The 2025 Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year Winners Announced
The 2025 Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year Winners Announced
The Royal Meteorological Society has announced the winners of this year’s Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year Competition, celebrating ten years of the competition.
Chosen from over 4,000 images received from both amateur and professional photographers from 84 countries, the judges’ winners were chosen by an international panel of experts from the fields of weather and climate, photography and journalism, including members of the ITV Weather team.
In addition, the public voted for their favourite on the Royal Meteorological Society website. View the Winners’ Galleries on the Royal Meteorological Society website.
The Main Category
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The prestigious title of Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025 has been awarded to Geshuang Chen and Shuchang Dong, with The Gorgeous Ring. Engineer and astronomy photographer Geshuang Chen, from China, noted:
“It was drizzling on Lugu Lake [In China’s Yunnan Province]. I flew my drone to a height of 500 metres, passed through the rain curtain, with my lens facing away from the sun, and captured a complete circular rainbow, which was a ring given by the sun to the lake.”
The judges found this image particularly special: not just a rare view of a complete rainbow, but a moment of perfect alignment, with the small island framed precisely at its centre. Geshuang Chen and Shuchang Dong win a £5,000 cash prize.
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The Main Category Runner Up is Jadwiga Piasecka, from the UK, with Eunice III, an image from a sheltered place out of reach of the storm in Newhaven, on the south coast of the UK, where winds were gusting at over 80 miles per hour. “
From my vantage point, I watched enormous waves battling against the sea wall, sending dramatic sprays of water high into the air…highlighting just how immense the storm’s fury truly was” she says.
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Main Category Third Place goes to Lukáš Gallo, from the Czech Republic, with Sky Surfing, a perfectly timed shot of rare ‘wave’, or fluctus. Clouds are formed when there’s a sharp difference in wind speed or direction between two layers of air, similar to the way wind can whip up waves on the surface of the sea. The result is a spectacular series of cloud curls that look like breaking ocean waves, as well as a clear visual warning of turbulence.
The Mobile Category
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The Standard Chartered Mobile Weather Photographer of the Year is Kyaw Zay Yar Lin, from Myanmar, with the photograph Fishing in the Raining Season. This photo captures the urgent feeling of being caught in a sudden downpour. The motion blur of both the fishermen and the rain makes the viewer feel part of the action, caught in the sudden intensity of a tropical storm. Kyaw Zay Yar Lin wins a cash prize of £2500.
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The Mobile Category Runner Up award goes to Tamás Kusza, from Slovakia, with Path to the Heart of the Storm. Tamás describes the moment he took the photo:
“I knew a special moment was coming. I rode the dirt road far enough until I had to stop: the sight was almost paralysing. I put my bike down and took out my camera. I stood there, facing the heart of the storm, where the power of nature and my own courage met. It was the moment before the silence. The world silently watched my steps. Would I stay and capture the storm, or turn back? But I knew: I was always heading toward the storm.”
The Young Category
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The Standard Chartered Young Weather Photographer of the Year title goes to Alex Cruz, from the US, with Eruption of the Sky. Captured from a passenger plane flying between Washington, DC, and Orlando, Florida, this photo reveals a spectacular view of a thunderstorm cloud glowing pink against a deepening blue sky.
“We were flying alongside a lightning storm, which was a pretty cool sight,” says young photographer Alex Cruz.
Alex wins a cash prize of £750, plus a double page spread in The Week Junior Science+Nature Magazine and a year’s subscription to the magazine.
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Young Weather Photographer Runner-up is Ellen Ross, from the US, with Clear Skies Ahead. Young photographer Ellen Ross says:
“I quickly grabbed my dad’s phone and took this photo, because it’s rare to see such an interesting storm. Also, because of the small patch of blue sky behind it. I think it shows good days to come.”
Judge Dan Green exclaimed: “I absolutely love this photo — a weather drama unfolding over the lake. The clarity of the storm front is exceptional, with some interesting detail on the edges.”
The Climate Category
New to this year’s competition is the Climate Category, created to underscore the connection between weather patterns and the broader impacts of climate change, illustrating how these global shifts impact businesses, people and communities.
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The winner of the Standard Chartered Climate Category is West Texas Special by Jonah Lange, from the US. This is more than just a dramatic weather moment: “Everything is becoming more extreme,” said judge and meteorologist Phillipa Drew. “This is a good example of an extreme case. It highlights the vastness of the weather. We don’t stand much of a chance against that.”Climate change is amplifying extremes, turning open landscapes into arenas for even more volatile and destructive weather. Drought conditions in West Texas are becoming more frequent and severe, drying out the soil and increasing the availability of loose dust. Jonah wins a cash prize of £1000.
