Marcin Giba — The Last Winter

Created in Giba’s hometown of Rybnik, Poland, The Last Winter presents frozen lakes from above, photographed using a drone.

At first glance, the photographs appear to be abstract compositions of ice, snow, and texture. But as the viewer looks more closely, unexpected forms begin to emerge , an eye, lips, a heart, and fragments that resemble a human face.

These shapes were not created or imposed by the photographer. Instead, they were discovered within the natural landscape, creating a fascinating relationship between nature, abstraction, and human perception.

The series also carries a deeply personal meaning for Giba. He remembers the winters of his childhood as cold, frosty, and covered in snow. Today, those conditions are becoming increasingly rare in his hometown. When the weather finally allows him to fly his drone over the frozen lakes, he feels that he is documenting a form of beauty that may eventually exist only in memory.

This sense of impermanence gives The Last Winter another layer of meaning. The frozen landscapes are temporary, as are the shapes revealed within them. For a brief moment, the ice becomes a canvas, before the changing seasons erase what was there.

Giba was also awarded 1st Place in the Aerial Photography category, making The Last Winter the defining series of this year’s competition. He receives the competition’s €2,000 Grand Prize.