2016 Winners' Gallery
Welcome to the gallery of the 2016 winning images. We hope you enjoy them.
Travel Photographer of the Year is proud to showcase another great set of images, as the 2016 winners add fresh perspectives on our world through the eyes of talented amateur, semi-professional and professional photographers.
The winning images from Travel Photographer of the Year 2016 are displayed below. To see them in all their glory, come along to our exhibitions - they will be exhibited at the UK City of Culture celebrations in Hull (18th May to 30th June 2017) and at 10 Stockwell Street, Greenwich in London (4th August to 3rd September 2017). For details of our other exhibitions please visit the exhibitions page.
As always we would ask you to bear in mind that some of the best images do not look as good when shown as low res thumbnails. To see them in all their glory, come along to our exhibitions. But for now, to view any of the thumbnails as larger images, please click that image to open the slideshow.
Travel Photographer of the Year 2016
WINNER —Joel Santos, Portugal
Biography
Joel Santos
Joel Santos was born in Lisbon, Portugal. He holds an honours degree in Economics and a master’s degree in Economics and Management of Science and Technology. However, he has dedicated the last decade to his greatest passion: photography. His images and writing frequently appear in photography, travel and corporate magazines all over the world, and he has won several national and international photography awards. A former editor of ‘O Mundo da Fotografia Digital’ magazine, Joel has also published a number of photography books. He also leads trips and photography workshops in Portugal and all over the world.
What the judges thought....
Joel's two portfolios - entered in the Land Sea Sky and Journeys & Adventures categories - exhibit a remarkable diversity in subject, technique and feel. The first portfolio, shot in Ethiopia's Danakil Depression, is the first winner to be shot using a drone-mounted camera, giving us a different perspective on this dramatic landscape and revealing dramatic detail which wouldn't be visible at ground level. The second portfolio is a sensitive and intimate insight into the life of a Ghanaian fisherman on Lake Bosumtwi. In dull weather conditions these subtle images create beautiful shapes against the light, balancing detail in lowlights and highlights without the need to overlighten the all important shadow areas of the image which give it depth.
Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2016
WINNER — Darpan Basak, India (age 14)
Biography
Darpan Basak is a self-taught photographer, taking it up seriously in 2012, and has already received an Honourable Mention in the Royal Society of Biology’s Conflict & Survival photography competition. Beside playing games and sports, he loves going on photography outings with his family.
What the judges thought....
With the theme Places & Experiences, Darpan's portfolio conveys the experience of landing the catch, getting into the action and giving a sense of the excitement. For one so young - 14 years old - there is already a building sense of the story about both place and this important routine in the fishermen's lives.
Young Travel Photographer - 15 to 18 years old - PLACES & EXPERIENCES
Winner — Courtney Moore, USA (age 18)
Biography
Courtney Moore has been interested in nature and photography since the age of five when she would disappear in her family’s woods, before her parents were awake, to take pictures. Having laid claim to her mother's Olympus camera, she would spend hours photographing birds, snakes and whatever else she could find during her outdoor adventures. So far, she has gone through six different cameras. Although she loves taking photographs of nature and animals, her primary focus is birds. Her goal is to combine her love for photography and nature into a life-long profession.
What the judges thought....
Courtney's images of foxes were shot on a sub-zero windy morning in Island Beach State Park, New Jersey, USA. Her portfolio captures the harsh coastal winter habitat in which the foxes live and the interaction between the two males. These images show good use of perspective and viewpoint, both including the environment and visually isolating the foxes from it to emphasise the interaction between them.
Runner Up — Zijie Gong, China (age 16)
Young Travel Photographer - 14 years old & under - PLACES & EXPERIENCES
Winner — Ankit Kumar, India (age 13)
Biography
Having received a DSLR as an early 13th birthday present, Ankit Kumar only recently started his journey in photography. He has, however, always been a traveler at heart. In less than a year, he has traveled the world with his much-treasured camera, capturing images ranging from wildlife in Africa and Asia, to landscapes in Europe and North America, giving us a glimpse of his perspective through the lens. His passion for photography has led him to create an organization – waytohelp.org – that helps an Indian children’s charity. Ankit is currently an eighth grader at the United World College in Singapore. Being of a creative frame of mind, he hopes to make a career in product design.
What the judges thought....
For such a young photographer and one who is still in his first year of photography, Ankit's portfolio is remarkably accomplished. Photographed at Lake Natron in Tanzania, these images capture the scale and beauty of this place, giving us an insight into the relationship between this unusual environment and the flamingos which visit it.
Runner Up — Hugo Berman, France (age 12)
People & Cultures Portfolio - MANKIND
Winner — Ruiyuan Chen, China
Biography
Ruiyuan Chen was originally an artist, painting in oils. Now he is a freelance photographer, with a photography studio in Shanghai. His images have won prizes in national and international competitions and he has been listed among the top ten photographers in his country.
What the judges thought....
