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Photo Gallery: Winners of the 2019 Travel Photographer of the Year Awards

25 Jan

Winners of 2019’s Travel Photographer of the Year Awards

During an awards evening at the Fujifilm House of Photography in Covent Garden, London, the winners and runners up were announced for Travel Photography of the Year’s (TPOTY) 2019 competition. Over 20,000 images were submitted from 144 countries. Amateur photographer Katy Gomez Catalina is the first-ever Spanish overall winner and the second-ever female overall winner in the 17-year history of the awards.

TPOTY co-founder Chris Coe said: “Judging these awards, whilst arduous with so many excellent images to choose from, is always a joy and it is both exhilarating and stimulating to see the wealth of creativity evident from around the world. This year’s winning entries are outstanding in all categories, elegant and sometimes thought-provoking and gritty. The portfolio from the overall winner Katy Gomez Catalina is beautiful, sensitive and diverse. Only the second-ever female overall winner of Travel Photographer of the Year, Katy is an amateur photographer and a very, very worthy winner.”

The TPOTY awards were judged by an international panel of photography experts including Panamanian double Pulitzer Prize-winner Essdras M Suarez and Lawrence Jackson, a former official White House photographer under the Obama Administration. Winning images can be viewed at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London from April 7th to May 12th. The exhibition will also appear at the South Transept of Chester Cathedral, in June, and at the Xposure International Photography Festival in Sharjah from September 17th – 20th.

It was incredibly difficult to select 15 images to display on this slideshow. All of the portfolios and individual winning images are nothing short of breathtaking, in this author’s opinion. I highly encourage you to visit TPOTY’s Winner’s Gallery and view them all.

Overall winner, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019: Katy Gomez Catalina, Spain

Credit: Katy Gomez/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Lake Mutanda, Uganda

Winner’s biography: Born in Ubeda, Spain Katy is an amateur photographer with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Her job is related to official control in public health, with focus on the interaction between human and animal health. A passionate travel photographer, Katy has visited more than 60 countries, and her images have been exhibited throughout Spain and also in France, UK, Germany, India, Iran and Colombia.

“I look at the world, not only to testify what I see, but mainly, to express a personal perspective, a point of view, an interpretation and not just a representation. My subjects are very varied being travel photography a common link in all my work. The camera has become an inseparable companion, I cannot see the world if it is not through the eyes of a camera, with these images I compose my travel story as a writer with his diary. I do not take pictures for others, but for me, for the pure pleasure of photographing. But, if I can also evoke an emotion in those who view them, my satisfaction is multiplied.”

About this photo: In 1991 the Batwa pygmies were expelled from their ancestral forest territories and now live under the yoke of misery, lost in an environment they do not understand and find it difficult to adapt to.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24- 105mm lens, f5.6, 1/160s, ISO 200

Winner, Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2019 aged 15-18: Ankit Kumar – India, age 16

Credit: Ankit Kumar/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Danum Valley in Borneo, Malaysia

Winner’s biography: Ankit Kumar began his journey in photography when he got his DSLR in 2015. Over the last four years, he has had the opportunity to travel to interesting locations in Africa and Europe, where he has taken wildlife and landscape pictures. Winning the Young Travel Photographer of the Year award in 2016 was a turning point in his passion for photography. It ignited in him a thirst for recording wildlife and the changing environment, with an eye towards conservation especially of hunted species and their disappearing world.

Since then, Ankit has won the Asian Geographic Youth Photographer of the Year 2017, was twice Highly Honoured by Nature’s Best Photography Asia in 2017, and Highly Honoured by Nature’s Best Photography in 2018. He is inspired by photographers such as Paul Nicken, Brain Skerry, Beverly Joubert and Keith Ladzinski, who care about the protection of animals and habitats. He also puts his photographic skills to use by supporting charities through an initiative that he, along with his sister have founded, called www.wayto.help.

About this photo: The clouds wrap around the trees in Danum Valley, Borneo.

Gear and specs: Sony A9, 100-400mm lens, f/8, 1/640s, ISO 2000

Winner, Art of Travel portfolio: Paul Sansome, UK

Credit: Paul Sansome/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Reykjavik, Iceland

Winner’s biography: Paul Sansome is a professional fine art and travel photographer based in the south of England and in Vietnam. His artistic photography is produced to the highest standards and his work, which is released in strictly limited editions, is intended to provide that special focal point. Paul is also an experienced photography tutor and has been leading photography holidays for over 15 years. Destinations have included Italy, Morocco, Kerala and Rajasthan in India, Iceland, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Paul started out as a landscape photographer but says “One of the compelling facets of photography is the diverse range of genres that we are able to give our attention to. I have always enjoyed the challenge of wildlife photography, particularly attempting to photograph birds in flight. More recently, much of my photography has been travel based and here the challenge is to portray the emotion of the subject or to tell a story. One common thread through these genres is that the timing of the shot is critical – a fleeting moment of light in the landscape, a moment of animal behaviour or the flash of emotion on a person’s face.”

About this photo: The mesmerizing modern architecture of the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland. This building provides endless photography opportunities both from inside and outside.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 6D MkII, 15mm F2.8 fisheye lens, f10, 1/60s, ISO 800

Highly Commended, Art of Travel: Ted Lau, Hong Kong

Credit: Ted Lau/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Pyongyang, North Korea

About this photo: Since the Mass Games resumed in 2018, all the school kids get involved. After months of training, most all of them are near- professional gymnasts.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850, 70-200mm lens, f8, 1/320s, ISO 2000

Special Mention, Art of Travel: Trâ?n Tuâ?n Vi??t, Vietnam

Credit: Trâ?n Tuâ?n Vi??t/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Ung Hoa, Hanoi, Vietnam

About this photo: A female worker collects bundles of incense in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Gear and specs: Canon 1Dx, 24-70mm lens, f/2.8, 1/1250s, ISO 200

Winner, Endangered Planet portfolio: Alain Schroeder, Belgium

Credit: Alain Schroeder/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Sibolangit, SOCP Quarantine Centre – Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Winner’s biography: Alain Schroeder is a Belgian photojournalist. In 1989 he founded Reporters, a well-known photo agency in Belgium. He has illustrated over thirty books dedicated to China, Iran, the Renaissance, Ancient Rome, the Gardens of Europe, Thailand, Tuscany, Crete, Vietnam, Budapest, Venice, the Abbeys of Europe, Natural Sites of Europe, etc. Belgian book titles include Le Carnaval de Binche vu par 30 Photographes, and Processions de Foi, Les Marches de l’Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse.

Publications include National Geographic, Geo, and Paris Match. He has won many international awards including a Nikon Japan award for the Who Will Save the Rohingya series, Travel Photographer of the Year 2017 and a World Press Photo 1st Prize Sport Stories, and participated in numerous exhibitions worldwide.

About this photo: Fahzren the orangutan is undergoing a routine medical check. Fahzren is 30 years old and comes from a zoo in Malaysia where he has lived since he was a baby. His medical condition is fine but he does not have the skills to survive in the wild.

Gear and specs: Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm lens, f3.2, 1/140s, ISO 1600

Winner, People & Cultures portfolio: Trevor Cole, Ireland

Credit: Trevor Cole/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Mundari, Terekeka county, South Sudan

Winner’s biography: Trevor Cole was born in the city of Derry, Ireland, but has lived most of his life outside the bounds of Ireland; in England, Singapore, Togo, Italy, Ethiopia, and Brazil. He returned to Ireland (Donegal) in 2012.

“My photography, together with travel, have become two of my life’s passions. My photography focuses predominantly on culture and landscapes; images which reflect a spatial and temporal journey through life and which try to convey a need to live in a more sustainable world. I seek the moment and the light in whatever context I find myself and endeavour to use my photographic acumen to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Capturing inimitable moments today to reflect upon tomorrow. My own ‘take’ as a geographer photographer!”

About this photo: Mundari Camaraderie. The bond between the tribesmen and their animals is reflected in the tribal bond itself. The smoke, fires and dust create a scene which is almost biblical. The symbiotic bond between man and the cattle is a scene to behold.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850, 70-200mm lens, f3.5, 1/125s, ISO 3200

Winner, Best Single Image in a People & Cultures portfolio: Debdatta Chakraborty, India

Credit: Debdatta Chakraborty/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Kolkata, India

About this photo: On the day of Chhath festival in India, Hindus, mainly the women, perform Dondi, a kind of penance to appease the divinity and thereby praying for a happier future.

Gear and specs: Nikon D750, 24-120mm lens, f5.6, 1/500s, ISO 800

Winner, Thrills & Adventures portfolio: Brian Clopp, USA

Credit: Brian Clopp/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Dugway Proving Ground – Utah, USA

Winner’s biography: Brian Clopp spent his birthday week in 2019 living amongst the Onaqui wild horses in harsh desert conditions, capturing these stunning images. On recent travels, his hard drive containing a year’s worth of photography was stolen when thieves hacked his rental car, but becoming a TPOTY finalist encouraged him to continue his art.

His portraiture photography subjects include President Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, Jessie Jackson, James Earl Jones, and more. His work has often been featured as CNN’s Travel Photo of the Day. He is a ‘purist’ photographer who doesn’t edit his shots, striving to capture every setting perfectly.

Brian co-produced the Golden Globe nominated film ‘First They Killed My Father’ directed by Angelina Jolie. He recently completed his directorial debut on a short film about Penelope Stout, the first surviving settler of New Jersey, and the Lenape natives who save her life during a time of war. An Eagle Scout, Brian’s project instilled a collection drive in his small farm town of Cranbury NJ that continues to this day, collecting tens of thousands of winter clothes, hygiene items, and art supplies for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Now, Brian is co-launching The Giving Herb, a wellness CBD company that gives half to charity.

About this photo: To get this shot, I lived amongst the wild Onaqui herd for a week, camping out in a dusty desert environment. Here wild stallions battle dramatically for hierarchy, sending young foals scattering from the melee.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850, 600mm lens, f8, 1/3200s, ISO 640

Winner, Best Single Image in a Thrills & Adventures portfolio: Quanhou Lu, China

Credit: Quanhou Lu/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Xingjiang, China

About this photo: Transferring animals between pastures can take them on an adventurous route.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS-1DX Mk IIO, 24-70mm lens, f4, 1/320s, ISO 100

Winner, Dusk to Dawn: Sumit Dua, USA/UK

Credit: Sumit Dua/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Havana, Cuba

Winner’s biography: Sumit Dua is an amateur photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. By profession he is a doctor, and started photography during medical school. Initially his photography was done on a primitive digital camera borrowed from his uncle. “Photography helps me observe the world and find moments that I would otherwise miss. My passion for photography started with an impromptu trip through many regions of India and it still remains my favorite destination to photograph with its vibrant colors and old textures. My other hobby includes magic.”

