Luca Lorenz Wins GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 with Ghostlike Hare

Luca Lorenz, a 20-year-old wildlife photographer hailing from Berlin, has been awarded the title of GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 for his captivating image 'White on White.' This photograph showcases a mountain hare blending seamlessly at a cave's entrance in the Swiss Alps. Chosen from nearly 9,000 submissions by 546 members of the German Society for Nature Photographers (GDT), Lorenz utilized a long exposure technique to capture the hare, which remained still for several hours. The image underscores the dangers climate change presents to Alpine mountain hares, whose white winter fur increasingly contrasts with the bare ground. The competition included seven categories, introducing a new one for 2026: Biodiversity: The Beauty and Significance of Natural Diversity. Other notable winners were Jens Cullmann (Other Animals), Radomir Jakubowski (Birds), Tobias Richter (Plants and Fungi), Eike Christian Wolff (Landscapes), Beate Oswald (Nature's Studio), and Dieter Damschen (Special Category).