The Concept of the Top Ten Selections

For the past decade, I’ve chosen my top ten favorite photographs of the year, shared them on my website, and created a video slideshow to showcase them. Reflecting on the year and reliving those special moments is always enjoyable, but I also find it valuable to review my work from the previous year. I reflect on the photos I liked the most and consider what makes them special to me. Sometimes, I discover that photos I initially liked don’t stand the test of time and don’t make it into the final selection. Other photos that I didn’t appreciate at first have grown on me and are now among my favorites. I find it insightful to think about the reasons behind these choices.

My goal and hope are to carry the insights I gain from this process into my photography and create better photographs in the coming year. I’m not sure if that has worked out, but I’ve enjoyed the process nonetheless.

Somewhere Und the Rainbow

This year’s selection is called “Somewhere Under the Rainbow.” Not only is it the title of one of the chosen photographs, it also reflects the elusiveness of what I try to capture and achieve whenever I pick up my camera. They say that creative (some say “artistic”) expression is a form of communication, but since I act and decide intuitively whenever I create, I sometimes don’t even clearly understand the message I am trying to convey myself. It remains hidden somewhere under the rainbow.

Now, without further ado, here is my selection of the top ten photographs 2025. As always, click on the image to view it larger and in an almost distraction-free lightbox. Below the photos and the accompanying write-up, you can find a video slideshow of the images. Enjoy in whichever format you prefer!

Industrial Refractions #2

I have always loved creating abstract architectural photographs with plenty of semi-transparent reflections, ever since I started my “Deliberately Confusing” series back in 2017. It has always felt like creating a double exposure without actually being one. Since then, the series has evolved into what I now call Urban Refractions, although the underlying concept has remained largely the same. The multitude of contradictory visual elements creates a certain elusiveness regarding the actual subject and “meaning” of each image, inviting the viewer to explore – both visually and introspectively. Or at least, that’s what I intend. Does it work? You be the judge.

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex #86

The last photograph and the following one were actually taken at the same location – the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near my home. It goes without saying that I go there regularly to take photos. This one, however, has a slightly tragic and at the same time slightly funny backstory.

Tragic, because I took this shot right after dropping my camera from my tripod. For some reason I still can’t explain, the tripod’s ball head had loosened, and my camera fell onto the stony ground from about 1.8 meters high. I guess the plastic lens hood saved my camera that day. It broke, of course, but it must have absorbed most of the impact’s energy and thus protected the lens from serious damage. The camera, however, did need repair afterwards. It sort of still worked, but it wouldn’t reliably turn on anymore — sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t. The image below was one of the first frantic test shots I took after the fall, which leads us to the funny part of the story. You see, I got some very positive feedback on the composition of the shot — the way the shadows were positioned and all that. Obviously, though, I wasn’t thinking about composition at all when I took the photo; I was a bit preoccupied with other concerns. Well, that’s how it goes sometimes. By the way, you can find the other photographs from this shoot in this blog post.

Orang-Utan and Indian Wild Dog #2

There isn’t much to be said about the following photos. Apparently, no top ten selection is complete without at least one animal portrait. I have to admit, though, that these two are special. The orangutan gives such a friendly smile and makes such direct eye contact that I almost feel inclined to hug him. And the Indian wild dog was kind enough to pose for me for eternity. Thanks, guys — you were terrific models.

Emscher Bridge

I took this shot in a small, utterly inconsequential town in the Ruhr area. It may very well be the most unremarkable town in the entire region. The bridge, however, is a different story. Because of its S-shape and the course of the river, it spans the Emscher twice — and additionally, another canal. The bridge itself is quite striking, almost spectacular, and well worth a visit. The calm water and the bridge’s reflection created conditions for this nearly symmetrical composition, which ultimately earned the photo its place in this selection. Check out this post to see the other photos I took that day.

Black Sand Beach #3

The remaining five photos in this selection were all taken during my trip to Iceland in August 2025. This particular image was captured on the famous black sand beach near the equally famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. This part of the beach is also known as Diamond Beach because of the countless large and small chunks of ice that are washed ashore there. Originally, I had planned to photograph those — and I did — but the experience turned out to be anything but enjoyable. The place was crowded with photographers, most of them outrageously shameless and selfish. More than once, some guy walked right up to where I was standing, looked me straight in the eye, and then planted himself directly in front of my camera. After a while, I gave up on that frustrating endeavor and turned around to leave — when I suddenly saw the scene shown in this photograph. As soon as the long exposure finished, I knew this shot would end up in my 2025 top ten selection.

Fiallsárlón #3

Iceland is a truly unique place. It’s been almost half a year since I returned, and I still struggle to find the right words to describe it. The following photograph was taken at the Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon — a magical place. To get there, you take a short walk from the parking area over a small hill. Only when you reach the top does the glacier lagoon reveal itself. And with astonishing immediacy, you feel as if you were standing in the middle of the Arctic. For this particular composition, I used my 20 mm wide-angle lens. I didn’t use it as often as I had expected in Iceland, but every time I did, it was worth it. See for yourself.

Marina #3

Somewhere in the northwestern part of Iceland, there is a small village called Bakkagerði. Set in a remote little fjord with beautiful mountains surrounding it, the village lies far away from the mass tourism that has taken hold of so many other parts of Iceland. The only touristy thing this village is known for is its large colony of puffins. Most visitors go there to see them, as you can watch the little birds from almost an arm’s length away. Personally, I think they’re missing out, because the place would be just as beautiful without the puffins. I’d gladly spend a week or two there, walking in the hills and quietly relaxing. There’s a small marina — nothing special, really — but I immediately fell in love with it. I think it was the rural simplicity of the place that truly touched me. And that’s what I tried to capture in this photograph.

Clouds Over Vatnsnes

While it’s very hard to name any favorites in Iceland, I’d say I prefer the north over the south. What I saw and experienced there was beautiful — almost magically so, beyond description. Unfortunately, I could only take it in while driving, with no opportunity to pull over and grab a few shots. In the case of the next photograph, however, I did get the chance — and I seized it, even though it was probably illegal to do so.

Say what you will about the rain in Iceland. Yes, it can be nasty and truly annoying at times. But it also gives us these unbelievably epic clouds. See for yourself.

Somewhere Under the Rainbow

The following photograph, too, would not have been possible without the rain — for the rain doesn’t only bring clouds (and wet pants), but also rainbows. I had only a few minutes before it started pouring down, basically forcing me to flee to the car, completely drenched. I would have loved to go down to sea level and photograph this sea stack — which, by the way, is called Hvitserkur and is a well-known landmark in northern Iceland. But it wasn’t meant to be this time. On the one hand, that’s a shame; on the other hand, it gives me an excuse to return to Iceland and experience its rough wildness once more. Until then, I’ll have to make do with the Hvitserkur image I captured on that trip. Here it is.

Conclusion

These are my top ten photographs from 2025. I hope you enjoyed them. Below, you will find an animated slideshow for your viewing pleasure. Please let me know what you think in the comments. And if you do your own top ten selection, please share the link there, too, if you can. I’d love to see them.