About this photo: Walking around the streets of Havana after sunset I came across this ordinary scene where two neighbours were chatting. The. Lighting and colours reminded me of the ‘old master’ paintings.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mk III, 70-200mm lens, f2.8, 1/100s, ISO 3200

Commended, Dusk to Dawn: Lance McMillan, Canada

Credit: Lance McMillan/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Blue Pond, Biei – Hokkaido, Japan

About this photo: The larch and silver birch trees within the pond were once living, but are no more – the pond itself was artificially formed years ago as a result of the creation of a dam to protect from the effects of the nearby volcano at Mt. Tokachi. The site is illuminated at night, and the quietness on this chilly evening allowed me time to take in, and photograph, the beauty of the pond.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 35mm lens, 2.8, 2.5 sec, ISO 800

Winner, Oceans, Seas, Rivers, Lakes: Ignacio Palacios, Australia/Spain

Credit: Ignacio Palacios/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Parque Nacional dos Lenc?o?is Maranhenses, Brazil

Winner’s biography: When it comes to photography and travel, few can rival Ignacio Palacios’ experience, skill, and passion. A third-generation photographer, Ignacio has been honoured with over 100 prestigious photography prizes and awards from around the world and has travelled to over 90 countries in his 22 years career. Born in Spain, Ignacio now calls Sydney Australia home – through his unmistakable Spanish spirit continues to influence his work and define his signature style.

Combining his love of travel and photography has proved a powerful combination, and today Ignacio leads photography tours to incredible destinations around the world. As an AIPP double Master of Photography, Ignacio shares his insight, experience, and technique with his clients to help them find their own success and joy on their photographic journey. Ignacio’s distinct, award-winning style can be defined by his mastery of composition, colour, and light. With his minimalistic style and unique ability to connect with his audience through storytelling. Through his images, Ignacio invites his audience to experience the subject not as how he captured, but how he experienced it, evoking an emotional connection between the viewer, subject and artist. Photography and travel will always be Ignacio’s passion, and he is dedicated to helping others ignite their passion too.

About this photo: A lonely tree survives the elements among the sand dunes. This image was shot from a light plane with the doors off.

Gear and specs: D850, Nikon 70-200mm, f8, 1/1250, 400

People’s Choice award and Winner, Street Life: Robin Young, Malaysia

Credit: Robin Young/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Old Havana, Cuba

Winner’s biography: Robin Yong is a multi-award-winning travel and commercial photographer, trained by the famous American photographer Jim Zuckerman, the world famous Venetian Masks Florine Houee and Danielle Massart, and legendary Hollywood photographer Greg Gorman. He enjoys traveling to exotic destinations to befriend and photograph the locals. He is best known for his work on the Omo Valley tribes in Ethiopia, the Venetian Masked models in Venice, the Bokator boxers of Cambodia and the Maikos of Kyoto. He calls these works his Travel Portraits, his Art of Travel Medicine. For most of his works, he does not use flash, reflectors or artificial lighting, depending solely on natural lighting alone. The photos are often dramatic, colourful and extremely beautiful. For Robin, every photo must look like a movie poster.

Over the past few years, Robin has quickly become one of the most popular and influential photographers at the Venice Carnevale and within the past few months, Flowers of Ethiopia alone has gathered numerous awards, finalist status and honourable mentions in many International photography competitions, including Alfred Fried Awards, Antu Sente Cup, Australia’s Top Emerging Photographers, International Photography Awards, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), Istanbul Photo Awards, Moscow International Foto Awards, One Eyeland Awards. The Prix de la Photographie Paris, Sienna International Photo Awards, Tokyo International Foto Awards, Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) Awards, Xposure Awards etc. In just slightly more than two years, Robin’s travel photos have gathered more than 700 awards worldwide.

About this photo: A street scene in Old Havana, Cuba…the contrast of the young and the old, the rebellious and the wise…

Gear and specs: Canon 5DM3, 50mm lens, f/3.2, 1/80s, ISO 100

Winner, TAPSA: Kiran Ridley, UK

Credit: Kiran Ridley/www.tpoty.com

Photo location: Admiralty, Hong Kong

Winner’s biography: Kiran Ridley is an award-winning photographer based in Paris and working throughout Europe and Asia. Most of his work concentrates on news, social political topics and the human experience. Fascinated by people and naturally curious by the human condition, Kiran, is passionate in documenting ongoing situations throughout the world, capturing the human dynamic, seizing the unique moments that humans create, whether in our hopes and dreams, fears or our anger.

After picking up a camera for the first time at the age of 16, he was enthralled at the ability to capture and bear witness to history in the making and to tell the stories of the people within it. There started a journey of learning and discovery, embracing cultures and environments wherever he is, allowing him to blend in and become accepted, capturing distinct and intimate moments of those around him.

Now, his work is published throughout the world including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Times and The Financial Times, The LA Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Le Figaro, Le Point, Die Welt, El Pais, Forbes, Observer and Guardian newspapers, Time, Spiegel, Economist Magazine, GQ and Conde Nast amongst many others.

About this photo: A pro-democracy protestor throws a molotov cocktail towards police, setting fire to other protestors during anti-government demonstrations.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS1DX Mark II, 24-70mm lens, f7.1, 1/640s, ISO 1600

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: These are the winners and finalists of the ‘Hasselblad X You’ photo contest

20 Dec

Hasselblad X You grand prize winners and finalists

Over the past 3 months, Hasselblad X You, a competition put on by the camera company along with partners Peak Design and PolarPro, has been showcasing the best of what photographers have captured with Hasselblad’s X System cameras. 12 winners have been selected each week. The final grand prize winner is Chicago-based photographer Clarissa Bonet for her striking urban capture.

“For me, this image stands out because of the mixture of subjects and genre – fashion vs street – all while maintaining a clear focus on the model. So much to take in and yet there is still a strong focus when viewing this image. Very nicely done,” said 2018 Hasselblad Master Jorge de la Torriente. Creative content duo, and Hasselblad content partners, Daniel Rueda and Anna Devís remarked, “As architects, we really appreciated the effort of the photographer in building – no pun intended – a connection between fashion and architecture with her photography.”

Part of Grand Prize Winner Clarissa Bonet’s award includes a trip to Hasselblad’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Bonet will travel to Hasselblad’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, where she’ll tour the factory to see how their cameras are assembled. She’ll also get a tour of the Hasselblad Foundation and the Gothenburg Museum of Art. Prizes awarded will include a 907X Special Edition camera, travel bag, and accessories from the competition’s partners.

Hasselblad’s 970X Special Edition camera.

All captions for the following slideshow photos are the photographers own words. You can view all Hasselblad X You weekly winner features, in their entirety, here.

Grand Prize Winner: Clarissa Bonet – Chicago, Illinois, USA

About this photo: In Bonet’s own words: ‘This image is part of a fashion editorial I shot for Chicago Magazine that celebrates both the Bauhaus movement and architect Mies van der Rohe. The assignment was shot on location at multiple Mies buildings throughout the Chicagoland area. When thinking through the assignment, I knew the images must reference the Bauhaus style – minimalist, graphic, with bold lines and shapes.

After scouting the location at multiple times of the day, I knew exactly when a slim beam of light would open on the west side of the building, creating a bold, graphic band of light for our model to stand in. This specific image was made in Federal Plaza, which has three Mies buildings next to each other. To capture all three buildings in the same frame, I used the 45mm lens and stood in the middle of the street during a red light. An assistant watched for cars so I could focus on nailing the shot.’

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F9,5; Shutter Speed: 1/350 sec.

Weekly Winner: Julius Hirtzberger – Vienna, Austria

About this photo: This image was captured at the first morning light on 2 January 2019 on the glacier of Margherita Peak (5109m above sea level), right before reaching the top of the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. This scenery, with this very intense light and the breathtaking landscape, was reward enough for endless hours of tedious hiking through mud and rough terrain during the 8 days before and the 1am wake-up call on the peak-day (at -15 degrees Celsius).

These moments were so intense – I had tears in my eyes while taking this photograph, which made it a bit difficult to compose and nail the focus. As with all of my images in general, this image is by no means overdone in post. The intense morning light actually brightened the ice, giving these magenta and red tones!

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F3,5; Shutter Speed: 1/20 sec.

Weekly Winner: Brian Love – Los Angeles, California, USA

About this photo: For this series we really wanted to have a minimal, mono theme where Vivica would really stand out but also be in harmony with the colors selected. For light, I wanted a daylight look with a little more pop, so I created more of a shaded daylight with strobes and v-flats. It was also important to have a team who shared in the same vision, so the color of lipstick that the makeup artist used and the clothing we chose all came together perfectly in the end. Just enough texture and color harmony to keep it simple yet stunning.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F4,5; Shutter Speed: 1/125 sec.

Weekly Winner: Björn Ceder – Jönköping, Sweden

About this photo: Two years ago, I spent my summer vacation in Canada where I flew to the Great Bear Rainforest from Port Hardy with a sea airplane. I wanted to explore the temperate rainforest and found this amazing floating lodge where you made daily bear excursions with guides. One early morning rowing through the river delta in this unique Canadian environment, we found this bald eagle guarding his territory. It was a truly majestic nature experience that the X1D helped me capture.

All the people in the boat were using extreme telelenses to get really close to the animals but I wasn’t interested in photographing the animals this way. It’s in the context of the nature and the weather that makes the shot special. I ended up photographing bears, dolphins, eagles and other animals on this trip. When adjusting the focus of the X1D in this quiet surrounding, the minimal noise the camera makes is really rewarding, almost like cracking the code on a safe. You really experience the quality of the camera in the moment and it’s special when you end up with a shot like this.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F3,2; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

Weekly Winner: Jean Michel Voge – Millancay, France

About this photo: Crossing through Iceland before arriving to Greenland, I found myself in front of this very inspiring landscape. After taking two horizontal photos with the XCD 120 to capture the exact gradient of the sky, the snow and the rest of the vegetation, I had the idea to take 6 or 7 vertical photos (handheld) trying to capture the same horizon with each view. The raw files allowed me to combine these photos very easily.

