birds were also a major focus and there was a chance to see the prehistoric looking Shoebill Stork. Our search took us into the Mbamba Swamp via a local fisherman’s canoe. After zig-zagging through the reed-choked channels for some time we came across a pair of these strange birds and after some time one took to flight.”
Dave Sizer
Dave covers sporting events in the Pacific Northwest for various publications. I know him through my work with Husky Football, but Dave travels around the region covering college and professional sports. He’s the lone sports photographer who still contributes to this collection!
About the photo: “Brady Russell of the Seattle Seahawks carries the 12th man flag through a laser show as the team prepares to take the field.” [Max’s Note: Go Hawks!]
See more of Dave’s work:
Ekaterina Bee
Ekaterina is a young photographer from Italy who’s found success in theWildlife Photographer of the Yearcompetition, placing three times already in youth categories (her first win was at the age of 6!), the 11-14 Year-Old category win. It was a delight to meet her and her family in London.
About the photo: “I took this photo on the first evening of our boat excursion in the Brazilian Pantanal, just before returning to our pousada. I tried to compose the image in a way that conveys a sense of the environment and the jaguar’s connection to the place it lives in.”
See more of Eka’s work:
Gil Wizen
This is Gil’s first time contributing to this collection, and I’m excited to bring him into the fold! Gil is a naturalist and science communicator specializing in macro photography. He’s a multiple honoree in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition (I first met him in London), and has provided invaluable info to help me identify several macro subjects and learn more about their behavior.
About the photo: “While surveying for pre-montane rainforest arthropods at the foothills of Sumaco volcano in Ecuador, I came across this strawberry orb weaver, Micrathena clypeata, busy constructing her egg sac. Normally, Orb weaver spiders construct their egg sacs in the safety of a retreat or build them attached to a firm surface for the purpose of concealing them later. Micrathena spiders, however, are unique in that they spin their egg sac while being completely suspended in the air by a single silk thread. This most likely reduces the chances of the freshly laid eggs being infected by a fungus or a parasitoid. Because of these special conditions, capturing this photo of a female spider spinning her sac was extremely challenging. It was a very dynamic scene; dangling from a strand of silk, the spider literally spins the sac around while the whole construction swings from side to side in the breeze. I spent a good hour with the spider trying different compositions and lighting only to fail time after time. Yet through patience and perseverance I was able to eventually obtain this crisp, symmetrical single shot. The egg sac color and texture reminded me of the moon, so to me the photo looks like the strawberry spider is holding the moon between her legs.”
See more of Gil’s work:
Jennifer King
Jennifer and I cross paths in Yellowstone every winter. She is an award-winning landscape and fine art photographer who has been widely published and has been a featured speak for numerous events and organizations. She’s known for her black and white work especially.
About the photo: “A lone elephant wanders the plains in Amboseli, Kenya.”
See more of Jennifer’s work:
Jérémy Mathieu
Jérémy is a colleague who specializes in still and video photography. Though he is from France, we met in Yellowstone, where he leads tours. Jérémy is based in Canada, taking advantage of his time abroad to explore many of North America’s wild areas. He has recently directed a documentary on the impact of fish farms on the aquatic ecosystems of British Columbia.
About the photo: “In the old growth forest of the west coast of Vancouver Island, a black bear came to check my camera trap. He smelled it and left with this nice and original photo. I’ve been using camera traps for the past 4 years. The amount of sacrifices and failures that led up to finally collecting this kind of photo is beyond describable.”
See more of Jérémy’s work:
Jess Findlay
Jess is one of Canada’s leading nature photographers, and has been doing exciting work on some longer conservation and research projects in more remote wilderness areas in recent years. He’s a past winner of the Windland Smith Rice Youth Photographer of the Year Award, and has multiple honors in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s senior competition, including a top finisher in last year’s People’s Choice awards (which was previous featured in this year-end list!). Much of his work highlights the amazing wildlife of British Columbia, as well as tropical birds and other species in Central and South America.
About the photo: “On an early spring morning, a Franklin’s Spruce Grouse perches on the limb of a Lodgepole Pine in British Columbia’s Okanagan Highlands. In the southern part of their range, males of this subspecies perform a unique territorial display, during which they take off from a low perch, fly into a forest clearing, and clap their wings behind their back just before landing—producing an amazingly loud double-clap.
“I really enjoyed getting to better understand this species and their unique behaviours and ecology this past spring. Many frosty mornings were spent in the predawn gloom, trying in vain to avoid particularly crunchy footsteps while zeroing in on the rifle-like sounds of displaying males that emanated from dense swaths of young conifers. The more I observed the subtle variations in the regenerating forest—at first appearing entirely homogenous—it was clear that different niches were being exploited by these birds for feeding, nesting, and displaying.”
