Photography

Jaw-dropping visions in the Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards

Jaw-dropping visions in the Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards
Top 101. Ijen volcano, Java island, Indonesia
Top 101. Ijen volcano, Java island, Indonesia
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1st Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Life Stream', Highlands, Iceland
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1st Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Life Stream', Highlands, Iceland
2nd Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Coexistence', Near Lomangnupur Mountain, Southern Iceland
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2nd Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Coexistence', Near Lomangnupur Mountain, Southern Iceland
3rd Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Hanksville Utah Sunset', Hanksville, Utah
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3rd Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Hanksville Utah Sunset', Hanksville, Utah
Winner, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Magical Night', Norway, Tromsø
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Winner, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Magical Night', Norway, Tromsø
2nd Place, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Heart of the Dragon', Oregon Coast, Oregon, USA
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2nd Place, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Heart of the Dragon', Oregon Coast, Oregon, USA
3rd Place, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Nocturnal Souls,' Deadvlei, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
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3rd Place, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Nocturnal Souls,' Deadvlei, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Amazing Aerial Prize. 'Yin and Yang', Cuejdel lake, Romania
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Amazing Aerial Prize. 'Yin and Yang', Cuejdel lake, Romania
Incredible Horizon Prize. Ibex dunes, Death Valley
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Incredible Horizon Prize. Ibex dunes, Death Valley
Snow & Ice Prize. Stetind, Nordland, Northern Norway
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Snow & Ice Prize. Stetind, Nordland, Northern Norway
Top 101. Mortimer Forest, Shropshire, England
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Top 101. Mortimer Forest, Shropshire, England
Top 101. 'Winter's Desolation', Hayden Valley, Yellowstone
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Top 101. 'Winter's Desolation', Hayden Valley, Yellowstone
Top 101. Ijen volcano, Java island, Indonesia
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Top 101. Ijen volcano, Java island, Indonesia
Top 101. 'The Standoff', Wistman's Wood , Dartmoor national park, UK
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Top 101. 'The Standoff', Wistman's Wood , Dartmoor national park, UK
Top 101. 'The Matrix', macro photo of the ice layer on the Akkajaure Lake, Storasjofallets National park, Sweden
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Top 101. 'The Matrix', macro photo of the ice layer on the Akkajaure Lake, Storasjofallets National park, Sweden
Top 101. 'The Mighty Five and Neowise', Capitol Reef National Park
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Top 101. 'The Mighty Five and Neowise', Capitol Reef National Park
Top 101. 'Hide & Seek', Little Tipsoo Lake, Cascade Mountain Range, USA
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Top 101. 'Hide & Seek', Little Tipsoo Lake, Cascade Mountain Range, USA
Top 101. 'Foehn', Kiama, Australia
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Top 101. 'Foehn', Kiama, Australia
Top 101. 'Slash', Iceland
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Top 101. 'Slash', Iceland
Top 101. 'To Infinity and Beyond', Santa Cruz Mountains, California
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Top 101. 'To Infinity and Beyond', Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Top 101. 'Sprout', Fremont, Bay Area, California
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Top 101. 'Sprout', Fremont, Bay Area, California
Top 101. 'Falling Softly', The Buckland Valley, Victoria, Australia
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Top 101. 'Falling Softly', The Buckland Valley, Victoria, Australia
Top 101. Laguna Amarga, Torres Del Paine NP, Chile
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Top 101. Laguna Amarga, Torres Del Paine NP, Chile
Top 101. 'Isolation (Dressed in White)', Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
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Top 101. 'Isolation (Dressed in White)', Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Top 101. Rio Negro, Brazil
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Top 101. Rio Negro, Brazil
Top 101. 'Pastel Waves', Death Valley National Park, CA, USA
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Top 101. 'Pastel Waves', Death Valley National Park, CA, USA
Top 101. 'Light of Snow', Senja island, Norway
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Top 101. 'Light of Snow', Senja island, Norway
Top 101. 'Finding a Way', Gochang, South Korea
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Top 101. 'Finding a Way', Gochang, South Korea
Top 101. 'Lightning Rainbow', Southern Arizona, USA
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Top 101. 'Lightning Rainbow', Southern Arizona, USA
Top 101/ 'Winter Breeze', Mount Fuji, taken from lake Kawaguchi, Yamanashi, Japan
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Top 101/ 'Winter Breeze', Mount Fuji, taken from lake Kawaguchi, Yamanashi, Japan
Top 101. 'Evening Reflection', Iceberg Alley Scoresby Sund, Eastern Greenland
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Top 101. 'Evening Reflection', Iceberg Alley Scoresby Sund, Eastern Greenland
Top 101. 'Agricultural Art', Val di Non, Trentino Altro Adige, North Italy
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Top 101. 'Agricultural Art', Val di Non, Trentino Altro Adige, North Italy
Top 101. Motukiekie Beach, West Coast, New Zealand
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Top 101. Motukiekie Beach, West Coast, New Zealand
View gallery - 32 images