To my pleasant surprise, the well-designed XCD optics gave results that kept the perspective uniform throughout the different shots. I also discovered throughout the past month on this trip that the XCD 120 is perfect for finding lines and framing in a wide landscape with the feeling of being neither too close nor too far – perfect!

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 120mm (XCD 3,5/120); F6,3

Weekly Winner: Jacob Degee – Warsaw, Poland

About this photo: The first challenge with this photo was being able to take my Hasselblad underwater. There is no branded housing on the market, so I custom-built one for my use. It took me 6 months and many underwater trials to have a X1D housing fully operational. The second challenge was to find an interesting wildlife subject. A few years ago, people discovered a congregation of whale sharks in the north of Isla Mujeres in Mexico. Once a year, some of the biggest fish in the world are drawn to this area for food.

The final challenge was to approach the animal and position myself properly. I was freediving and photographing whale sharks when I was lucky enough to spot a manta ray circling around. This manta was so happy with the huge amount of food that she was even swimming upside down continuing her feast. I needed to get closer to minimise the amount of water between the subject and the lens and to be angle my shot from the right side in order to catch the sun beams. I wanted to present the manta as if it was flying in the sky, framing the photo in such a way that the surface is at the bottom and the crystal-clear water seems like the sky.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 21mm (XCD 4/21); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/2000 sec.

Weekly Winner: Saeed Nassouri – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

About this photo: I live in a city located on the outskirts of the desert and the sand dune formations have a special poetry about them that registers well with many people. The details in this series of photographs can be captured really well using medium format. The main reason I created these images was to show detailed impressions in the sand dunes. Little insect footprints in such a vast space fascinate me.

When I walk through the dunes, which is usually in hot and humid conditions where the temperature can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius, I come across little details such as the footprints of small insects and desert wildlife. I positioned my camera directly above a small portion of the ripples and captured 3 different footprints going in different paths in one shot. Although I seldom see any of these creatures, their impressions lift my spirits, knowing that there is such diverse life in the empty desert and their footprints are renewed every day just like the prints I leave behind.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 45); F19; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

Weekly Winner: Matthew Ng – Hong Kong

About this photo: I was walking around Hong Kong, and I decided to explore the Polytechnic University campus. It brought back memories of when I attended university back in Canada. The exact building that this staircase is in is the Jockey Club Innovation Tower. When I took this image, I had the idea in my mind that it would look great in black and white.

The colour temperature of the interior lighting was daylight so nothing special. When I post processed the image, I converted it into black and white but it didn’t feel right, so I converted it back into colour and still had this picture in a monochromatic style. I started moving the sliders until I found a cool blue tone that I liked. I do a lot of my editing without presets and just edit freely depending on how the photo speaks to me.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D II 50C, Focal Length: 30mm (XCD 3,5/30); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec.

Weekly Winner: Rajiv Bhambri – Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA

About this photo: The Quiraing is a massive landslip located in the Isle of Skye in Scotland. There are breathtaking views, with spectacular cliffs, hidden plateaus and pinnacles of rock. I started my hike early so I could watch the sunrise, and I was not disappointed. The sun shone through the clouds to light up this mountain and loch with sheep grazing at the foothills. I used the 135mm lens to better capture this gorgeous mountain scene.

True to the unpredictable Scottish weather, there was intermittent rain, and at some point, the sun disappeared completely. Because of the large dynamic range of the X1D camera, I did not need to spend time with ND graduated filters because of which I was able to take pictures quickly in between the periods of rain and also enjoy my walk.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 135mm (XCD 2,8/135); F29; Shutter Speed: 1/25 sec.

Weekly Winner: Martin Kube?ka – Pezinok, Slovakia

About this photo: This image was created while testing my new lighting gear, which allowed me to also put the sensor of the X1D II 50C to the test. My aim was to shoot a simple portrait where the emphasis was put more on colours and the face of the model. As I wanted to make this simple portrait unique, I took inspiration from the show “Stranger Things”, specifically the character Eleven’s usual dark expression.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D II 50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F4; Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec.

Weekly Winner: Frédéric Bastin – Brussels, Belgium

About this photo: Mostly it’s teamwork with the stylist, makeup artist and the hairdresser. They know that I like to shoot new faces in the fashion industry – the uncommon beauty. I’m at war with the obvious. As soon as I find a new interesting model, I submit a project and we work on it together. Last summer when the model, Heloise, entered the studio, she had this vivid, transparent skin full of freckles.

My makeup artist had the brilliant idea to reveal and accentuate her personality with black vinyl dots – something organic, like a second skin with a high contrast of black and white. I wanted to shoot this portrait with an extremely soft light, a mix of daylight and flash to capture this alternative beauty. That’s how I describe her identity.

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 90mm (XCD 3,2/90); F6,8; Shutter Speed: 1/180 sec.

Weekly Winner: Ellen McDermott – New York, New York, USA

About this photo: While on an editorial assignment shooting interiors for CTC&G (Connecticut Cottages & Gardens) Magazine, our Editor in Chief DJ Carey introduced us to our lifelong friends at Hound House, CT – Collin Robison and Trent De Berry. I mention this because DJ’s skill at pairing the location with the photographer is significant in how an assignment is realized. Our continued friendship and collaboration with Collin Robison Design led us to this photograph with Nailah, the Ocicat.

Incorporating animals into our interiors can add a warmth and humanness that is more approachable and visually interesting. I’ve always loved photographing animals. There is a moment of stillness when the subject becomes engaged with the camera. There is a connection. It is paramount to have the proper gear to capture these transient moments. The X1D’s excellence in handling low light situations with an elusive subject matter made this image possible with superior results!

Gear and specs: Hasselblad X1D-50C, Focal Length: 45mm (XCD 3,5/45); F8

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The results are in! Best gear of 2019 – winners and runners-up

17 Dec

Winners and runners-up: Best gear of 2019

For the past few weeks, our readers have been voting on their favorite photographic gear in three categories: Best camera, best zoom lens and best prime lens. Now that the first round of voting is over, it’s time to reveal the winners.

Remember, it isn’t over just yet! It’s time now to pick an overall winner.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to exercise your democratic right to vote for something that doesn’t matter in the slightest! Cast your ballot now!

Best prime lens – Runner-up: Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct

Essentially a demonstration of just what the ultra-wide Z mount is capable of, the Nikon 58mm F0.95 is a reimagining of the classic ‘Noct Nikkor’ for the 21st Century. The first thing that most people notice about this manual-focus lens is its sheer size, and substantial weight. Nikon didn’t cut any corners with the Noct, and it shows.

Although we haven’t yet been able to properly test it, our early samples suggest that while clearly a very specialized product the new Noct is capable of doing things that other lenses simply can’t. Clearly you agree, since it took a close runner-up position in our poll.

Best prime lens – Joint-winner: Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM

We know you hate joint-winners, but when two products are separated by only 0.2% of the vote, what are we meant to do? Competition in this category was intense this year, and the first of our two joint-winners is the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM – a reference prime for portrait photography fans and a superb option for Canon RF shooters.

Best prime lens – Joint-winner: Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

Tied for the winning position was another superb prime lens – Sony’s FE 135mm F1.8 GM, taking 11% of the total vote.

Practically flawless in terms of common optical aberrations, and capable of beautiful rendering wide-open, this is another excellent option for a7-series and a9 photographers, especially those who are interested in portraiture. We really like this lens, and clearly you do too.

Best zoom lens – Runner-up: Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Nikon has spent the year consolidating its Z-mount lens lineup, and the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S is one of the most impressive offerings yet, featuring a highly advanced optical construction including Nikon’s new ‘Arneo’ coating.

Fast and sharp, and capable of very good close focus image quality, the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S is exactly what a standard zoom lens should be: a reliable and versatile tool capable of everything from landscapes to portraiture.

Best zoom lens – winner: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Topping the poll this year for best zoom by a comfortable margin was a very different kind of lens, but designed for a similar kind of photographer. The Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is a high-performance fast telezoom aimed at professionals and high-end users, which offers stunning performance.

Its combination of excellent sharpness, very effective optical image stabilization and a compact form-factor (at 70mm) make this a winning zoom, in more ways than one. But was it the best product of 2019? Let us know by casting a vote in the final poll.

Best camera – runner-up: Fujifilm GFX 100

Fujifilm’s GF-series of medium-format mirrorless cameras continues to evolve and with the GFX 100, the company really pulled out all of the stops. The first medium-format camera to offer IBIS, the 100MP GFX 100 is a supremely capable product for both stills and video.

While its $ 10,000 asking price puts it out of reach of most non-professional photographers, there’s no denying that it’s an incredible impressive piece of technology, which garnered 12% of the total vote in our poll for best camera of the year.

Best camera – winner: Sony a7R IV

With 21% of the total vote, Sony’s a7R IV was the clear victor in our readers’ poll. The a7R IV also won our DPReview Award for best product of 2019, and apparently our readers like it just as much as we do.

Offering 60MP resolution, advanced autofocus and excellent 4K video features, the a7R IV is Sony’s most versatile mirrorless camera yet, and one of the most competitive in the entire market. Was it the best product of the year? Let us know by casting your vote.

Have your say

You helped determine the winners in these individual categories, so now’s the time to cast your vote in one last poll! Choose up to three favorites from this list of winners and runners-up between now and December 29th 2020 at midnight PT when the final poll closes. Watch for an announcement of the winners soon after.

As always, thanks for casting your votes and being a part of our community throughout the year.

.

Have your say

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Have your say: Best gear of 2019
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Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM

Fujifilm GFX 100

Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct

Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

Sony a7R IV

Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Here are the winners for Red Bull Illume’s Image Quest 2019 competition

28 Nov

Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019 Winners

At the beginning of this month, 260 semi-finalists were selected out of nearly 60,000 entries for Red Bull Illume’s photography and videography contest. The 5 finalists for each category attended the Winner Award Ceremony hosted at the LUMEN – Museum of Mountain Photography on November 20th. The Overall Winner, 11 Category Winners, and Top 60 finalist images were revealed at the ceremony hosted by Italian sports journalist Zoran Filicic.

Ben Thouard was this year’s Overall Winner.