See more of Jess’s work:
Jill Cooper & Simon Jackson
Jill and Simon are conservation-minded storytellers based in Canada. They are the founders of the Ghost Bear Institute, which emphasizes youth-oriented education and conservation, and Nature Labs, a virtual textbook being used to advance nature literacy. In just 15 months since launching NatureLabs.ca, they’ve now reached more than 150,000 students in every region of Canada. Every interview, story, lesson and resource they’ve produced has been consumed, with most of the tools being accessed daily. Hearing how Nature Labs is helping educators spark curiosity and foster critical thinking makes the journey worthwhile.
About the photo: “This year marks two notable anniversaries: our ten year wedding anniversary and, proceeded by a week, our first photographic encounter with a marten. And guess who decided to help us mark these anniversaries with us? You guessed it, a marten.
About the photo: “Jill’s top image of 2025 was a quiet, joyful moment with a saw-whet owl fledgling. We were able to watch two fledglings—our first saw-whet young—from a respectful distance as they slept, stretched, scratched, and went about their day, including one memorable moment when a pellet was politely produced (and caught on video). Beyond the charm of the owls themselves, the experience marked a meaningful return to still photography after several years focused on video work for Nature Labs, a gentle reminder of the joy of slowing down and simply observing.”
See more of Jill and Simon’s work:
See Jill and Simon’s Top Images of 2025
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John Blumenkamp
John is a nature and wildlife photograph who documents subjects in the western US, particularly in Utah and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. He was also a fellow Highly Commended recipient in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Animal Portraits category a few years ago, and we also shared honors in the 2017 Windland Smith Rice photography awards.
About the photo: “Each early summer I check out a handful of Burrowing Owl locations out on Antelope Island, located within the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. Of the half dozen or so burrows I’m familiar with there are typically two or three occupied by these awesome little creatures, with their new brood of usually 6-8 owlets appearing for the first time. This past summer all of the burrows I watched were busy with activity, which was great to see. This particular image was one of my favorites as I was able to capture this quick flyer returning to a perch near its home burrow.”
See more of John’s work:
Judd Patterson
Judd is a photographer based in Colorado. Though he works for the National Park Service in a capacity outside of photography, Judd travels frequently with camera in hand in his free time, with a focus on avian subjects. I interviewed Judd and highlighted some of his wonderful work a few years ago here in the blog.
About the photo: “One of my favorite areas to explore in the mountains is the Krummholz, that region just below treeline where the hardy pines that persist are stunted and twisted by the extreme conditions. It was there that I stumbled upon a feeding Clark’s Nutcracker this past fall. For quite a while I watched this bird gather—and then cache—dozens of pine nuts. Their spatial memory is outstanding and they can store up to 100,000 seeds that they will revisit during the harsh winter.”
See more of Judd’s work:
Kate and Adam Rice
Kate and Adam are award-winning photographers. Formerly nomadic, they have settled in Alaska, where they operate their own photo gallery in Anchorage. They have received multiple commendations in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, and lead tours and workshops around the world. Kate and Adam are the co-founders of For the Love of Bears, a non-profit focused on bear conservation.
About the photo: “What’s better than catching a salmon? Catching two salmon! This coastal wolf had just entered the lagoon when he quickly snagged a big silver salmon. With his prize in his jaws, he started trotting back toward the grassy bank—mission accomplished. But then, temptation struck. Another large salmon darted by, and without hesitation, the wolf lunged after it, still holding onto the first fish.
“For a few suspenseful moments, it looked like he might actually pull off the ultimate double catch. We couldn’t help but wonder—how would he even carry both? In the end, the second salmon slipped away. At least he still had the first one!”
See more from Kate and Adam:
Ken Archer
Kenis a longtime contributor to this collection. He and I have crossed paths several times shooting wildlife and birds in the Pacific Northwest and in Yellowstone. Having worked for decades in journalism, Ken now leads photo tours in North and Latin America, and Africa.
About the photo: “During our annual spring workshop in South Texas, our small group was set-up in a blind on a very warm late afternoon near a small pond. Our hopes were that some of the beautiful birds that live in this area would stop by the quiet pond for a drink and perhaps if we were lucky, a nice bath. Another pond though, a bit more distant from the blind but within reasonable range for good photos, attracted a pair of gorgeous Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. We excitedly watched and photographed as the pair took turns splash-bathing in flight at the middle of the pond. Each bird flew separately to the pond from the same perch, taking turns bathing. Rarely were both birds at the perch at the same time, but finally after many bathing runs back and forth, the female decided stay at the perch to preen a bit when the male returned after his bath. We were rewarded with this brief but incredible courtship display between the amorous birds, before they flew off together to the distant woodlands that had provided the wonderful background for the scene.”
