(Image credit: Armand Sarlangue)
The winners of the annual International Travel Photographer of the Year award have just been announced. Here are the most striking images.
F
From the morning mist hanging over a lake to the unspoken friendship between a rescued pangolin and its guardian to a galaxy of molten fire spewing from a volcanic crater, photographs have the power to inspire us, to captivate and haunt us.
For the past 21 years, amateur and professional photographers from around the world have captured the richness, beauty and diversity of the world through one lens in the annual International Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) awards. This year’s competition saw photographers from more than 150 countries submit more than 20,000 images to judges, who have just announced the winning shots.
Here is a selection of the winning images, accompanied by a few words from the photographers. The winning photos will also be exhibited at the Photography & Video Show in Birmingham, England, March 16-19.
Travel Photographer of the Year: AndreJa Ravnak (near Pienza, Italy)
“At the beginning of spring, the first rains allow the wheat to grow in the hilly fields. Due to the cold nights, the landscape is often shrouded in beautiful mists on clear mornings during this period. This agricultural landscape is sparsely populated, with land used to its full potential. Farms are located on top of individual hills.
Travel Photographer of the Year: AndreJa Ravnak (South Moravia, near kyiv, Czech Republic)
“In early spring the ground is still too cold for growth. An interesting pattern occurred when a new orchard was planted on the hillside, making the scene very abstract.”
(Credit: Caden Shepard Choi)
Young Travel Photographer of the Year Winner: Caden Shepard Choi, USA, 14, (Chinle, Arizona, USA)
“The sheep are returned to their enclosure at the entrance to the canyon. They walk through a cloud of dust formed by the steady kick of their hooves. The sheep are at first reluctant to enter the mouth of the canyon, but when they return home, they show no resistance. After a long day of driving the sheep, the two sheepdogs now playfully follow.”
(Credit: Caden Shepard Choi)
Young Travel Photographer of the Year Winner: Caden Shepard Choi, USA, 14, (Chinle, Arizona, USA)
“The women dove for hours. I followed them with my lens as they disappeared and reappeared from the sea, the only constant was their orange buoys. I took this image of a Haenyeo just as she dived back into the ocean with perfect form, as if it were his first dive of the morning. Yellow fins in the air and a small splash create the foreground. The sea seems so unperturbed around the Haenyeo. In the distance, the Waves crash over bands of volcanic rock. A light fog rolls in, veiling parts of a small island in the background. Clouds loom mysteriously above us.
Young Travel Photographer of the Year (age range 15-18): Lilly Zhang, 17 (Exton, Pennsylvania, USA)
“A golden mist hangs on the still surface of the lake, and in the midst of this dream scene is the coexistence of a fisherman and a duck. Seeing this unlikely duo at Marsh Creek State Park, I knew that I had to capture the scene in a photo.”
Second runner-up for Young Travel Photographer of the Year (15-18 age group): Matthew Armett, 18 (Solomon’s Temple, Buxton, UK)
“The moon was aligned with the silhouette of Solomon’s temple and a friend of mine for scale. It was a challenge to get perfect alignment, but it was all the more satisfying once I captured this photo with the setting moon.”
Vice-champion Young Travel Photographer of the Year (age group 15-18 years): Arthur Cech, 15 years old (Ifrane National Park, Morocco)
“These wild monkeys climb freely on the majestic Atlas cedars in the Moroccan Middle Atlas and it is simply great to spend hours and hours observing them. I tried to capture the special atmosphere of the forest and the life of monkeys: calm, peaceful, cozy, familiar.”
Young Photographer of the Year (14 years and under): Zayan Durrani, 14 years old (Litli-Hrutur volcano, Iceland)
“My father and I took a trip to Iceland to witness a volcanic eruption in progress. I was able to witness new earth forming right before my eyes. We traveled 10 miles through rugged, mountainous hills and the desert, never stopping to rest, just to be able to reach the eruption before it got dark. We were in a race against time because a thick and noxious fog was rolling in and we were told that we had to evacuate the area. I finally approached the fiery eruption. I was able to capture this photo using a drone.
