Review of the GDT member meeting 2025 in Oberhof

Friday, 11 April 2025

The first participants arrived on Friday afternoon to help prepare the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition. Together, they framed and hung the pictures – thanks to numerous helping hands, this was quickly done. The group got in the mood for the upcoming weekend with a dinner together. The first evening ended in a convivial atmosphere, with lots of conversation and an exchange of experiences from the world of nature photography.

Saturday, 12 April 2025

Saturday began with a communal breakfast to start the day off right. Afterwards, everyone set off on one of the short excursions to explore the nature around Oberhof. One of the popular excursions led to the Schützenbergmoor, one of the few remaining moors in the Thuringian Forest. The hiking trail there led through the forest, and after about 2.3 km (80 metres of elevation gain), the photographers reached this unique nature reserve.

The Schützenbergmoor is a true paradise for nature photographers. It has been a nature reserve since 1967 and is accessible via a 300-metre-long wooden plank path. Various species of moss, dwarf shrubs and grasses thrive in the nutrient-poor, acidic soils, forming a very special flora. The moor is home to a variety of animals, including spiders, typical insect species, dragonflies, amphibians, shrews and even the Alpine siskin. 

The excursion offered excellent opportunities to capture the somewhat mystical atmosphere of the moor – a highlight for anyone interested in macro photography and landscape photography.

After returning to the holiday centre, there was a delicious lunch and the eagerly awaited tour of the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition.

This was followed in the afternoon by a rousing lecture by Joshi Nichell. The young nature photographer and author recounted his incredible journey ‘Hitchhiking to Tierra del Fuego – Keep dreaming! A journey of encounters and trust’. At the age of 18, fresh out of high school, Joshi had the courage to leave his comfortable life behind and set off alone on a journey through South America. Without a plane, without much money, but with a lot of trust and the dream of hitchhiking to Tierra del Fuego, he crossed the continent in 21 months with 681 vehicles and seven sailboats.

Joshi recounted his encounters with people and the breathtaking nature he experienced along the way with humour and vitality. The audience was particularly fascinated by his crossing of the Atlantic in sailboats and the stories of his journey through South America – full of courage, trust and wondrous coincidences. With professional photographs and humorous anecdotes, Joshi shared his journey with the audience, and it was clear how his experiences inspired them.

This was followed by a well-deserved coffee break before the exciting award ceremony for the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2025 competition. Presenter Stephan Fürnrohr guided the members through the event with plenty of humour and excitement. This year's overall winner was Konrad Wothe with his picture ‘Wasseramsel fliegt durch Wasserfall’ (Dipper flying through waterfall). In his description of the picture, Konrad Wothe recounted how it took almost two decades of patience to capture this unique moment. It all began with his first observation of a dipper behind a waterfall, when he was still working with analogue technology and was unable to capture this fleeting moment. It was not until many years later, with new digital technology and super-fast cameras, that he was able to observe a dipper flying through the waterfall again. However, the challenge was great: the bird did not always fly the same route, and it was difficult to predict when it would plunge into the waterfall. With thousands of shots and a lot of patience, Konrad finally managed to capture the perfect moment – a truly spectacular image.

The day ended with a convivial dinner and a cheerful get-together, where the works in the exhibition, the experiences of the excursions and the latest trends in nature photography were discussed at length.

Sunday, 13 April 2025

On the last day, the regional group leaders, the board and the office met for a discussion on current issues and the further development of the GDT. The meeting concluded with a final lunch together, during which everyone agreed that it had been an all-round successful weekend, characterised not only by the quality of the photography, but also by the positive atmosphere and valuable exchanges among the members.