These stunning portraits use monochrome well to marry the sculpted faces of the ageing subjects with their contoured clothing. The people, ethnic Yi, live in poverty in the Daliang Mountains of Sichuan, China. Ruiyuan has captured the lives and personalities of these people beautifully in these wonderfully textural black and white photographs.
Runner Up — Panos Laskarakis, Greece
Highly Commended — Stéphanie Buret, Switzerland
Highly Commended — Timothy Allen, UK
Commended — Hugo Bes, Netherlands
Best Single Image in a Portfolio - MANKIND
Winner — Jeremy Woodhouse, UK
Special Mention —Jacob Maentz, USA
Special Mention — Marsel van Oosten, Netherlands
Special Mention — Sue O'Connell, UK
Special Mention — Ricardo Stuckert, Brazil
Special Mention — Craig Easton, UK
Natural World Portfolio - LAND, SEA, SKY
Winner — Craig Easton, UK
Biography
Craig Easton shoots landscape and people photographs for clients and personal projects worldwide. He is known for his dramatic landscape work and intimate portraits of real lives. His early career was defined by his work for the groundbreaking Independent newspaper in London and he has gone on to win numerous awards – including being voted Travel Photographer of the Year in 2012.
What the judges thought....
Craig's images caught the eye of the judges in the earlier online rounds of the judging but it was only when the judges saw the sumptuous tones and detail in the prints that their true beauty and quality was fully appreciated. No doubt many online viewers will fail to appreciate these images on screen but those who come along to one of the TPOTY exhibitions will be able to see them large and truly appreciate them.
Runner Up — Stephan Fürnrohr, Germany
Highly Commended — Sandra Bartocha, Germany
Commended — Stephan Fürnrohr, Germany
Best Single Image in a Portfolio - LAND, SEA, SKY
Joint Winner — Sandra Bartocha, Germany
Joint Winner — Stephan Fürnrohr, Germany
Special Mention — Sergey Pesterev, Russia
Special Mention — Martin Siering, Germany
Special Mention — Ben McRae, Australia
Special Mention — Margaret Soraya, UK
Special Mention — Sergey Pesterev, Russia
Creative Travel Portfolio - JOURNEYS & ADVENTURES
Winner — Beniamino Pisati, Italy
Biography
Beniamino Pisati lives in Sondrio, Lombardy. A professional freelance photographer, he specializes in geographic reportage, working with international travel magazines and agencies. His pictures have documented many areas of the word and dealt with topics such as AIDS in Malawi. He has also organized more than 100 photographic trips.
What the judges thought....
Shot from a viewpoint which draws the viewer into the heart of the action, these beautifully lit photographs of the people and horses of Bayankhongor in Mongolia are dynamic and engaging. Full of action, the viewer has a real sense of being part of the experience.
Runner Up — Timothy Allen, UK
Highly Commended — Johnny Haglund, Norway
Commended — Songge Cui, China
Best Single Image in a Portfolio - JOURNEYS & ADVENTURES
Winner — Lluís Salvadó, Spain
Special Mention — Stuart Butler, UK
Special Mention — Luke Duggleby, UK
Special Mention — Jason Edwards, Australia
Special Mention — Ly Hoang Long, Vietnam
One Shot - WILDLIFE & NATURE
Winner — Luke Massey, UK
Biography
Luke Massey is a professional wildlife photographer and cameraman. Picking up a camera for the first time when he was 12 he's spent the past 13 years obsessing about photographing wildlife and telling important conservation stories, from the rarest cat in the world, the Iberian lynx, to the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia. His passion is showing people what is out there, after all if people don't know about it, why will they care?
What the judges thought....
Blink and you miss it! This remarkable image shows how well the rare and endangered Iberian lynx is camouflaged in its native environment in the Sierra de Andujar National Park, Andalucia, Spain. It's an unusual moment as this animal is not only rare but predominantly nocturnal. The image grows on the viewer and rather than being a more obvious large cat image, it has a uniquely subtle beauty.
Joint Runner Up — Kyle Adler, USA
Joint Runner Up — Rudi Sebastian, Germany
Highly Commended — Matthew Williams-Ellis, UK
Commended — Ryan Green, Ireland
Special Mention — Anette Mossbacher, Germany
Special Mention — Magdaléna Straková, Czech Republic
Special Mention — Marco Urso, Italy
One Shot - SHAPED BY LIGHT
Winner — Biran Zhao, China
Biography
Biran Zhao is a graduate of Tianjin university in China. He is a teacher of Chinese language and literature. In 2007, he first stepped onto the Tibetan Plateau, starting to be a freelance photographer. Since then, he has travelled to the region more than 20 times, taking numerous images of the landscape as well as is people and cultures. He has won several national and international photography awards. His images had been displayed at many photographic exhibitions. Right now, he is preparing to publish a photography book of the images he took in the Tibetan region over 10 years.
What the judges thought....
