Ptarmigan in the White Darkness: My Biggest Photographic Achievement So Far

In April 2025, something happened that I’m still struggling to wrap my head around. At the Czech Nature Photo award ceremony at Prague Castle, my photograph Ptarmigan in the White Darkness won 1st place in the category “Animals in Their Environment,” and on top of that also received the Photograph of the Year title. An absolute win. Writing it down feels almost as surreal as hearing it announced live.

When you’re standing in a hall full of people whose work you’ve admired for years, and suddenly your own name is called, it’s hard to believe. I still feel like the whole day was just a dream. All the more reason I’m deeply grateful that my photo resonated with the jury enough to receive such recognition. And at the same time, I have huge respect for all the other winners and nominees, big congratulations to them as well! In such company, you inevitably feel very small.

(photo: Oldřich Drnec)

How the photo came to be

The image has a very personal story behind it. I took it during last year’s winter trek across Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park in Finnish Lapland. We set out primarily for the winter landscapes and the aurora, but on that particular day nature showed its harsher side. Clear skies turned into a freezing fog, and the atmosphere grew so dense you could almost slice through it. Everything around us disappeared into whiteness.

We spent the morning photographing rime-covered trees when I caught a tiny movement in the corner of my eye beneath one of the birches. And there, almost blending perfectly into the surroundings, sat a willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), a fairly common but very inconspicuous inhabitant of the local tundra. The moment lasted only a few seconds. Luckily, I had my telephoto lens mounted. I stopped, inhaled, pressed the shutter. And I got lucky. One of those fleeting encounters you can never really plan for.

I had a feeling right away that it could turn into a pretty nice photograph, but it wasn’t until I was going through hundreds of shots back home that I gave this one a five-star rating in my Lightroom catalogue (only the third photo I’ve ever done that for). Even with all the epic shots of the northern lights, it was clear to me that this one was the best image I brought back from the trip.

I cropped the photo into a square. Partly because it’s a format I’m very fond of, and partly because it allowed space in the right third of the frame to emphasize the vastness and emptiness so characteristic of this landscape. A key compositional detail is that the ptarmigan is turned toward that open space; without this subtle but central element, I don’t think the photo would work nearly as well. On the far right edge, you can even spot what’s likely the tip of a small tree poking up on the faint horizon, which is an almost provocative little imperfection disrupting an otherwise nearly pristine scene.

These are exactly the kinds of images I’m drawn to: photographs that are primarily landscape-driven, yet hold a small, authentic trace of life that elevates them to a completely different level. I’m incredibly grateful that the competition jury saw it the same way. They described their decision like this:

“We were impressed by the way the winning photograph combines minimalist aesthetics with the harsh character of northern nature. The compelling interplay of visual aspects such as color rendering, composition, and the overall mood created by the image captivated us. The winning photograph not only stands out visually but also evokes strong emotions and encourages reflection on both the beauty and the rawness of nature.”

Ptarmigan in the White Darkness

What the award means to me

Of course, this win is a personal achievement. But it’s also a reminder of why I photograph nature in the first place: because it fascinates me, surprises me, teaches me patience and humility, and sometimes grants me a moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life. And when such a moment resonates with others too, it’s an immense joy.

I’d like to thank the jury for seeing something more in the photo than just “a bird in the snow.” My congratulations also go to all the other category winners—their work inspires and motivates me to keep improving. And finally, I want to thank that one “polar chicken” who posed for me for a few brief seconds. I hope you’re still out there somewhere in the North.

The exhibition at Prague Castle

The photograph was exhibited alongside many brilliant winning and shortlisted images from the competition in the Terezin Wing of Prague Castle, as part of the Czech Nature Photo 2025 – Where Nature Reigns exhibition. It was truly fantastic that, thanks to the cooperation with the Prague Castle Administration, Czech Photo was able to host the exhibition in such a prestigious and historically significant setting. It was a joy to see the Castle once again lively with cultural events. The exhibition was also officially supported by Eva Pavlová, the First Lady of the Czech Republic, and it was a tremendous honor to receive the winning trophy directly from her hands.

(photo: Oldřich Drnec)