One of the perks of my job is that I regularly get to write about photography competitions. I love flicking through the winner's galleries to see what beautiful, thought-provoking images have captured the judge's eye and of course, whether I agree.
There is honestly a photography competition for every genre you can imagine; from aerial and underwater, to portraits, pets, action and architecture, it doesn't matter what your preferred style is, you'll find a competition to enter. While some competitions such as the Sony World Photo Awards (which is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious competitions in the world) are vast and varied, other competitions such as Capture the Atlas' Northern Lights Photographer of the Year are very subject-specific.
On the whole, I tend to agree with the judging panel's selection however there have been a few times where my eye has been drawn more to a different image. I appreciate that everyone is going to have different opinions on things but sometimes I can't help but think the wrong image has been crowned winner - that doesn't make it a bad image though I'm just drawn to a certain style of photography.
As we near the end of 2023, I take a look back over all the amazing photography competitions from the past year to bring you my favorite images. So, in no particular order, these are my top 10...
Sony World Photography Awards
Choosing a favorite image from the Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA) is incredibly hard. So many talented photographers enter this particular competition in the hope of shining a light on some of the most important humanitarian events, environmental efforts, changes to society and everything in between.
Lee-Ann Olawage's The Right to Play series examines what happens when young girls are empowered to learn and dream. These powerful images gave me time to reflect on my own privilege and be grateful that secondary school here in the UK is a given - not something we have to fight for.
NHU Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Every year the Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards opens up voting to the public and this year's shortlist was something to marvel at. Winners of the competition will be announced at an awards ceremony in February 2024, but these well-camouflaged white hare's get my vote!
Aerial Photography Awards
This was rightly so awarded the top prize at the DJI Sky Pixel awards. Taken by Khanh Phan it shows hundreds of flowers carefully positioned to look like the skirt of a dress. There's something special about photos taken from above, they offer a different view than we're used to seeing and photos like this inspire me to use my DJI Mini 2 more often..
Ocean Photographer of the Year
The Ocean Photographer of the Year awards documents all aspects of our beautiful blue planet - from the wildlife that lives in it, to the people who rely on it for income, to the projects ensuring its future and even the people who use it for adventure and enjoyment.
Portrait of Humanity
As a portrait photographer, The Portrait of Britain is one of the photography awards I get most excited about. It's a true celebration of diversity, documenting all the different people who make up the UK and includes everyone from actors to activists, nurses to Morris dancers to fishermen, friends, family and everything in between.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Every year the entries for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year really are out of this world but I have a particular soft spot for brightly colored, beautiful nebulas. I have a a lot of respect for astrophotographers, this image took more than 70 hours to capture and craft - no luck or chance is going on here.
Comedy Wildlife Photo Award
The Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards is bound to bring a smile to anyone's face - it's a true reminder of just how funny animals can be if you catch them in the right moment and a testament to the patience of wildlife photographers.
Red Bull Illume Image Quest
Out of all the hundreds of submissions to the Red Bull Illume Quest 2023 this one really stood out. The combination of action photography, complimentary block colours and a minimalist approach makes this photo one I would want to hang on my wall.
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year
The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Award is a true celebration of everything edible. Every year I'm amazed at the diversity of entries, documenting everything from harvesting, processing, cooking, enjoying and sharing food with people. The Candy Man by Jon Enoch documents a particular street seller working in Mumbai who goes the extra mile to display his sweet good.
Epson Pano Awards
There is something so majestic about low-lying clouds and I can't help but be drawn into this image by Krzysztof Browko. Entered into the Amateur landscape category in the 2023 Epson Pano Awards, this image is made so magical by the church steeple just poking up through the clouds. With the mountains and sunrise in the background, it almost reminds me of a scene from a Disney film.