See more of Ken’s work:
Laura Dyer
Laura is a professional photographer who specializes in African wildlife, but also photographs nature subjects in Europe. We met in Kenya while both hoping bring clients face to face with the black leopard. Laura and her husband Dan helped spearhead a conservation fundraising project with the film The Last Cheetahs (which you can watch in its entirety here).
About the photo: “Giraffe before dawn in Kenya, as the colours of false dawn spread across the open horizon. The almost full moon was shining overhead as the giraffe rested, and a few stars were still bright enough to filter into the image, enough of a reason to be up very early to find a subject. Those horizons in the Mara North Conservancy are very well positioned, and I always aim to be there an hour before sunrise to give a chance to use a clear dawn to good effect.”
See more of Laura’s work:
Lennart Verheuvel
Lennart is a nature photographer from the Netherlands who shares an affinity for rare and elusive species. He travels to far-flung places looking for rather obscure animals, so I’m always interested in seeing the latest from his adventures. Lennart was also a fellow award-winner in the 2023 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
About the photo: “One of my favourite photos this year depicts this green frog attempting to catch a hoverfly. It reminds me that nature photography can still surprise me, and that all it takes is simply looking at my environment in a different way. In this case, I spent the day at a hide I had visited before in order to photograph some birds. I actually went there because bird migration was at an end, and I simply enjoyed spending the day in a forest with birds going about their daily business. The morning went as expected: I photographed some birds that came into the pond in front of the hide. Nothing too spectacular, but it was still an enjoyable few hours.
“As it got hotter outside, bird activity gradually declined and I started to become a bit bored. It was then that I noticed the frogs in the pond, which would make these little jumps every now and then. After a little while, I figured out that they did this every time an insect got close to the water’s surface or even landed on it. After that, I started to follow every insect I noticed and took pictures whenever they got close to the water.
“The attacks by the frogs happened faster than my eyes could follow, which made it a lot of fun to look back at my camera screen each time to see if I had managed to record the action and how the image had turned out. This picture was one of my favourites of that afternoon and serves as a reminder that boring situations simply don’t have to exist in nature photography.”
Check out Lennart’s Highlights of 2025.
See more of Lennart’s work:
MacNeil Lyons
MacNeil is a long-time guiding colleague in Yellowstone, and I finally remembered to ask him to join the Peers collection as a contributor. With a background in biology and decades of experience in the field, MacNeil has just about seen it all in the park, including taking what is probably the best series of in-person wolverine photographs in the park. MacNeil is also a contributor to an upcoming piece in Outdoor Photographer about wildlife photography ethics.
About the photo: “As we waited patiently standing in the snow for a bull moose to rise from its willow-encased bed, the quick flash of white streaking across the landscape caught our eyes. This ermine stopped perfectly in profile looking toward us over its right shoulder, but I couldn’t line up the composition and focus in time to make the portrait happen. In another flash it darted toward the bedded moose and willows for more cover. My camera finally locked on the moving subject as it leaped away. I feel like this is a good parting end of the year image as we all bounce into our new adventures in 2026.”
See more of MacNeil’s work:
Mario Moreno
Mario is an award-winning photographer who specializes in capturing vibrant and dramatic wildlife scenes in Africa. It’s been several years since he contributed a photo to this collection, and I’m excited to have him back with a “classic” Mario shot!
About the photo: “At sunrise in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, our search for giraffe silhouettes was unexpectedly interrupted when a lioness appeared on the horizon, moving quietly across the plains in the early morning light.”
See more of Mario’s work:
Michelle Valberg
Michelle is a veteran award-winning wildlife photographer and Nikon Ambassador from Canada. In 2022 she was awarded the prestigious Order of Canada. Michelle was fortunate to get to know the late Dr. Jane Goodall, and has posted some touching tributes to her on her Instagram page. We somehow manage to just miss each other in Yellowstone each year, but one day we’ll meet!
About the photo: “This photograph offers an intimate glimpse into the world of polar bears in Scoresby Sound, Greenland. A momma bear and her cub, both posed in unison on the stark volcanic rock in a dramatic Arctic landscape. Their pause is telling—noses lifted, they are acutely aware of their surroundings, they were sensing the presence of another female bear who has entered their territory.”
