In a world that’s changed so much over the last 18 months or so, photography is one of the best ways to document what’s going on around us.

Prizes such as the 2021 CEWE Photo Award have become more important than ever, helping to highlight some of the best photography of the moment. The winners of each category are incredible in their own ways – maybe they remind you of the beauty of the familiar, or perhaps they transport you to somewhere completely new.

One winner was selected from the 606,000 entries – and it’s a haunting image of a frozen lighthouse on the German island of Rügen.

The photographer Manfred Voss says: “I consciously try to capture the beauty of our world in pictures. It was impressive to see what a beautiful ice sculpture nature has formed from this man-made lighthouse.”

The overall theme for the competition was ‘Our world is beautiful’, and Voss’ image wasn’t the only one making an impact.

He took home the top prize and was the winner of the landscapes category, but there were nine other categories for amateur and professional photographers to enter. These are the best images from each…

Nature

Animals

Travel and culture

Sport

Aerial photos

Cooking and food

Hobby and leisure

Architecture and technology

People