This year’s Overall Winner is Ben Thouard for his underwater image of surfer Ace Buchan riding a massive wave in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. Here is Thouard’s story behind his winning image: ‘I‘ve dedicated the last few years to shooting underwater, looking for new angles and a new way to shoot surfing and waves. Shooting surfing from underwater is a whole new world and I love it! Tahiti has some of the clearest water in the world so it was easy for me to take advantage of it and explore it as much as I could. This photo was shot during a freesurf session right before the WCT event in Teahupo‘o. This is Ace Buchan kicking out from the barrel through the wave, a technique to escape a close-out wave.’

He continues, ‘luckily I was right below, breathless with my [underwater housing] waiting for this moment and I was able to capture the whole sequence of it; this frame from the beginning of the sequence is the most powerful one because of the water around his face and body.’ Thouard was a Red Bull Illume semi-finalist in 2013 and a finalist in 2016 before becoming the Overall Winner this year.

60 finalist images were on display outside the LUMEN.

Once all the winners and finalists were announced, attendees were able to view the 60 finalist photos illuminated with 2mx2m lightboxes outside the LUMEN. The winners for each category are:

Overall Winner 2019: Ben Thouard, French Polynesia

Category Winners 2019

Best of Instagram by SanDisk: Baptiste Fauchille, France
Creative by Skylum: Denis Klero, Russia
Emerging by Red Bull Photography: JB Liautard, France
Energy: Ben Thouard, French Polynesia
Innovation by Sony: Laurence Crossman-Emms, United Kingdom
Lifestyle: Alexander Wick, Germany
Masterpiece by EyeEm: Lorenz Holder, Germany
Moving Image: Rupert Walker, Canada
Playground: Lorenz Holder, Germany
RAW: Noah Wetzel, USA
Wings: Philip Platzer, Austria
Best Mountain Sports Image by Salewa: Kamil Sustiak, Australia
SanDisk Extreme Award: Philip Platzer, Austria

For those interested, a Limited Edition Red Bull Illume Photobook featuring 260 semi-finalist action and adventure sports images submitted to the competition is now available to order. 4,000 copies were made, each individually numbered and stamped, and they come with a SanDisk Ultra SD Memory Card containing the Moving Image Category videos plus the full Luminar 4: Creative Photo Editor suite from Skylum.

Energy & Overall Winner: Ben Thouard, France

About this photo: As the quotes in the introduction to this series illustrate, Thouard was in the right place at the right time, underwater, when he captured athlete Ace Buchan kicking out from the barrel through the wave in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.

Category Winner, Best of Instagram by SanDisk: Baptiste Fauchille, France

About this photo: This is a shot from a buddies trip with a business goal showing biker Alex Bibollet’s shadow in the bowl of Fillinges, France. In Fauchille’s words, ‘We were a team of riders, photographers, and videographers, leaving for the very first trip of the new BMX clothing brand linked to the BMX: ‘Unicorn, we are legends’. We travelled for 5 days in the middle of summer, through different spots in different cities; it was a buddies trip with a business goal.

This photo was taken at the bowl of Fillinges. I remember the heat was insane like it rarely had been in the Alps. When I arrived on the spot the first thought I had in mind was to make a top- shot video with the drone: a fixed plan with a rider who makes his line with the intention of creating a loop. Then I realized that the bowl was really clean: no tags, no dust. I was able to have the rider and his shadow to come out well. I asked Alex Bibollet — one of the riders — to do what he did best, and I immortalized this moment!’

Category Winner, Creative by Skylum: Denis Klero, Russia

About this photo: In Klero’s own words,’last year‘s trend reports have shown that as soon as the first snow starts falling the social media community bursts in excitement and instantly shares videos and photos showing the first flakes of the year. I didn‘t want to miss out on the trend and started working on a concept to show the change of seasons. To attract the attention of the social media world it had to be something that would make one stop and stare. Consequently, I developed an idea of a series of three main pictures with some supporting detail shots, which had to be visually strong and inherent to the world of Red Bull. This picture with Pavel (Alekhin, the athlete in this photo) is one of those.’

Category winner, Emerging by Red Bull Photography: Jean-Baptiste Liautard, France

About this photo: ‘Two things that I love when it comes to photography are silhouettes and reflections and I wanted to use both in a single frame for a long time. After a lot of drawings, I knew what I wanted but it took me six months to get the perfect conditions and final ideas.
Jeremy‘s trail is a piece of art and this jump is definitely a highlight. I knew I wanted to shoot it from the side and get that reflection but it was really dry at this time of the year and of course there was no water around,’ says Liautard.

‘When I saw a wheelbarrow hanging around by the jumps, I had the idea to fill it up with water to create a mirror. We didn‘t have any water hose that day, so I had to do round trips with water cans to a little ditch by the road. After spending a lot of time adjusting the wheelbarrow and cleaning the water in the afternoon, my mirror was finally ready for the evening shoot.’

We were lucky enough to have a few friends helping us with the fire that night and adjusting the smoke just as we needed. The hardest job was Jeremy‘s as he had to ride the trail almost blind. Riding bikes at night is so scary and I can‘t thank the athletes enough when they are in these kinds of conditions. After a few attempts, we got this one, just as I imagined it at the very beginning, and it was a great feeling to finally see the image I had in my head for months, displayed on the back of my camera.

Category Winner, Innovation by Sony: Laurence Crossman-Emms, United Kingdom

About this photo: In Laurence’s own words, ‘Blaenau Ffestiniog was once described as the wettest place in Wales, this is no lie. Even when the sun shines, the puddles are plentiful. I’ve always been attracted to their animations when struck by a bicycle at full steep. The tyres of Katy Winton making the perfect parting of this muddy sea. The combination of dynamic action and the silk-like curtains made me try each time more determined. There are always challenges when shooting bikes and water close up … don’t get run over and don’t get wet.

This concept had always been in the back of my mind but finding the perfect location and it aligning with both the weather and sufficient puddle depth was tough. This breathless day at Antur Stiniog with Katy proved ideal. You can never guess how water reacts when you hit it with force, sometimes the results exceed your expectations … this was one of those times.’

Category Winner, Lifestyle: Alexander Wick, Germany

About this photo: In Wick’s words, ‘Together with my boys Phil and Chris I went on a US West-Coast climbing trip. Obviously Yosemite is a must and so we tested our very humble European crack climbing skills right away on El Capitan‘s Salathé Wall. A climb I‘ve been dreaming of for quite a while.

The first Ascent of this line was a master piece way ahead of its time. Climber and photographer Tom Frost was part of the three man team back then. His photography of the same climb is just breathtaking. The picture of Royal Robbins napping on a rock atop El Cap Spire with loads of exposure is one of my favorites, so of course I planned on getting a tribute shot to the old masters once we reached the spot. As we got stuck behind another climbing party just up on El Cap spire I used the moment, aided my way up the next pitch and took the shot as the boys and our new friend Luke actually took a nap.

No old hemp ropes and linen haul bags like in 1961 but modern nylon and Dyneema this time. No uncharted terrain but a well known and established route. Having a rest amidst a sea of granite: probably almost as amazing as back in the days.’

Category Winner, Masterpiece by EyeEm: Lorenz Holder, Germany

About this photo: ‘The first time I saw this location was when I was watching Game of Thrones and I was blown away by the pure magic this road generated in me. First, I thought that it‘s of course a CGI composition, but after a little research I found out that this place is actually real and located in Northern Ireland. A year later I was actually standing there with Senad Grosic and trying to get a bunny-hop-tailwhip on camera.

It was early in the morning with the first sun rays hitting the road and we managed to get a pretty cool shot, but somehow I knew that there was pure potential in the spot. So, we decided to stay a couple days longer and waited for some kind of rain, fog or other particles in the air, so I could use one flash from behind and create a white background to make Senad stand out a bit more and get the focus a bit more on the action. The rain came on our last day and I still remember the goose-bumps I had when I saw the image appearing on the screen of the camera. That‘s when I felt the same magical feeling I got when I watched Game of Thrones for the first time.’

Category Winner, Moving Image: Rupert Walker, Canada

About this photo: This is a still from Walker’s award-winning video. Here’s his explanation for getting all the key shots: ‘It was particularly challenging because it required extreme precision from the FPV drone pilot, Jonny Durst, and during this shoot, we experienced very heavy rains, which caused the track to be nearly unrideable. From the moisture, the track was riding much slower than anticipated and caused the athletes to struggle at performing their best. The dig crew was all hands-on deck with tiger torches and shovels to dry up any wet spots and dig out any soft spots. With hard work from all, a solid shot plan, and great coordination between the drone pilot and the athletes, the shot was accomplished.’

Category Winner, Playground: Lorenz Holder, Germany

About this photo: Lorenz Holder’s reputation as a stellar location scout continues (he was a winner in this year’s Masterpiece by EyeEm category). Holder talks about his latest find: ‘The Ouse Valley Viaduct is pretty cool old railway bridge in the South of England. When you approach it from the side, you can‘t really see the secret this bridge has to offer, but once you get underneath of one of the arches you can‘t believe your eyes. You are caught in a place that could easily be in the movie Inception. The arches create a very surreal visual effect – when you are taking a picture, you don‘t understand if you are looking down into something or at least you get very confused about what you‘re actually seeing. I was blown away by this fact, but also blown away that this looked like a pretty good spot for skateboarding.

When I showed Vladic an image of the viaduct, he was on fire to try it out. To be honest it was super hard to ride and Vladic‘s quote that got stuck in my mind was: “This is so hard, when my brain is going down in the transition, my body is already going up again – this will be difficult to get something done here.“ A couple of hours later, when his brain and body came together, he landed this kickflip while the sun was just at the perfect angle as well.’

Category Winner, RAW: Noah Wetzel, USA

About this photo: ‘After weeks of preparation and creative conception, I loaded my Subaru and headed North to Wyoming for the Total Solar Eclipse in August of 2017. Arriving a couple days before the eclipse, I linked up with athletes Chris Brule, Evan Grott, and Blake Sommer. The imagery goal was to capture the Eclipse and showcase mountain biking utilizing an in-camera double exposure – a very complex process.

The morning of, we loaded our packs well before sunrise with light stands, powerful flashes, extra camera gear, and two magnum bottles of champagne to celebrate. After capturing the first image successfully during two minutes of totality, all we had to do was endure the midday sun, waiting for twilight and the attempt at the second frame.