Inarguably one of the most spectacular photo contests around, the International Landscape Photographer of the Year has again delivered a truly awe-inspiring selection of highlights in its seventh year. From fairy-tale inspired forest shots to beautifully surreal drone perspectives, this incredible competition highlights the diversity of landscape photography.

“As our annual award grows with over 3,800 entries this year, so does the range and diversity of subjects, locations and styles,” explains Peter Eastway, chairman of the judges. “Landscape photography is a powerful medium, even more so when we acknowledge the impact of climate change and our footprint on this Earth.”

3rd Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Hanksville Utah Sunset', Hanksville, Utah
3rd Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Hanksville Utah Sunset', Hanksville, Utah

The contest is simple, with two main prizes: a single Photograph of the Year, and the overall Photographer of the Year Award for a portfolio of images. A handful of special prizes are also awarded each year in categories such as best Snow and Ice photo, or best aerial image.

The top Photographer of the Year prize went to Hong Kong artist Kelvin Yuen for a stunning portfolio including a magical night shot taken in Norway. The 24-year-old Yuen sees landscape photography as a way to better understand himself by being thrown into challenging situations in remote locations.

Winner, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Magical Night', Norway, Tromsø
Winner, Landscape Photographer of the Year. 'Magical Night', Norway, Tromsø

“Working outdoors, I need to deal with many uncertain conditions – for example, shooting without sleeping, shooting inside a storm, exploring areas without a path and even dealing with a car that gets stuck!” he says. “These challenges have improved my problem- solving skills and give me an opportunity to reach a place I never expected I could in my life.”

1st Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Life Stream', Highlands, Iceland
1st Place, Photograph of the Year. 'Life Stream', Highlands, Iceland

German photographer Kai Hornung won the top prize for best single shot of the year with a surreally beautiful shot of a mountain river in Iceland. Hornung is open about his post-processing techniques but suggests the goal is enhance and not to completely alter an image.

“I usually like to keep my images rather natural-looking,” says Hornung, discussing his post-production process. “This doesn’t mean I don’t spend lots of time post-processing and thinking an image through – because I do! My technique includes dodging and burning, and selective and local color and contrast adjustments, often with the help of luminosity masks.”

Top 101. Mortimer Forest, Shropshire, England
Top 101. Mortimer Forest, Shropshire, England

Other highlights from the top 101 selected by the judges include a fairy-tale tree found in England’s Mortimer Forest; an incredible shot of a bolt of lightning surrounded by a perfect rainbow; and an otherworldly look at Mr Fuji.

Take a look through our gallery at more impressive highlights from this year’s contest, and check out our previous coverage of 2019 and 2018 highlights.

Source: International Landscape Photographer of the Year

View gallery - 32 images
4 comments
4 comments
WB
They should prohibit postprocessing or just allow very few options. To go and change local lighting and color, basically creates a photo the way it never existed. In that case I can just as well go all photoshop or artificially generated photos.. what's the difference. If heavily edited pics end up winning, like Kai Hornung's pic it just strikes me as odd.
sidmehta
I agree with WB. Gorgeous pics but keep it natural please.
Username
I'm fine with a Photoshop competition. I'm not fine with Photoshop in a photography competition. In the first picture the Sun's reflection doesn't even line up with the sun.
Richard Brian
These images are so "Photoshopped" they are hardly images rather photo illustrations. I've been shooting for almost 20 years and have never actually seen an image like any of these come out of the camera. Someone needs to start the RAW Photo awards where we take photos and post them raw and then see how good these photographers actually are. The rainbow and lightning is probably the most organic photo of them all so that one wins in my book.