(Credit: Armand Sarlangue)
Winner of the Landscape and Environment portfolio: Armand Sarlangue (Svinafellsjokull, Iceland)
“This 360-degree panorama was captured with a drone. It shows the entire path of the glacial waters, from the Skaftafellsjokull glacier, to the glacial lake, to the glacial river, and then to the ocean in the background.”
Finalist for the Landscape and Environment portfolio: Tim Bird (Obama Onsen, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan)
“THE onsen (hot springs) in and around the town of Obama Onsen in Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan are often shrouded in a cloud of steam. These landscaped gardens near the springs were magically obscured by sudden snow showers. I had to photograph quickly: my camera wasn’t weatherproof and the snow didn’t last long. An ephemeral and delicate image…”
Landscape and environment portfolio felicitated: Kasuaki Koseki (Shirakawa Lake, Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan)
“During a period from late winter to early summer, Lake Shirakawa is filled with water from melting snow and a “submerged forest” appears. The water in the lake changes color between the light blue and light green, and the mist, combined with the reflections that resemble a submerged forest create a fantastic landscape. In March, Lake Shirakawa, covered with a thick layer of snow, was gradually transforming. It was a beautiful morning shrouded in mist and light. A beautiful light shone through the misty trees for a brief moment.”
Nature, Wildlife and Conservation Portfolio Finalist: Sam Turley (Wild is Life Sanctuary, Harare, Zimbabwe)
“Every day, Mateo and Marimba the pangolin walk together looking for termites and ants. If Mateo sees that Marimba is having difficulty digging in the hard ground, he will often help him and provide him with an easy meal. Marimba, a pangolin land pangolin, was about a year old when his mother was poached for her scales. Marimba was simply too young to fend for himself and so the decision was made to take him to the Wild is Life Sanctuary in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she met her full-time guardian, Mateo. Pangolins are notoriously difficult to care for in captivity, requiring special, personal care. Mateo’s gentle nature seemed like a perfect fit, and a remarkable relationship was born. Marimba and Mateo have spent ten hours a day together for the past 13 years, and it shows – they are inseparable. Many attempts have been made to rewild Marimba, but she always finds a way to return to Mateo who considers her his last born. “
Highly Commended Nature, Wildlife and Conservation Portfolio: Roie Galitz (Tarangire National Park, Tanzania)
“The Last Embrace: A young lioness feeds on a dead female elephant. It is a huge feast for the entire pride, which will provide them with nutrition as the environment of Tarangire National Park suffers from drought For predators, every meal is a huge and risky battle. This series shows four predatory mammals from four continents, facing the same challenges as climate change.
(Credit: Athanasios Maloukos)
Winner of the People and Cultures portfolio: Athanasios Maloukos (Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia)
“Shaman Alexander in an ice cave near the cliffs of Olgoi Island. Ice caves are considered the refuges of spirits from the middle world where humans live, while the “upper world” is reserved for maids deities and the “lower world” to darkness. forces.”
Winner for Best Single Image in a People and Culture Portfolio: Jack Lawson (Lagos, Nigera)
“Four members of the Special Eagles, Nigeria’s national amputee soccer team, look out over the ocean during a day at the beach.”
Special mention: Sun Bin (Zhuomulang Village, Yunnan, China)
“[The] Yi family in their centuries-old home.”
(Credit: Shyjith Onden Cheriyath)
Special mention: Shyjith Onden Cheriyath (Al Qusais Livestock Market, Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
“Camels are a vital part of the UAE’s culture and economy, and ensuring their proper nutrition is crucial. Camel feed mixing at Al Qusais Livestock Market involves the mixing of various ingredients to create a balanced and nutritious diet for camels. This process takes into account the specific dietary needs of camels, which often include a combination of grains, legumes, hay and other essential nutrients.
—
Join over three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebookor follow us on Twitter And Instagram.
If you liked this story, sign up to the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called “The Essential List”. A hand-picked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.
;