/ 2026 / Fine Art / Landscape

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  John Goossens, Netherlands
• Date of Photograph
  The photographs were made on Madeira Island, Portugal (November 2024)
• Website
  https://www.johngoossensphotography.nl
• Instagram
  @john_goossens_photography

Madeira is often shown for its cliffs and bold colors. I found myself drawn to the quieter side of the island. These photographs look at moments where land and weather blur into each other: a mountain emerging from cloud, a forest held in mist, terraces recovering after fire, a lone tree above the fog, a pier at the edge of the Atlantic. The colors are muted because the experience was muted. It’s less about drama, more about presence.

John Goossens (b. 1977, Netherlands) is a Netherlands-based photographer whose work explores landscape as a space of quiet transformation. Through careful observation and restrained color, he examines how natural environments shift over time and how subtle human traces become part of them.
He frequently revisits locations to study repetition and gradual change. Recent projects include Leaf Studies and A Fixed Line, an aerial exploration of a forest road over time.
Primarily self-taught, he complements his practice with selected workshops. His work has been recognized in regional competitions a

Awards - 2025 – First Price, [Buitengewoon Gelderland Nature photo contest, Landscape – professional jury], Netherlands + exhibition
- 2025 – 5th place, [Regional Photo Contest: Montferland Culture landscape], Netherlands + exhibition