A robust folio of 4 landscapes – from sweeping dunes to winter stillness – has earned J. Fritz Rumpf the title of 2025 International Landscape Photographer of the Year.
Chosen from greater than 3600 entries submitted worldwide, the award celebrates a photographer whose portfolio is excellent – and Rumpf’s work rose above the group for its readability, temper, and technical excellence.
Central to Rumpf’s success is his strategy. The mixture of intention, endurance, and dependable instruments shapes how he works within the subject. While the photographer finally creates the artwork, the suitable tools performs an important supporting position. And Rumpf’s profitable folio displays this steadiness, drawing on three distinct techniques – together with a DSLR, mirrorless, and drone digital camera tech.
So let’s take a better have a look at his photographic strategy, the visible pondering behind his pictures, and the varied gear that helped deliver his award-winning collection to life.
Winning strategy
Rumpf’s work is born from lengthy, quiet stretches outside. He strives for pictures that catch the viewer’s consideration in a method that’s not instantly apparent, letting curiosity pull the viewer deeper into the scene.
A turning level in his strategy got here when he heard one other photographer discuss having a dialog with the panorama earlier than he pictures it. At first, it puzzled him – now he acknowledges it because the core of this follow. “Spending all day in nature, marveling at its beauty, gives me a chance to have those conversations and connect more deeply with my surroundings.”
This sense of silent dialogue shapes all 4 profitable pictures. Each body holds a distilled second wherein mild, line, and emotion align. Rumpf explored the landscapes from totally different heights and views: from low-ground-level compositions to views from above. Each shift in perspective, he says, presents a special method to take heed to the panorama.
The gear
While Rumpf believes the artist creates the image, he also emphasises the importance of gear. “(…) There is no denying that good quality equipment is essential and makes a big difference,” he says. His winning folio was built using three imaging systems.
Rampf shot the image Winter Meditations using the Nikon D850 with 70-200mm f/2.8 at 1/80 sec, f/10, and ISO 2000. The D850 remains one of Nikon’s most respected DSLRs, combining high 45.7M resolution and robust handling.
These features allowed Rumpf to frame the frost-dusted landscape and respond to fleeting shifts in winter light, translating subtle tonal gradations and quiet mood into a single, meditative frame.
Nikon Z7 II – Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless
Rumpf captured two images of his awarded folio with the Nikon Z7 II. River and Dunes was shot using a Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR at 1/12500 sec, f/8, and ISO 2800, while Whispers was recorded with the Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR at 1/20 sec, f/13, and ISO 800.
The Z7 II remains one of Nikon’s flagship mirrorless cameras, combining a 45.7MP full-frame sensor with excellent handling and a 5-axis image stabilisation system. With these specs, Rumpf photographed fine textures and sweeping lines with precision, while the responsive mirrorless system gave him the flexibility to experiment with composition in real time.
The Hasselblad L2D-20c – dynamic drone tech
Rumpf captured Storm Over Fields using the Hasselblad L2D-20c at 1/120 sec, f/2.8, and ISO 200. The L2D-20c, used in DJI drones like the Mavic 3, offers 12.8 stops of dynamic range, and adjustable aperture from f/2.8 to f/11, a 24mm equivalent focal length, and advanced autofocus – allowing Rumpf to capture the dramatic high-contrast subject and sweeping textures with precision.
Tripods, head balls and editing software
Discover the eBook
Discover the full results in the newly released International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2025 eBook, featuring the Top 101 images, expert commentary, complete scores, and the extended Top 202+ online gallery. The ebook is available now on the official ILPOTY website.
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