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The Runner Up of the Standard Chartered Climate Category is awarded to Maria del Pilar Trigo Bonnin, from the Philippines, with her shot, Heading Home. Typhoon Rai (locally named Odette) tore across Siargao Island, Philippines, in December 2021. Maria took the shot from the back of another motorbike as they made their way through the devastation. Judge Rezaur Rahman reflected that “this feels like a decisive moment for these people”. This quiet, determined moment clearly shows that the impacts of climate change are not distant or abstract; they are already reshaping lives, landscapes, and the homes we hope to return to.”
The Public Favourite
Sky Surfing (above) has also been recognised as the Public Favourite, congratulations to Lukáš Gallo.
View the Winners’ Gallery on the Royal Meteorological Society website, including captions written by Royal Meteorological Society climate experts telling the important stories behind the photographs.
Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, commented:
“A huge congratulations to all our winners and runners-up – the standard of the photographs submitted this year was incredibly high. The images showcase the weather and climate in their pure beauty and intensity extremely well. From the increasing effects of storms in Texas, US, to a rare viewpoint of a full circular rainbow, we are shown the power of the weather through extremely talented photographers’ eyes. We have images which tell the ever-urgent message that climate change is having a deep impact on a global level, acting as a reminder that vital action is needed. Thank you to our partners who have made this competition in its special tenth year, possible.”
Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer at Standard Chartered, commented:
“This year’s winning images showcase the incredible talent of the professional and amateur photographers whose work highlights the emotional connection photography creates in raising awareness of our changing climate. We’re proud to support this competition, which reinforces the urgent need to adapt, respond and build resilience to climate impacts across our markets. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up, and thank you to everyone who entered.”
Prizes
Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025
- Title of ‘Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025’
- £5,000
Standard Chartered Mobile Weather Photographer of the Year 2025
- Title of ‘Standard Chartered Mobile Weather Photographer of the Year 2025’
- £2,500
Standard Chartered Young Weather Photographer of the Year 2025
- Title of ‘Standard Chartered Young Weather Photographer of the Year 2025’
- £750
- One year’s free subscription to The Week Junior Science + Nature
- A double-page spread in an issue of The Week Junior Science + Nature magazine
Standard Chartered Climate Award 2025
- Title of ‘Standard Chartered Climate Award Winner 2025’
- £1,000
Public Favourite
- Title of ‘Public Favourite 2025’
About The Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society is the leading independent expert in weather and climate.
With a Royal Charter and as the only awarding body for Meteorologists, we are recognised as the leading independent authority for all things weather and climate.
Guided by our charitable purpose and a commitment to excellence, our mission is to advance the understanding of weather and climate and its applications for the benefit of everyone.
By championing groundbreaking research, providing educational support, and nurturing a dynamic community across the UK and beyond, we unite existing and aspiring weather and climate professionals, organisations, academics, and enthusiasts for collaboration and innovation.
About Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 53 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
For more stories and expert opinions, please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
About the Week Junior (Media Partner)
The Week Junior Science+Nature is the monthly magazine packed with mind-blowing amounts of WOW! Designed to spark a passion for discovery in 8 to 15-year-olds, each issue gets them discovering, doing, thinking and talking. Encourage a lifelong love of reading in your children, and watch their knowledge expand as they turn the pages.
https://sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk/rmetsspring
About Fun Kids (Media Partner)
Fun Kids is the UK’s children’s radio station. Packed full of songs, amazing facts and plenty of interaction, Fun Kids is a radio that’s way too good for grown-ups. Get Fun Kids on your DAB radio, via the free Fun Kids mobile app, online, or on your smart speaker – just say ‘play Fun Kids’. You can also check out their incredible free podcasts, including Fun Kids Science Weekly, Fun Kids Book Worms and Story Quest, to entertain discerning young ears.
About My Modern Met (Media Partner)
My Modern Met’s mission is to promote a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening. Today, millions of visitors come to our site each month, looking for articles on art, design, photography, architecture, science, technology, environmental issues, and more.
About ITV Weather (Media Partner)
As some of the UK’s foremost experts in meteorology with years of experience in forecasting and reporting weather, ITV Weather understand the intricate details and nuances that make a weather photograph truly exceptional. As a trusted authority in weather analysis, the team at ITV Weather ensure that the judging process is comprehensive, and the winning photos capture the essence of meteorological beauty.
Find out more about ITV Weather
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Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: joanne@theappwhisperer.com
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