Unfortunately, I was unaware I had damaged the hot shoe connection on my camera four weeks prior while shooting fly fishing, preventing me from triggering my flashes.
Our only option required athlete Chris Brule to hit the feature in near darkness at 9pm, allowing me to set the camera to a 2.5 second exposure, manually firing the flashes and freezing Chris mid-air. Nearly escaping complete failure, we hiked out in darkness while sipping on champagne, truly in awe of the total solar eclipse and thankful we were able to capture something special.’

Category Winner, Wings: Philip Platzer, Austria

About this photo: Here is how Platzer captured athlete Marco Fürst flying hot air balloon swing in Austria: ‘Together with the Red Bull Skydive Team, I did this crazy Project called Megaswing back in 2016. After my assignment I already knew this had to be a tricky one: Two hot air balloons, one with a long rope attached and the other one to jump out with the swing, and of course the skydiver with his parachute.

After the first couple of jumps I realized that I wouldn’t get the perfect shot by simply shooting from the inside of the basket they where jumping out of. Lucky me, I had my monopod in the car as well as a pair of radio-triggers. My solution to get the right angle was to hold the camera, that I had attached to my monopod, as deep under the basket and just hope to get the perfect framing.

Another thing, I asked the athlete Marco Fürst to turn a little bit towards my direction to avoid getting an ass-shot and to get this playful mood in the image. In the end it was the very last try which gave us the moneyshot.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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These hilarious photos are the winners of the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

15 Nov

2019 The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

The winners for the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Contest have been announced, showcasing some of the more humorous wildlife photos from around the globe.

This year, more than 4,000 entries from 68 countries were whittled down to 40 finalists. Of the finalists, Sarah Skinner’s photo titled ‘Grab life by the…..’ took home Overall Winner, as well as the Creatures of the Land Award. The painfully funny image was captured in the plains of Botswana and depicts a little lioness ‘playing’ in the most unfortunate sense of the word.

In response to taking home the Overall Winner prize,, as well as the Creatures of the Land Award, Skinner had the following to say:

‘I am absolutely delighted to be awarded the title as Overall Winner in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019. It certainly warms my heart to know that this image will spread some laughter and happiness around the world. I am happy to report that this lioness continues to thrive in the pride, having seen her again in October this year. I can only hope and encourage everyone, as a collective to each do our part in the conservation of all wildlife species so that future generations can enjoy them, in the same way that I have done during my career as a wildlife photographer. Long may lions walk the plains……….’

In addition to Skinner’s winning photograph, we’ve rounded up the winning photographs from each of the categories as well as the Highly Commended Winners and presented them in the following gallery with permission from the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

As funny a the contest may be, the organization also takes a very serious role in conservation, saying ‘is at the heart of our competition.’ To help kickstart conservation efforts, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards offers three tips:

SHOP RESPONSIBLY.?

Try to shop locally and avoid buying un-recyclable products and one-use plastics/packaging.

RESTRICT WATER USE AT HOME.?

Ok, this is the thing, each time you flush the loo we send approx. 20?litres?of water down the drain – seriously, it’s crazy. Have shorter showers, water your garden less and stop flushing the loo every single time. This would save billions of litres of fresh water that could support our environment as well as supply homes and food for a global plethora of wildlife.?

BECOME A “WILD INFLUENCER.”?

This is a special person?who?may be not a mega activist, but really, really cares about the environment and wants to do something to help. For more ideas, please go to: www.comedywildlifephoto.com

Overall Winner/Alex Walker’s Serian Creatures on the Land Award Winner

©Sarah Skinner / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Grab life by the…..

Image description: African Lion, Savuti (Chobe National Park) Botswana

Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award

©Vlado-Pirsa/ Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Family disagreement

Image description: Birds, Croatia

Olympus Creatures Under the Water Award/Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award

©Harry Walker/ Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Oh My!

Image description: Sea Otter, Seward, Alaska

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award

©Elaine Kruer / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — First comes love…then comes marriage

Image description: Cape Squirrels, Kalahari, South Africa

Highly Commended Winner

©Tilakra Nagaraj / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Warning! Territory marking, follow at your own risk

Image description: White Rhino, Egret, Nairobi National Park, Nairobi, Kenya

Highly Commended Winner

©Corey Seeman / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Who would like a peanut?

Image description: Fox Squirrel, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Highly Commended Winner

©Geert Weggen / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Squirrel Wishes

Image description: Red Squirrel, Sweden

Highly Commended Winner

©Tom Mangelsen / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Chest Bump

Image description: King Penguin & Antarctic Fur Seal, South Georgia Island

Highly Commended Winner

©Alastair Marsh / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Waltz Gone Wrong

Image description: Red Fox, Amsterdam, Holland

Highly Commended Winner

©Martina Gebert / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Dancing Yeah!

Image description: Marmot, Austria

Highly Commended Winner

©Eric Keller / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Inconspicuous

Image description: King Penguin, South Georgia Island

Highly Commended Winner

©Elmar Weiss / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Surfing, South Atlantic Style!

Image description: Gentoo Penguin. Bleaker Island, Falkland Islands

Highly Commended Winner

©Roie Galitz / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — Space Man

Image description: Japanese Snow Monkey

Highly Commended Winner

©Txema Garcia Laseca / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2019 — To be or not to be

Image description: Snow Monkey, Japan

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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These are the three winners (and their photos) of the inaugural Leica Women Foto Project Award

25 Oct

Winning photographs of the inaugural Leica Women Foto Project Award

Editor’s note: Do note that some images in this slideshow will be considered not safe for work (NSFW), as a few images depict nudity. Proceed at your own discretion if in a sensitive work environment.

Earlier this year, Leica Camera launched the Leica Women Foto Project to facilitate diversity and inclusion in photography. This past week, they announced the three winners of the inaugural Leica Women Foto Project Award. Selected from a pool of 600 submissions across the U.S., photographers Debi Cornwall, Yana Paskova, and Eva Woolridge were chosen by a panel of five industry-leading judges. Each winner received $ 10,000 and a Leica Q2 camera to pursue a personal project that tells a story through the female viewpoint.

‘The Leica Women Foto Project is a keystone program for Leica Camera USA as we expand opportunities to amplify visual stories told through the lenses of underrepresented perspectives. The overwhelming response of hundreds of USA-based submissions in just our first year alone is indicative of the ongoing need for platforms that invite conversations that provoke new ways of seeing,’ says Kiran Karnani, Director of Marketing for Leica Camera North America. ‘We welcome Debi, Yana, and Eva to the Leica family of storytellers and we look forward to the continued evolution of their impactful stories.’

Debi Cornwall

Debi Cornwall was chosen for her series Necessary Fictions which explores the role of American military intervention in a mysterious country called ‘Atropia.’ Cornwall travelled to ten military training centers across the U.S., constructed to resemble Iraqi and Afghan villages, to stage the photos in her series. By documenting these mock villages, battle scenarios, and ‘cultural role-players,’ used to train military personnel, Cornwall’s aim was to invite critical inquiry among viewers about a society in which war has become the rule rather than the exception.

Yana Paskova

Bulgarian-born, Brooklyn-bred photojournalist and writer Yana Paskova created her winning series, Where Women Rule, based on her experience as a political asylum immigrant. Her aim with this project was to bridge humans’ understanding of each other. She describes the series as ‘a visual and sociological look at what happens when cultural norms of gender are amended or removed — via the all-female societies across the world, where women gather for shelter or in matriarchy — leaving us with new notions of femininity and masculinity, human bonds, family, and the fluid boundaries of identity.’

Eva Woolridge

Eva Woolridge, a self-proclaimed African-American and Chinese-American queer woman, brought her personal struggles with fertility to life in her project The Size of a Grapefruit. The series is an artistic representation of the traumatic experiences that ensued following her diagnosis of a dermoid cyst, which was the size of a grapefruit, and the resulting removal of her right ovary. Woolridge feels the removal could have been prevented had medical professionals been more proactive during early consultations. She hopes to shed more light on racial bias against black women seeking medical treatment, worldwide, by continuing the series with her prize money.

All three women will showcase photographs from their respective winning series in a joint exhibit at Leica Gallery Boston starting March 5th through April 26th, 2020. Visitors will be able to view the journey of their personal projects.

Fawzia and Nabil H.

Winner: Fawzia and Nabil H., by Debi Cornwall, from the Necessary Fictions series

About this photo/series: These are Iraqi role players photographed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California. Describing the series, Cornwall states ‘In Necessary Fictions, I photograph the mysterious country of ‘Atropia.’ Though fictional, Atropia actually exists: mock Afghan and Iraqi villages have been constructed on military bases across the United States to host immersive, realistic military training exercises for troops preparing to deploy. On ten such sites around the country, I document mock villages, battle scenarios, and ‘cultural role-players,’ civilian Afghans and Iraqis, many who have fled war only to recreate it, in costume, in the service of the U.S. military.’

Insurgent

Winner: Insurgent, by Debi Cornwall, from the Necessary Fictions series

About this photo/series: In Cornwall’s own words: ‘In a mobile studio I set up on site, I also make portraits with soldiers. They pose in front of a camouflage backdrop, appearing mortally wounded.’

For this body of work, Cornwall explored ‘how fiction and reality blur within the post-9/11 fantasy-industrial complex.’ Reflecting on her experience after visiting mock war sets on 10 different U.S. military bases, she says that ‘despite the constant military conflicts since September 11, war has receded in the American consciousness. War has become white noise, the almost-invisible backdrop of our roiling sociopolitical moment, even as our civic life has become increasingly militarized at home. Meanwhile, entire industries have emerged to support the forever wars, both real and imagined.’

Dara Lam Village

Winner: Dara Lam Village, by Debi Cornwall, from the Necessary Fictions series

About this photo/series: ‘My goal is to examine how fictions are deployed and embraced, and to invite critical inquiry among military and civilian viewers alike about a society in which war has become the rule rather than the exception.’ This image was captured in Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Ft. Polk, Louisiana.

Smoke Bomb

Winner: Smoke Bomb, by Debi Cornwall, from the Necessary Fictions series

About this photo/series: A smoke bomb is detonated in a mock exercise meant to train military recruits by replicating real-life combat scenarios on one of the 10 U.S. bases that Cornwall documented.