See more of Michelle’s work:
Nate Luebbe
Nate is an accomplished landscape photographer who leads photography workshops around the globe. He’s developed quite a following on social media thanks to some incredible photography, a quick wit, and by taking chances (like sending a camera into space using a balloon). In recent years he’s taken more interest in wildlife photography, and I’m delighted to have him making his first contribution to the peers list.
About the photo: “My first trip to Africa was an eye-opening experience. I’ve never before seen somewhere so vibrant and so full of life, with every single corner filled to the brim with every animal imaginable from tiny birds to giant mammals. Of course, for the wildlife living in that area it presents a constant challenge, as a significant number of those animals are predators. I was so touched by how the ‘prey’ animals, even ones as large as elephants and giraffes, stick together for safety. They have complex social structures and make decisions as groups in order to find food, water, and avoid danger.
“After three full days on the Chobe River we still had only seen the very top of a giraffe, poking above some trees far off in the distance. They’re an animal I’ve always loved and wanted a good photo of them perhaps more than any other animal in Africa. As the sun crept low towards the horizon we positioned our boat on the river bank with a great view off towards the distance when suddenly a family of giraffes walked out of the woods, directly in front of the sun, and struck a pose.
“Good photography is a blend of preparation, skill, and pure, unadulterated luck. Many times all you can do is put yourself in a good position and hope that everything lines up. This evening worked out so well it almost felt like divine intervention. Like some mystical spirit of the universe wanted me to get this shot, the cosmos itself aligning to help me create the exact image I had imagined a thousand times leading up to this trip. I have no doubt that I will still love this photo 50 years from now, and will fondly look back on it as a cornerstone image of my career.”
See more of Nate’s work:
Nicolas Rakotopare
Nico is a first-time contributor to this series. He is a conservation photographer and filmmaker who has traveled worldwide, but does a lot of work especially in Australia and southeast Asia (Borneo connected us, in fact). Nico is also an associate fellow at the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP).
About the photo: “In 2025 I travelled widely for my work, from Sri Lanka to Borneo, documenting wildlife across a range of landscapes. Yet one of my favourite images of the year comes from much closer to home: a Grey-headed Flying Fox from a colony near my house that I have been visiting for years. Photographing evening fly-outs requires long hours, patience, and a degree of luck, as the bats emerge close to or after sunset in rapidly fading light. The conditions that afternoon were challenging, but this brief moment of eye contact made the effort worthwhile. These remarkable animals are essential to healthy ecosystems, and I’ll continue photographing and filming them for as long as I can.”
See more of Nico’s work:
Pietro Formis
Pietro is an expert underwater photographer from Italy. He has published several books and leads underwater workshops around the world. He was a fellow honoree in the Animal Portraits category of the 59th Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.
About the photo: “A sand moray with a shrimp, often seen together in Malapascua, Philippines.”
See more of Pietro’s work:
Rob Kroenert
Rob makes his home in Silver Gate, so he’s essentially a part-time neighbor! Rob spends a lot of time exploring Yellowstone, and has built up quite a collection of excellent wildlife images from the park in recent years. And as a trip report aficionado, I must say that Rob’s occasional seasonal reports from the park are a must-read.
About the photo: “This spring I was lucky enough to be able to observe a fox den in Yellowstone for an extended period of time. On a cold morning when the kits were still very young, one of the two runts accidentally fell into a pool by their den and emerged disheveled, shivering, and clearly unhappy to be starting the day with a bath.”
See more of Rob’s work:
Sean Sharp
Sean and I have crossed paths both in Yellowstone and Alaska, and I’m happy to see him contributing to the Peers collection again for the first time in a few years. He has an award-winning background in sports photography and has worked for Kodak.
About the photo: “Admittedly, I am not someone who photographs a lot of birds. That said, looking back at 2025, I spent most of the past eight months in SW Florida where the humidity runs high and the variety of birds draws one in. In observing the local wading birds, I was immediately enamored with the pink coloration of feathers, the bright red eyes, and behaviors of the Roseate Spoonbills. Much like flamingos, spoonbills get their pink colors from consuming crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates. For me though, even more than their beautiful colors, it was their fishing styles that I enjoyed photographing most. As seen here, this adult spoonbill would skim the shallow water with its bill, and then once it grasps its tiny prey, the spoonbill would throw its food into the air and catch it with an open beak. Unfortunately, this spoonbill’s snack is almost too tiny to see so I will have to keep trying for a chance to photograph a bigger catch in 2026.”
See more of Sean’s work:
Check out my peers’ Best Of selections that I’ve shared from other years.
More Year in Review Content
My 2025 Favorites in Entertainment and Literature
My Best of 2025 (January 7)