The early morning light catching part of the mountain defines and shapes this image, creating the atmosphere and framing the moment in light. The image is unusual, captivating and intriguing leaving the viewer asking questions as to what the scene depicts. Shot in Baiyu County in Sichuan, China, the nuns walk around the mountain every morning, regardless of season or weather.
Runner Up — Songge Cui, China
Highly Commended — Jeremy Woodhouse, UK
Commended — Felicia Simion, Romania
Special Mention — Minqiang Lu, China
Special Mention — Piotr Grochala, Poland
Special Mention — Ruiyuan Chen, China
One Shot - CITIES - ARCHITECTURE & SPACES
Winner — Michele Palazzo, Italy
Biography
Italian by blood, architect by training, digital designer by day, and a photographer by heart, Michele Palazzo is a visual storyteller, weaving narratives through people’s movements and emotions. He lives and operates in New York:
“I think architecture, design and photography share something in common: on top of the visual and creative components, they all relate to us in an unspoken, subliminal way. And that’s what I want to communicate to my audience through those two-dimensional still images. I like to watch people and travel with my imagination into their lives. My photos are tied to people and their movements and emotions, I’m interested on those little quirks that connect us as humans. It’s those sort of mundane daily things I want to document, and slowly it has become a daily routine for me. It makes the world a little closer, especially in NYC.”
What the judges thought....
The Flatiron Building in New York City or Diagon Alley from Harry Potter in Winter? A magical image of a storm in the Big Apple makes for a unusual atmospheric image of the city. You can feel the cold!
Runner Up — Neville Morgan, UK
Highly Commended — Dominic Byrne, Ireland
Commended — Fengkui Wang, China
Special Mention — Zhiwen Huang, China
Special Mention — Lu Wenpeng, China
New Talent Portfolio - EYE TO EYE
Winner — Alison Cahill, UK
Biography
A graphic designer by trade, Alison left the UK several years ago to travel and volunteer in Southeast Asia. She became more serious about photography just over two years ago whilst working as a graphic designer for Free The Bears, an organisation that raises funds for projects supporting bear conservation and rescue in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Her photography is moving from travel to social documentary, capturing the moment and documenting small snippets of time in a person’s life. She loves immersing herself into the culture of a place and hopefully making people feel comfortable with her presence so that she is almost invisible when she shoots.
What the judges thought....
A delightful visual story of a father and son barbers shop - Son & Dad in George Town, Penang, Malaysia, is a deserved winner of the New Talent category, taking the view eye to eye with the daily life of these two barbers and their customers. The more you look the more you see.
Runner Up — Dong Xiaolian, China
Highly Commended — Raimondo Norberto Giamberduca, Italy
Commended — Hongbing Ye, China
Smart Shot - iTRAVELLED, iCAPTURED
Winner — Marina Spironetti, Italy
Biography
After earning a university degree in Languages and Literature, Milan-born Marina Spironetti trained as a journalist in Italy. She studied photojournalism at the London College of Communication and launched her photographic career in 2004. Originally working as a UK correspondent for the Italian picture agency EidonPress, she now freelances for a variety of magazines/newspapers, both in Italy and internationally. Her range of subjects is fairly broad, but her aim is to use the human element as the main storytelling tool. A big part of her work focuses on capturing disappearing ancient traditions and cultures. Marina is a restless traveler – she lived in London, Paris and Buenos Aires. She spent several months in Burkina Faso, covering the revolution in 2014 and the terrorist attacks in 2016. She is currently Milan-based.
What the judges thought....
It's a perfect moment for a smart phone image as two women wait for the 14th July parade on the Champs Elysées, Paris, France. The immediacy and atmosphere is tangible.
Runner Up — Britta Baumann, Germany
Highly Commended — Nicola Young, UK
Commended — Jing Guo, China
HD Video - TRAVEL SHORTS (click thumbnail to view)
Winner — Rufus Blackwell, UK
Biography
Rufus is a Time-Lapse Photographer, VFX Artist and Adventure Filmmaker. Combining these skills he has spent the last 10 years developing a number of techniques that allow him to shoot and finish his work in a totally unique fashion.
Based in Southeast Asia, Rufus specialises in travelling the world to remote locations capturing spectacular and rarely seen images. He continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with digital imagery and as a result has recently been sponsored by DJI, so expect a year of fun Aerial footage to come.
What the judges thought....
This video is great fun and puts a smile on your face. It's also well shot and edited to give an enchanting glimpse of the city of Saigon and it's people. Enjoy two minutes of escape!
Thank you from Travel Photographer of the Year 2016
We would like to thank all the many photographers who entered TPOTY 2016. Once again the standard has been very high and it has been a joy to look through and judge all the submissions from talented photographers around the world.
Our judges work very hard to select the winners in this gallery and we would like to thank them for giving their time and expertise to the judging of Travel Photographer of the Year.
Not everyone can be a winner and if you aren't, we hope you enjoyed taking part and will try again next year.