Widows of Varanasi

Winner: Widows of Varanasi #4, by Yana Paskova, from the Where Women Rule series

About this photo/series: In Paskova’s own words: ‘Where do women rule and where are they a commodity? How do women develop in a near absence of men or patriarchy? My project aims to be a visual and sociological look at what happens when cultural norms of gender are amended or removed — via the all-female societies across the world, where women gather for shelter or in matriarchy — leading us to new notions of femininity and masculinity, human bonds, family and the fluid boundaries of identity.’

Widows of Varanasi

Winner: Widows of Varanasi #10, by Yana Paskova, from the Where Women Rule series

About this photo/series: ‘Not in recent history have communities where women seek shelter, independence or support, been more relevant to our cultural climate and growth.’

Widows of Varanasi

Winner: Widows of Varanasi #7, by Yana Paskova, from the Where Women Rule series

About this photo/series: ‘I aim to discover the intersect of these women’s stories as individuals and as a collective amidst arresting visual landscapes, with special attention to perseverance in the face of rejection and confidence in shedding convention.’

Widows of Varanasi

Winner: Widows of Varanasi #9, by Yana Paskova, from the Where Women Rule series

About this photo/series: ‘My intent for this project’s findings is that they serve as an immersive experience not just for consumers of visual culture, but also as a research and educational tool — hopefully starting with the youngest minds, where developing the concept of equality matters most.’

Widows of Varanasi

Winner: Widows of Varanasi #9, by Yana Paskova, from the Where Women Rule series

About this photo/series: ‘Ultimately, I’d like to build connections between humans that overcome the limiting societal constructs of gender and geography.’

Inspection

Winner: Inspection, by Eva Woolridge, from The Size of a Grapefruit series

About this photo: In Woolridge’s own words, ‘this image represents my need to take initiative and research ovarian cysts following the surgery. My male surgeon didn’t give me information on how one ovary would affect my hormones, whether or not I could have kids, or why it even developed. I was left to process and research on my own.’

Denial

Winner: Denial, by Eva Woolridge, from The Size of a Grapefruit series

About this photo: In her own words, ‘this represents my denial in experiencing pain in my lower abdominal by putting it off as bad cramps, food positioning, and bloating, without listening to my body’s red flags. Black women are often dismissed by medical professionals when they address a reproductive concern. I had experienced signs of an ovarian cyst about two weeks before my emergency surgery, however was unfamiliar of them prior, and stayed quiet to not make a fuss.’

Empowered

Winner: Empowered, by Eva Woolridge, from The Size of a Grapefruit series

About this photo: ‘This image represents the growth, confidence and power I gained after this cycle of healing was complete. Exactly a year later, I had used photography to spotlight a quiet issue plaguing other people with ovaries. The golden metallic grapefruit slice represents the one sliver of an ovary I have left, that shines bright with beauty and strength.’

Empty

Winner: Empty, by Eva Woolridge, from The Size of a Grapefruit series

About this photo: ‘This represents the weight this surgical trauma had left me. Once my ovary was removed, I went through severe depression, isolation, and confusion from the betrayal of my body. My personality dimmed, I was forced to process and learn of this condition alone.’

Reflection

Winner: Reflection, by Eva Woolridge, from The Size of a Grapefruit series

About this photo: ‘As an advocate for reproductive health, during my two months of healing, I had to ask myself who I was now with one ovary. Was I less of a woman? Could I be a mother in the future? How many other women experienced this trauma? Were they given preventative resources and information to avoid, or were they caught off guard too? And my biggest question is how can I heal from this while spreading awareness to others?’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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These are the winners of the 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

18 Oct

Winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

The winners of the 55th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition were announced earlier this week during a ceremony at the Natural History Museum, in London, which develops and produces the international event.

Over 48,000 images were submitted from 100 countries. The 19 category-winning images will be on display at an exhibition that opens Friday, October 18th, at the National History Museum before touring across the United Kingdom and internationally to locations including Canada, Spain, the USA, Australia and Germany.

The Grand Title Winner, titled ‘The Moment’ and captured by Chinese photographer Yongqing Baoas, is a humorous shot of a Himalayan marmot being scared by a Tibetan fox determined to find food for its three young cubs.

Open to photographers of all ages and abilities, entries for the next Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition will open on Monday, October 21st and close on December 12th. Find out more, here.

Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Winner 2019, Grand Title Winner: The Moment by Yongqing Bao

About the photo: This Himalayan marmot was not long out of hibernation when it was surprised by a mother Tibetan fox with three hungry cubs to feed. With lightning-fast reactions, Yongqing captured the attack – the power of the predator baring her teeth, the terror of her prey, the intensity of life and death written on their faces.

As one of the highest-altitude-dwelling mammals, the Himalayan marmot relies on its thick fur for survival through the extreme cold. In the heart of winter it spends more than six months in an exceptionally deep burrow with the rest of its colony. Marmots usually do not resurface until spring, an opportunity not to be missed by hungry predators.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS-1D X + 800mm f5.6 lens; 1/2500 sec at f5.6 (+0.67 e/v); ISO 640; Manfrotto carbon-fibre tripod + 509HD head

Winner, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Winner 2019, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year Grand title winner: Night Glow by Cruz Erdmann, New Zealand

About the photo: Cruz was on a night dive with his dad when he saw a pair of bigfin reef squid in the shallow water. One swam off but Cruz quickly adjusted his camera and strobe settings, knowing that the opportunity was too good to miss. He shot four frames of the remaining squid before it too disappeared into the inky blackness.

Bigfin reef squid are masters of camouflage, changing their body colour and pattern using their reflective and pigmented skin cells. They also alter their appearance to help them communicate. During courtship, males and females display complex patterns to indicate their willingness to mate.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 100mm f2.8 lens; 1/125 sec at f29; ISO 200; Ikelite DS161 strobe; Aquatica 5D Mk II Pro housing

Winner, Animals in their Environment

Winner 2019, Animals in their Environment: Snow-Plateau Nomads by Shangzhen Fan, China

About the photo: A small herd of male chirus makes its way to the relative warmth of the Kumukuli Desert. These nimble antelopes are high-altitude specialists found only on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. For years, Shangzhen made the long, arduous journey to observe them there. Here he drew the contrasting elements of snow and sand together.

Underneath their long hair, chirus have a light, warm underfur called shahtoosh. It grows tightly against their skin and can only be harvested by killing and skinning the chirus. Protection since the 1990s has seen their once-decimated numbers increase, but there is still demand – primarily from Westerners – for shahtoosh shawls.

Gear and specs: Nikon D5 + 600mm f4 lens; 1/1250 sec at f6.3 (+0.3 e/v); ISO 125; Gitzo GT5532S 6X tripod

Winner, Animal Portraits

Winner 2019, Animal Portraits: Face of Deception by Ripan Biswas, India

About the photo: Ripan was photographing a red weaver ant colony when he spotted this slightly strange individual. It may have the face of an ant but its eight legs give it away – on closer inspection Ripan discovered that it was an ant-mimicking crab spider. By reverse mounting his lens, Ripan converted it to a macro capable of taking extreme close-ups.

Many spider species imitate ants in appearance and behaviour. Infiltrating an ant colony can help them prey on unsuspecting ants or avoid being eaten by predators that dislike ants. This particular spider, says Ripan, seemed to be roaming around the colony, looking for a solitary ant that it could grab for a meal.

Gear and specs: Nikon D500 + 18–55mm lens (reverse mounted); 1/160 sec; ISO 200; Godox V860II flash

Winner, Behavior: Amphibians and Reptiles

Winner 2019, Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles: Pondworld by Manuel Plaickner, Italy

About the photo: Every spring for more than a decade, Manuel followed the mass migration of common frogs. He took this image by immersing himself and his camera in a large pond where hundreds of frogs had gathered. There he waited until the moment arrived for the picture he had in mind – lingering frogs, harmonious colours, soft, natural light and dreamy reflections.

Rising spring temperatures bring common frogs out of their winter shelters. They head straight to water to breed, often returning to where they were spawned. Though widespread across Europe, their numbers are thought to be declining due to habitat degradation from pollution and drainage of breeding sites.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 17–40mm f4 lens at 20mm; 1/640 sec at f8 (+0.7 e/v); ISO 800; Seacam housing

Winner, Behavior: Birds

Winner 2019, Behavior: Birds: Land of the Eagle by Audun Rikardsen, Norway

About the photo: Audun carefully positioned this tree branch, hoping it would make a perfect lookout for a golden eagle. He set up a camera trap and occasionally left road-kill carrion nearby. Very gradually, over the next three years, this eagle started to use the branch to survey its coastal realm. Audun captured its power as it came in to land, talons outstretched.

Golden eagles typically fly at around 50 kilometres per hour but can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour when diving for prey. This, along with their sharp talons, makes them formidable hunters. Normally they kill small mammals, birds, reptiles or fish, but they also eat carrion and have been known to target larger animals too.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 11–24mm f4 lens at 11m; 1/2500 sec at f14 (-1 e/v); ISO 800; Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash; Camtraptions motion sensor; Sirui tripod

Winner, Behavior: Invertebrates

Winner 2019, Behavior: Invertebrates: The Architectural Army by Daniel Kronauer, Germany/USA

About the photo: By day this colony of army ants raided their surrounds, mostly hunting other ant species. At dusk they moved on, travelling up to 400 metres before building a nest for the night. Positioning his camera on the forest floor, Daniel was wary of upsetting thousands of venomous army ants. ‘You mustn’t breathe in their direction,’ he says.

Army ants alternate between nomadic and stationary phases. These ants are in a nomadic phase, building a new nest each night using their own bodies. The soldier ants interlock their claws to form a scaffold while the queen stays inside in a network of chambers and tunnels. During the stationary phase they will stay in the same nest while the queen lays new eggs.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 7D + 16–35mm f2.8 lens at 16mm + extension ring; 3.2 sec at f22; ISO 100; Canon Speedlite flash

Winner, Behavior: Mammals

Winner 2019, Behavior: Mammals: The Equal Match by Ingo Arndt, Germany

About the photo: The guanaco turns, terrified, his last mouthful of grass flying in the wind as a female puma attacks. For Ingo, this is the culmination of months of work tracking wild pumas on foot, enduring extreme cold and biting winds. After an intense four-second struggle, the guanaco escaped with his life, leaving the puma to go hungry.

