Photography

The best of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year awards

The best of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year awards
Second-placed best single Photograph of the Year in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year awards
Second-placed best single Photograph of the Year in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year awards
View 25 Images
An image from the Photographer of the Year's winning portfolio
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An image from the Photographer of the Year's winning portfolio
An image from the Photographer of the Year's winning portfolio
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An image from the Photographer of the Year's winning portfolio
An image from the second place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
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An image from the second place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
An image from the second place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
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An image from the second place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
An image from the third place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
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An image from the third place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
An image from the third place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
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An image from the third place winner's Photographer of the Year portfolio
Winner of best single Photograph of the Year
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Winner of best single Photograph of the Year
Second-placed best single Photograph of the Year in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year awards
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Second-placed best single Photograph of the Year in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year awards
Third place in best single Landscape Photograph of the Year
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Third place in best single Landscape Photograph of the Year
Winner of the Lone Tree Award
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Winner of the Lone Tree Award
Winner of the Heavenly Cloud Award
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Winner of the Heavenly Cloud Award
Winner of the Abstract Aerial Award
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Winner of the Abstract Aerial Award
Winner of the Wildlife in Landscape Award
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Winner of the Wildlife in Landscape Award
Winner of the Snow & Ice Award
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Winner of the Snow & Ice Award
Highlight from the top 101, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
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Highlight from the top 101, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
Highlight from the top 101, Page, Arizona, USA
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Highlight from the top 101, Page, Arizona, USA
Highlight from the top 101, Cozia National Park, Romania
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Highlight from the top 101, Cozia National Park, Romania
Highlight from the top 101, Iceland
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Highlight from the top 101, Iceland
Highlight from the top 101, Antorno Lake, Dolomiti, Italy
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Highlight from the top 101, Antorno Lake, Dolomiti, Italy
Highlight from the top 101, Iceland
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Highlight from the top 101, Iceland
Highlight from the top 101, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Highlight from the top 101, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Highlight from the top 101, Reyinisdrangar Rocks, Iceland
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Highlight from the top 101, Reyinisdrangar Rocks, Iceland
Highlight from the top 101, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
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Highlight from the top 101, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
Highlight from the top 101, Bromo Volcano, Indonesia
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Highlight from the top 101, Bromo Volcano, Indonesia
Highlight from the top 101, Sumba Island, Indonesia
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Highlight from the top 101, Sumba Island, Indonesia
View gallery - 25 images

Amateur Russian photographer Oleg Ershov has won the International Landscape Photographer of the Year award with a folio of spectacular vertical images. In its sixth year, the impressive burgeoning photo contest again delivers a stunning array of images highlighting the beauty of the natural world.

The competition features two main prizes – a single photograph of the year award and a photographer of the year award selected based on a portfolio of at least four submitted images. This year’s competition garnered over 3,400 entries from almost 1,000 photographers.

An image from the Photographer of the Year's winning portfolio
An image from the Photographer of the Year's winning portfolio

"My interest for photography began in 2007 when I bought my first DSLR camera and signed up for a photo tour to the Southwest USA,” says this year’s Photographer of the Year, Oleg Ershov. “I was struck by the tremendous variety of landscapes, colors and textures found in nature. Since then, I spend all my free time improving my skills and knowledge in landscape photography. I usually spend six weeks a year on photo trips, sometimes in groups, often on my own."

Winner of best single Photograph of the Year
Winner of best single Photograph of the Year

The best single photograph of the year award went to French photographer Magali Chesnel for an incredible overhead shot of a salt marsh being harvested. The image was captured with a DJI Mavic Pro drone, the photographer’s current tool of choice.

Chesnel says her winning image, depicting the The Salin de l’île Saint Martin salt marsh in Gruissan, is inspired by the iconic works of American abstract painter Mark Rothko.

"I thought it would create an amazing abstract aerial photo, with the white of the salt contrasting against the bright pink colors, thanks to the proliferation of a red alga, the Dunaliella salina,” says Chesnel. “From the ground, this scene doesn’t look glamorous at all, but from a bird’s eye view, it becomes unexpected, beautiful and like a painting."

Winner of the Heavenly Cloud Award
Winner of the Heavenly Cloud Award

Another interesting aspect of the competition is its ever-changing array of special awards. Every year a number of different awards are handed out to particularly exceptional entries. This year there were five special awards, including the Lone Tree Award, the Heavenly Cloud Award, and the Abstract Aerial Award.

Winner of the Lone Tree Award
Winner of the Lone Tree Award

The main winners share in US$10,000 prize money and the competition also presents the top 101 photographs as a free ebook, or a printed A3 or A4 book.

“While humanity concerns itself with the challenges of climate change, landscape photographers are doing their part, revealing and showcasing just how amazing and worth saving our planet is,” says co-founder of the competition and legendary landscape photographer Peter Eastway. “As you turn the pages of this book, we’re sure you’ll marvel at the diversity of locations and revel in the beauty of the scenes that have been captured and created in our world.”

Winner of the Wildlife in Landscape Award
Winner of the Wildlife in Landscape Award

Take a look through our gallery at all the winners of this amazing contest, and some highlights from the top 101 photographs.

Source: International Photographer of the Year

View gallery - 25 images
2 comments
2 comments
ChairmanLMAO
ooh 10,000 dollars --- haha some of those photographers might even be able to get a lens for 10,000 dollars.
ljaques
Wow, the worst pic shown was the winner, and a drone pic. Feh. // #2 speaks to my highlander blood. // the Wildlife in Landscape award should have been the Cozia Park pic from Romania. // I would have awarded #20 knothole aurora the creative Snow and Ice Award. // The Lone Tree and Heavenly Cloud Awards were well deserved. // I loved the Sumba Island pic. It's a Mother Nature family shot, with Dad putting an arm around Mom and Junior off playing in the distance. Good shadows, lighting, and clarity abound. // CharimanLMAO, or buy several new drones, eh? <sigh>