When Italian photographer Christiano Vendramin visited Santa Croce Lake in northern Italy in 2019, he noticed the water was unusually high. While the four-mile lake is bustling with action in the warm summer months, it lays dormant in winter. Icy storms had blanketed partially submerged willow trees in snow, freezing the scene in place.

Positioning himself on a muddy bank, he framed the trees in his viewfinder and shot this year's winning People's Choice Award photo for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, London's Natural History Museum announced this week. The image, titled "Lake of Ice," captivated voters with a snapshot of glimmering willows mirrored on glassy ice, creating mesmerizing symmetry.