Because they are so abundant in Patagonia, guanacos are common prey of pumas. These big cats are solitary and hunt by patiently stalking before they pounce. Their robust hind legs allow them to take on animals bigger than themselves but they can also feed on smaller animals, such as rodents and birds.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS-1DX Mark II + 600mm f4 lens; 1/3000 sec at f4; ISO 1000; Gitzo tripod

Winner, Urban Wildlife

Winner 2019, Urban Wildlife: The Rat Pack by Charlie Hamilton James, UK

About the photo: On Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan, brown rats scamper between their home under a tree grille and a pile of rubbish bags full of food waste. Lighting his shot to blend with the glow of the street lights and operating his kit remotely, Charlie captured this intimate, street-level view.

Urban rat populations are rising fast worldwide and their association with spreading disease in humans inspires fear and disgust. Rats are smart and capable of navigating complex networks such as subway systems. Being powerful swimmers, burrowers and jumpers makes these rodents particularly well suited to city living.

Gear and specs: Sony ?7R III + 16–35mm f4 lens at 24mm; 1/20 sec at f11; ISO 4000; Sony flash; PocketWizard trigger

Winner, Earth’s Environments

Winner 2019, Earth’s Environments: Creation by Luis Vilariño, Spain

About the photo: Red-hot lava from K?lauea volcano instantly boils the cool Pacific Ocean where they meet at the Hawaiian coast. As Luis’s helicopter flew along the coastline a sudden change in wind direction parted the plumes of steam to reveal the fiery river. Quickly framing his shot through the helicopter’s open door, he captured the tumultuous creation of new land.

As the lava boils the seawater, it produces acid steam and tiny shards of glass, which combine to create a lava haze or ‘laze’. This eruption was K?lauea’s largest in 200 years. For three months in 2018, lava spewed from the summit and surrounding fissures, eventually destroying over 700 homes and solidifying to create hundreds of acres of new land.

Gear and specs: Sony ?7R III + 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens at 196mm; 1/4000 sec at f5.6; ISO 800

Winner, Black and White

Winner 2019, Black and White: Snow Exposure by Max Waugh, USA

About the photo: In a winter whiteout a lone American bison briefly lifts its head from its endless foraging. Max purposefully slowed his shutter speed to blur the snow and ‘paint lines across the silhouette of the bison’. Slightly overexposing the shot and converting it to black and white accentuated the simplicity of the wintry scene.

Swinging their huge heads from side to side, American bison sweep away snow with their muzzles to eat the grasses and sedges buried beneath. Originally a common sight, their largescale slaughter for meat and hides brought them close to extinction in the nineteenth century. But populations are recovering and wild American bison now thrive in national parks.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS-1D X + 100–400mm f5.6 lens at 200mm; 1/15 sec at f22 (+1 e/v); ISO 100

Winner, Wildlife Photojournalism

Winner 2019, Wildlife Photojournalism: Another Barred Migrant, Alejandro Prieto, Mexico

About the photo: It took Alejandro two years to take the perfect photo of a male jaguar. Under a luminous, star-studded Arizona sky, he projects it onto a section of the US–Mexico border fence to symbolise ‘the jaguar’s past and its possible future presence in the United States. If the wall is built,’ he says, ‘it will destroy the jaguar population in the United States.’

Jaguars are mainly found in South America but historically also roamed the southwest of the United States. Over the past century, hunting and habitat destruction have resulted in the species disappearing from this area. Any hope of establishing a breeding population in this region rests on the contentious border remaining partially open.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850 + Sigma 14–24mm f2.8 lens at 16mm; 30 sec at f2.8; ISO 1600; remote control; Gitzo tripod; Epson projector

Winner, Rising Star Portfolio Award

Winner 2019, Rising Start Portfolio Award: Frozen Moment by Jérémie Villet, France

About the photo: Entwined in each other’s thick spiral horns, two male Dall sheep pause during a fierce clash. For years, Jérémie had dreamed of photographing pure-white Dall sheep against a snow-clad alpine backdrop. Lying in the snow nearby, he battled with strong winds, heavy snow and bitterly cold temperatures, determined to capture this moment of both ‘purity and power’.

Dall sheep thrive in arctic and subarctic regions of the world. They depend on steep, rugged cliffs and outcrops to provide them with places to escape from predators, while using nearby open grass and meadows to feed. In winter they favour areas with strong winds that remove snow and expose forage.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 400mm f2.8 lens; 1/1600 sec at f2.8 (+1.3 e/v); ISO 500

Winner, Plants and Fungi

Winner 2019, Plants and Fungi: Tapestry of life by Zorica Kovacevic

About the photo: Festooned with bulging orange velvet, trimmed with grey lace, the arms of a Monterey cypress tree weave an otherworldly canopy over Pinnacle Point, in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, California. This tiny, protected coastal zone is the only place in the world where natural conditions combine to conjure this magical scene.

Though the Monterey cypress is widely planted (valued for its resistance to wind, salt, drought and pests), it is native only on the Californian coast in just two groves. Its spongy orange cladding is in fact a mass of green algae spectacularly colored by carotenoid pigments, which depend on the tree for physical support but photosynthesize their own food. The algal species occurs widely, but it is found on Monterey cypress trees only at Point Lobos, which has the conditions it needs – clean air and moisture, delivered by sea breezes and fog. The vibrant orange is set off by the tangles of grey lace lichen (a combination of alga and fungus), also harmless to the trees.

After several days experimenting, Kovacevic decided on a close-up abstract of one particular tree. With reserve visitors to this popular spot confined to marked trails, she was lucky to get overcast weather (avoiding harsh light) at a quiet moment. She had just enough time to focus-stack 22 images (merging the sharp parts of all the photos) to reveal the colorful maze in depth.

Gear and specs: Nikon D850 + 70–200mm f2.8 lens at 112mm; 1/4 sec at f8; ISO 64; Really Right Stuff tripod + ballhead.

Winner, Under Water

Winner 2019, Under Water: The garden of eels by David Doubilet

About the photo: The colony of garden eels was one of the largest David Doubilet had ever seen, at least two thirds the size of a football field, stretching down a steep sandy slope off Dauin, in the Philippines – a cornerstone of the famous Coral Triangle.

Doubilet rolled off the boat in the shallows and descended along the colony edge, deciding where to set up his kit. He had long awaited this chance, sketching out an ideal portrait of the colony back in his studio and designing an underwater remote system to realize his ambition. It was also a return to a much-loved subject – his first story of very many stories in National Geographic was also on garden eels.

These warm-water relatives of conger eels are extremely shy, vanishing into their sandy burrows the moment they sense anything unfamiliar. David placed his camera housing (mounted on a base plate, with a ball head) just within the colony and hid behind the remnants of a shipwreck. From there he could trigger the system remotely via a 12-meter (40-foot) extension cord.

It was several hours before the eels dared to rise again to feed on the plankton that drifted by in the current. He gradually perfected the set-up, each time leaving an object where the camera had been so as not to surprise the eels when it reappeared. Several days later – now familiar with the eels’ rhythms and the path of the light – he began to get images he liked. When a small wrasse led a slender cornetfish through the gently swaying forms, he had his shot.

Gear and specs: Nikon D3 + 17–35mm f2.8 lens at 19mm; 1/40 sec at f14; ISO 400; Seacam housing; aluminum plate + ballhead; remote trigger; Sea & Sea YS250 strobes (at half power).

Winner, Wildlife Photojournalist Story Award

Winner 2019, Wildlife Photojournalist Story Award: Show Time by Jasper Doest, The Netherlands

About the photo: For 17 years Riku has performed skits three times a day in front of large audiences in a theatre in Japan. The appeal of these traditional and popular performances lies in the anthropomorphic appearance of the trained macaques. It took Jasper a long time to gain permission to take pictures of the performance, and he was appalled that an animal once considered a sacred mediator between gods and humans was now being ridiculed for commercial gain.

Gear and specs: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 24–70mm f2.8 lens; 1/160 sec at f10 (-1.7 e/v); ISO 2000

Winner, Wildlife Photographer Portfolio Award

Winner 2019, Wildlife Photographer Portfolio Award: The Art of Conception by Stefan Christmann, Germany

About the photo: Stefan was lucky to find this isolated couple courting – many pairs had already mated by the time conditions allowed him to access this remote spot. The serene backdrop of sea ice and a distant stranded iceberg softly lit by the setting sun gives no hint that the Antarctic winter is about to intensify.

Emperor penguins form a new bond each year and are monogamous for the season. Males perform a courtship call until chosen by a female. The female lies on the sea ice and signals that she is ready before the male climbs onto her back. ‘The male struggled to keep his balance,’ says Stefan.

Gear and specs: Nikon D810 + 400mm f2.8 lens; 1/400 sec at f5.6; ISO 800

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Updated with new winners: Best cameras for travel buying guide

27 Sep

The Sony RX100 VII takes the place of its predecessor as our top recommendation for travel, with the Canon G5 X Mark II earning an honorable mention as a solid option for low-light photography.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: Winners of the 2019 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year

24 Aug

2019 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Winners

The South Australian Museum has announced the 2019 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year and also shared the winning images from each of the ten categories offered in this year’s contest.

In total, 2,219 images were submitted and judged by Justin Gilligan, Glenn McKimmin and Tui De Roy. In the end, the 2019 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year award was handed out to Mat Beetson of Western Australia for the above image of a beached Fin Whale being circled by sharks on Cheynes Beach in Albany, Western Australia. The winning image was captured with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone, marking the first time a drone-captured photograph has won the competition.

‘It was unreal, arriving at a peaceful coastal town with a pristine beach and then seeing this huge whale not even five metres from shore – we then noticed the thrashing close by and realised that a few sharks had also stopped by,’ Beetson told the Southern Australian Museum about the capture. ‘I launched the drone to see the aerial view and captured a sequence of photographs, this shot was one of the last ones I took and I was very lucky that the shark came back for a look.’

Beetson received a $ 10,000 cash prize as well as a Coral Expeditions cruise for winning.

The remainder of the images in this gallery are the ten winners in each of this year’s categories.

You can find out more information about the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition and the South Australian Museum by visiting their respective websites.

Above Image:

Overall Winner

Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalus

The fin whale is sighted regularly in this region; seeing one beached, however, is rare. The whale sits less than 5m from shore and 100m from residential homes, giving whale researchers access to an unusual occurrence for this species. Bronze whalers and great whites feasted over the remains before removal.

