Now in its 17th year, the Travel Photographer of the Year contest consistently offers a world-class array of images, spanning everything from landscapes and wildlife to people and architecture. This year’s winning shots are perhaps the most incredible batch yet, including mind-bending drone shots of Iceland and thrilling animal photography.
“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,” explains Chris Coe, co-founder of the contest. “This year’s winning entries are outstanding in all categories, elegant and sometimes thought-provoking and gritty.”
The contest is divided between a number of single shot and portfolio categories, including Street Life, Thrills & Adventures, and Endangered Planet. The overall winner is decided based on the best eight images submitted in the portfolio categories, while extra prizes include Young Photographer of the Year, and best photograph taken with a smart phone or tablet.
The top prize this year went to amateur photographer Katy Gomez Catalina, whose day job is a doctor of veterinary science. The winning portfolio comprises eight wonderful black and white images covering the entire globe, from China to Uganda to the United Arab Emirates.
“My subjects are very varied being travel photography a common link in all my work,” says Katy Gomez Catalina. “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.”
Brian Clopp’s remarkable portfolio featuring wild stallions won the Thrills and Adventures category. Clopp spent a week camping amongst a herd of wild Onaqui horses in Utah, capturing some spectacular and rarely seen behaviors, including two stallions battling for dominance of the herd.
Other winning highlights include Paul Sansome’s poignant shot of a flooded Venice, Ted Lau’s peek behind the curtain at hundreds of school students training for the Mass Games in Pynongyang, North Korea, and Patria Prasasya’s portfolio looking at the colorful makeshift city of Malang in Indonesia.
Take a look through our gallery at more highlights from this year’s great competition.
Source: TPOTY