My Photography Highlights of 2025: Favourite Images and Stories Behind Them

As another epic year draws to a close, I wanted to share my photography highlights of 2025 — a collection of images that mean a great deal to me personally.

Many of these photographs were captured close to home in the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley, while others come from further afield, including Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) in Wales and the Lake District.

Below are seven of my favourite photographs from 2025. I originally planned to choose five, but narrowing it down proved almost impossible. Each image comes with its own story — captured both on foot and from the air — and some are available as prints, with links included where relevant.

And for those who follow my work regularly — have I picked the right ones? Let me know which image is your favourite in the comments.

Moody Cow - Woorgreens Nature Reserve

I’ve wanted to capture close-up portraits of the Highland cows at Woorgreens Nature Reserve for some time. This image was taken early one January morning. I’d hoped for frost and mist, but instead the conditions were dull and overcast.

Rather than write the morning off, I noticed three cows resting against a fence, clearly still waking up. I spent some time quietly photographing them, and this particular cow looked as though it hadn’t quite started the day yet.

This image is a highlight for me because it captures the charm and character of these beautiful animals — moody, slightly grumpy, yet undeniably cute. The flat winter light actually adds to the atmosphere rather than detracting from it.

This photograph also received an Honourable Mention at the International Photography Awards in the Pets & Animals category.

Buy Print

Carn Pica, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

Landscape photography often falls into three categories:the lucky shot, the carefully planned image, and the bucket-list photo.

This one firmly belongs to the last category.

Carn Pica is one of my favourite locations in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, and it’s also where my photography journey really began. It was a sunrise here that inspired me to buy a proper camera rather than relying on my phone during hikes.

I’ve returned five times trying to recreate that moment. You never truly can — but this image came close enough. While it wasn’t the most dramatic sunrise, it represents so much for me that it will always be special.

It’s also one of the quieter ends of the ridge, with views across the Black Mountains, away from the crowds of Pen y Fan and Corn Du.

This photo made it into the finals of this year's International Photography Awards for the Sunrise/Sunset Landscape category.

Buy Print

Severn River Bed (Saefern)

I bought a drone last year, but 2025 was when I really began to explore aerial photography properly. Living close to the River Severn, I often visit Purton. On the other side of the river is also a place called Purton, and that is where you find the Ship Graveyard. It's a place with some abandoned & broken barges which are now used as flood defences. There are two that are still further in the river itself which were the ones that famously brought down the Severn Railway Bridge.

I’d planned to photograph the abandoned barges at low tide, but while flying over the exposed riverbed I noticed these incredible natural patterns carved by the Severn’s powerful tides.

This image reminds me of the west coast of Scotland, albeit on a much smaller scale. It also received an Honourable Mention at the International Photography Awards and was selected by Amateur Photography Magazine as one of their Photos of the Month.

River of Mist - Wye Valley

Another drone highlight, this time over the beautiful Wye Valley. Specifically, this is over the village of Llandogo. This is a classic view of the area, with the river mist nestled within the valley. You can see why it gets called 'Dragon's Breath'. It also reminds me of a genie being unleashed from their lamp with the tailing of the mist towards the bottom of the photo.

This was taken just at the start of Autumn, and you can see the colour is starting to show in the trees. This photo also didn't happen - due to some poor planning. I hadn't used the drone for a while, and hadn't checked the batteries before I left that morning. It turned out I had 10 minutes worth of flying to capture this image. Which would have been ok, as I already knew roughly where I wanted to position the drone. However, a dog walker appeared and wanted to chat to me about the drone and subsequently my photography.

I don't mind a good chat about what I'm doing, but, I get a bit nervous flying a drone in the presence of other people, especially as it loses power. At this point I'm sweating as I can see the battery timer dramatically decreasing and this guy wanted a full blown conversation. I also didn't want to land the drone in his presence, for safety reasons. Thankfully, I managed to capture the shot, finish the conversation, and land the drone just in time. Interestingly, my Fitbit watch showed my heart rate hit the peak zone during that time.

Buy Print

Storm Shack - River Severn

Long-time followers will know I love moody, dramatic conditions, so this image was a real highlight.

I’ve photographed this old salmon shack on the banks of the River Severn for several years. On this particular morning, I knew there was a chance of a good sunrise — but also heavy rain approaching from the west.

As the light developed, I remembered a valuable lesson: always look behind you. That’s when I spotted dark storm clouds and a rainbow forming. I quickly repositioned, hoping for a full arch. While that didn’t quite happen, I did capture a hint of a double rainbow.

This image has a strong sense of movement — you can almost feel the storm rolling in.

Buy Print

Forest Drive - Forest of Dean

This was my final favourite drone image of the year.

The road between Parkend and Coalway is one of the most beautiful drives in the Forest of Dean, especially in autumn. I’ve wanted to photograph it for years, but it’s too narrow and bendy to shoot safely from ground level, so aerial was the only option.

Now, probably something I shouldn't admit as I'm trying to maintain I'm a competent photographer, but this was my second attempt to capture this. The morning before I tried to capture this, just as the sun rose in the distance. Came home, realised that none of the photos were in focus!! I had relied on auto-focus but it was actually in manual. Would not believe how annoyed with myself I was. So I went out the next morning to capture the same.

Thankfully, the next morning rewarded me with slightly hazier conditions, creating a beautiful golden glow. While it’s not an original composition, it perfectly captures one of the reasons I love the Forest — those quiet, autumn drives beneath towering trees.

Buy Print

Derwentwater - Lake District

My final image of 2025 comes from the Lake District, and more specifically Derwentwater.

The first two days of my trip were relentlessly wet, making photography almost impossible. On the third day, I hiked Catbells overlooking Derwentwater and Keswick, then headed back feeling the light was gone.

On a whim, I stopped by the lake — and was stunned to see an incredible sunset unfolding. Scenes like this don’t last long, so I parked, paid for parking, and ran to the water’s edge.

The display lasted around fifteen minutes, and this image was my favourite, looking back towards Catbells and the Newlands Valley where the day had begun.

Which is your Favourite?

I’d love to know what you think of my photography highlights of 2025. Do you have a favourite image — or do you think I’ve missed one out?

Let me know in the comments below.

Happy New Year to you all, let's hope for an amazing 2026.