Location: Cheynes Beach, Albany, Western Australia

Gear: DJI Phantom 4 Pro Drone, 24mm, 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 100, 118m high, filmed with permission DPAW

Photographer: Mat Beetson, Western Australia

Photo credits: Images owned by their respective creators, used with the permission of the South Australian Museum.

Winner, Animal Portrait

Decorator crab, Achaeus spinosus

Typically, decorator crabs attach pieces of sponge and seaweed to themselves to camouflage and hide from predators (which makes them very poor photographic subjects). However, Achaeus spinosus attaches stinging hydroids to itself to ward off potential predators (making it a very attractive subject for photography).

Location: Lembeh Strait, North East Sulawesi, Indonesia

Gear: Canon EOS 7D Mk II, Canon EF 100mm, f/2.8 macro USM, 1/250, f/16, ISO 200, INON Z240 strobe with Retra Pro light shaping device, handheld

Photographer: Ross Gudgeon, Western Australia

Winner, Animal Behaviour

Humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae,
Dolphins, unidentified species

The heat run is the ultimate wildlife encounter – multiple whales competing for a female. The chase can last for hours or even days and males can display bubble netting, open mouth gulping, physical contact, loud acoustic sounds, and breaching. Even after 16 years documenting humpback behaviour in the region, it is still truly heart-thumping and adrenaline-pumping action.

Location: Tonga, South Pacific

Gear: Canon 1DX Mk II, Canon 8–15mm fisheye, 1/320, f/8, ISO 200

Photographer: Scott Portelli, New South Wales

Winner, Animal Habitat

Commensal amphipod living in solitary ascidian

I was searching for miniature pygmy seahorses on the reefs of West Papua when I happened across this tiny amphipod crustacean. Just 0.5–1cm long, this male is sitting at the mouth of the sea squirt to guard the females and young within. According to an amphipod expert, this is likely a new species.

Location: Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Gear: Nikon D800, Nikkor 105mm macro, 1/125, f/14, ISO 100, twin INON Z240 strobes, handheld, Subal underwater housing

Photographer: Richard Smith, United Kingdom

Winner, Botanical

Ghost fungus, Omphalotus nidiformis

The elusive ghost mushroom show starts after dark, when the green light of its bioluminescence glows across the pine forest on the Bellarine Peninsula. It seems like magic but the glowing works to attract insects that then help disperse the spores and spread the mushroom.

Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria

Gear: Canon 5D Mk IV, Samyang 14mm, 30, f/2.8, ISO 3200, Manfrotto tripod

Photographer: Marcia Riederer, Victoria

Winner, Landscape

When Barron Falls (Din Din) is in flood, the usually tranquil scene is transformed into a tumultuous cataract as huge volumes of water make their way to the coastal plain below. The sheer violence of this display, coupled with the deafening roar, makes it an unforgettable experience.

Location: Barron Falls, Kuranda, Queensland

Gear: Pentax X-5, 28.3mm, 1/320, f/5, ISO 100, handheld

Photographer: Neil Pritchard, Queensland

Winner, Monochrome

Honeycomb moray eel, Gymnothorax favagineus
Maze coral, Leptoria sp.

I came across this amazing juxtaposition of a honeycomb moray eel and a textured brain coral. It screamed monochrome to me, but one of the significant disadvantages of shooting underwater is that you cannot just change your lens to suit the subject. Still, I slowly moved as close to the eel as possible, increased the depth of field, and adjusted my strobes to light up the coral and the eel.

Location: Banda Sea

Gear: Nikon D850, Nikonos 13mm RS, 1/200, f/16, ISO 400, Seacam housing, Ikelite 161s strobe

Photographer: Tracey Jennings, United Kingdom/Malaysia

Winner, Junior

This night was the most amazing display of lightning that I have ever seen, with constant flashes of lightning lasting hours. For the composition, I decided to focus on a man standing at the edge of the water with an umbrella to add a sense of scale to the image.

Location: Fingal Bay, New South Wales

Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mk lll, Canon 17–40mm f4 L, 15, f/4, ISO 200, tripod

Photographer: Floyd Mallon, New South Wales. Age 17

Winner, Our Impact

The Menindee Lakes were deliberately drained in 2016–17 and New South Wales has experienced a lengthy drought. Animals and birds desperately seek food and water and there is very little left due to these human-made and natural events. Lake Cawndilla is now just a drying lakebed scattered with the remains of our native animals.

Location: Cawndilla Creek, Menindee, New South Wales

Gear: DJI Phantom 3 Advanced, 20mm, 1/640, f/2.8, ISO 200, ND4 filter

Photographer: Melissa Williams-Brown, South Australia

Threatened Species Winner

Winner, Threatened Species

Mertens’ water monitor, Varanus mertensi

STATUS: ENDANGERED

Mertens’ water monitors are highly inquisitive. This extremely bold specimen ostentatiously approached me to investigate the good-looking lizard in my dome port while I observed another nearby pair engaged in courtship – sadly for him he was staring at his own reflection, not the mate of his dreams.

Location: Adelaide River, Northern Territory

Gear: Olympus OMD EM-1 Mk II, Olympus 8mm f1.8, 1/125, f/11, ISO 64, two Sea & Sea YS-D2 strobes, manual flash output, handheld, Nauticam underwater housing

Photographer: Etienne Littlefair, Northern Territory

Portfolio Prize

Portfolio Prize (best portfolio of size or more images)

Artist: Charles Davis, (NSW)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: These are the winners of the 2018-2019 Nikon Photo Contest

07 Aug

2018-2019 Nikon Photo Contest Winners

Nikon has announced the winners of its 2018-2019 international Nikon Photo Contest. The contest, which started in 1969 ‘as an opportunity for photographers to share their unique visions and enrich photographic culture,’ celebrated its 50th anniversary with its highest number of annual submissions since its inception.

Nikon received 97,369 submissions from approximately 33,000 people across 170 countries and regions around the world. The entries were split up into three categories this year: Open, Next Generation and Short Film, the first two of which are split into single photo and photo story subcategories. Below is a brief description from Nikon for each of the categories:

  • Open: a single photo or photo story representing the theme of ‘Change’
  • Next Generation: a single photo or photo story expressing the idea of ‘Identity’ open to photographers aged 25 or younger
  • Short Film: a video submission that tells the story of ‘Hope.’

One additional submission has received the Participants’ Choice Prize, while another has received the Nikon Photo Contest 50th Anniversary Prize, a new prize implemented this year. These will be included in our gallery of the main category winners.

The winning images were selected by a panel of international judges from different disciplines in the world of art. Nikon says the ‘recipients of the gold, silver, and bronze awards from each category were selected based on a variety of aspects, including their suitability to the category’s theme, the strength of the message, and level of creativity.’ Below is a short video Nikon put together about the judges and their outlook on the images and the contest as a whole:

The Grand Prize winner, which is selected from the Gold Prize winners in each of the categories, will be announced at the awards ceremony on August 23, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan.

The accompanying gallery is a collection of the Gold Prize winners for each category. Additional Silver and Bronze prize winners can be found on the Nikon Photo Contest website.

Open Single Photo Winner

Alma and Alzheimer’s — Open Award Single Photo Gold Prize

Photographer: Jason Parnell-Brookes (United Kingdom)

Story: Donald?90, sits alone in the background consumed in his suffering with Alzheimer’s and unaware of his wife, Alma, 84 having dinner just feet away. He came back from World War II, changed from the kind caring man she had married, suffering with shellshock (PTSD). After a violent 60-year marriage with Alma, Donald was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In the last few years of his life there was a sudden and rapid change of his demeanor rendering him placid, back to the man she had married.

Open Photo Story Winner

hope — Open Award Photo Story Gold Prize

Photographer: Thaib Chaidar (Indonesia)

Story: I took a photo of this series while on assignment about free cataract surgery for people who are not able in remote areas in West Papua, Manokwari Regency, and one of his patients was a mother named Sorina Ullo, who was lucky because after decades she could finally returned to see clearly, the cataract that had long suffered will heal soon

Next Generation Single Photo Winner

Ayimpoka — Next Generation Award Single Photo Gold Prize

Photographer: Sara De Antonio Feu (Spain)

Story: Ayimpoka lives with her family in a little town in Bolgatanga (Ghana). Albinism has been a cause of discrimination and persecution during years, and murders have been committed against albino children because of the popular association with magic and witchcraft. At Ayimpoka’s house, everyone gives her love and protection and a local NGO provides her weekly care. That day?she was recovering from malaria and she had a lot of sunburns because she was in the sun all day.

Next Generation Photo Story Winner

??(Fanghua – Moments in Our Youthful Days) — Next Generation Award Photo Story Gold Prize

Photographer: ? ?? [Jinghan Tu] (China)

Story: The camera I always have hanging around my neck is like another pair of eyes, and has essentially become a part of my body. Having the camera doesn’t affect how I engage with other people of the same generation. I am a part of the things that take place in each moment I capture. For me, pointing the lens at something is the same as taking screenshots of my own personal life. Every drop of rain, every smile, every quick motion, and every droplet when water is sprayed. The things I capture are nothing more than ordinary, yet they are all an important part of moments in the dazzling youthful lives of people, including myself. I continue to take photos to preserve the memories of those precious days which I have experienced.

Short Film Winner

Exulansis (link to video) — Short Film Award Gold Prize

Artist: Sara Crochet (United States of America)

Story: Exulansis n. the tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it. I made this film in one day to display a haunting memory and how I choose to see that as an experience I can share to bring light to women and men around me. Bringing us all together with understanding and love.

Participants’ Choice Prize Winner

The phoenix — NPC 50th Anniversary Prize

Artist: Helena Pelletier (Canada)

Story: As a young women, Halifax resident Holly Fox survived a terrible house fire?that took her young husband and left her with extensive scars after she ran into the flames to save their infant baby who made it out without injury thanks to the bravery of his mother. The child has grown now an adult man?and her scars a beautiful reminder of her courage and strength. Out of the ashes she will rise, stronger and more beautiful than before. Marked with evidence of such and wearing it with pride.

Nikon Photo Contest 50th Anniversary Prize Winner

????(Harvesting Season) — Participants’ Choice Prize

Artist: ? ?? Huaming Zhao (China)

Story: Fall is the season of harvesting. The tall green bamboos can be cut into strips for creating various crafts. They are dried, disinfected, then made into chopsticks to become a part of people’s everyday lives and bring joy to them.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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