The winners have been announced for the second annual Natural Landscape Photography Awards. This new and fresh contest showcases landscape and nature photographers who are committed to maintaining authenticity and realism in their photos.
The creators of NLPA wanted to create a community exhibit showcasing some of the best photography work of the moment, while setting a new standard for post-processing that aims to avoid the Deceptive digital retouching techniques have been popular for many years in the landscape field. photography community. It is safe to say that these images are more a representation of nature than of the photographers who took them, although the winners are certainly well deserved.
Below are the winning images for each category. For the full gallery of the finalists, please see the contest gallery above NLPA website. If you missed this year’s contest but still want to support the cause, please consider purchasing a copy of Natural Scenery Episode 1Beautiful collection of images from the 2021 contest.
Photographer of the Year, Winner: Brent Clark
Photographer of the Year winner, Brent Clark, has this to say:
I am honored and amazed to receive the Natural Landscape award of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards
Photographer of the Year! Last year’s NLPA was the first photography contest I entered, because most contests seem to reward the style of photography I don’t want to create and the mindset I don’t have. What drew my attention to the NLPA was its esteemed judges and core values, rather than the awards and recognition that come with winning. I feel like joining is to vote for what I want to see more of in the landscape photography community – natural and inspiring, fact-based images. After seeing the results and community response, I was encouraged to “vote” again, not hoping to win. The images that rose to the top were a mix of inspiring, quiet, and creative work that I knew I could trust thanks to the contest’s rules and review process (including file verification). rough). As long as the competition stays true to its merits, I will eagerly cheer it on! I would like to thank the founders and judges of NLPA for their great efforts and vision, the friends and family who have been so supportive of me, nature and all the artists I have studied with and inspired for many years.
This photo shows the silhouettes of several peaks on the surface of Lowell Glacier, in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada. It was taken one morning in July 2022 from a Cessna 172 as part of a decades-long project on glaciers. With climate change, the Lowell Glacier, like most of the world’s glaciers, is crumbling, its surface slowly disappearing beneath dirt and rubble as the ice melts. The image is intended to suggest a wave of destruction that will overwhelm us unless we stop emitting carbon into the atmosphere.
When I decided to visit the volcanic site on the Reykjanes Peninsula, I wasn’t sure what it would be like and how dangerous it would be. Fortunately, we have good conditions and good filters to protect our lungs. The so-called “enthusiasm” image is one of my favorites from the volcano series because of this small piece of this vast area. Blue now casts an ambient blue glow onto the background layers, with the orange lava even more prominent. The 1,100°C hot liquid earth is frozen in time. Although my distance to the erupting volcano was about 500 meters, I could feel the heat radiating after each eruption.
One of the beauties of Romania is the primeval forests spread across the Carpathian Mountains. It represents one of the country’s natural treasures, and although some are part of various natural parks, they are still endangered. The vision is to bring people closer to nature, raise awareness and help people not see forests as just an economic resource. Through this selective series of photos, I wanted to highlight the good adaptability of conifers to winter conditions and harsh landscapes. Nature is not as fragile as many people think, but it is very pristine and well-adapted. Although for some people this type of forest in alpine terrain or on rocky slopes does not make economic sense, it is of great importance for biodiversity and ecosystem health. . To open brackets, most of these photos were taken in the county where I currently live and where I’m working on a project where I’m trying to raise awareness of the importance of nature in our lives. and show how diversity can be. around us. Exploring and challenging myself with different topics helped me understand the importance of appreciating places near you – this way, sometimes, you can find the story you want to tell close to home.
For years, I’ve been so caught up in capturing the scene I originally envisioned that I would miss out on all the other opportunities around me. When I learned to let go of that, photography became a lot more enjoyable and satisfying.
For this Alpine Lakes Wilderness backpacking trip, one of the shots I looked forward to was capturing these mountains reflected in a tranquil alpine lake. After walking 11 miles and climbing nearly 5000 feet, I reached the top and realized that the chances of taking a photo were slim. We were in the fog, couldn’t see anything around, and there was too much wind.
During the evening and all night, these mountains were obscured and no pictures were taken, however as the sun rose, the clouds finally began to separate, revealing these dramatic peaks. I decided not to hike down to the lake but instead focused on the two mountains that really commanded the view and my attention. The conditions were magical but fleeting quickly. While this wasn’t in my initial expectations, I couldn’t be happier to have captured this scene in the backcountry.
Intimate Scenery, Winner: Spencer Cox
When I first saw this scene, the warm, earthy tones of the river bed reminded me of 19th-century landscape paintings. Even the fierce rapids of the Yellowstone River felt like light brush strokes. gentle when viewed from a distance.
I knew I could play with scale and perspective when composing this shot, as the trees seemed to stand against a cloudy sky, not a swirling river. It can be a difficult photo to analyze without a second look.
This photo breaks many of the ‘rules’ of supposed landscape photography. It uses midday sunlight instead of Golden Hour light. The main subjects—the scrawny trees along the riverbank—are at the bottom of the frame near the corner. And, for the photo shoot, I headed straight down from the edge of a canyon, not forward in a classic scene.
However, these unusual elements add personality to the photo. I always love to find different, close-up views of nature like this wherever I go. It can be the best way to tell the story of a landscape.
Summary or Details, Winner: Mieke Boynton
Taken from above in a chartered light aircraft over the waters of Gutharraguda/Shark Bay in Western Australia, this abstract aerial shot can be interpreted as the face and hands of an ‘Ocean God’ ‘ beautiful. Her peaceful expression exudes serenity and calm, and she has the dignity and grace of a Geisha.
Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls, Winners: Tom Shapira
Trees, Forests and Forests, Winners: Stuart McGlennon
Please check out the full contest gallery above NLPA website to see all the finalists in each category. Pre-orders for the 2022 book will open soon, so stay tuned and in the meantime grab a copy of the book. book of 2021 which, hype aside, is one of the finest collections of landscape photography ever published. The Natural Landscape Photography Awards are more than just a competition. For its creators, this is a true passion project aimed at demonstrating the artistic level of landscape photography. This is reflected in their dedication to transparency and authenticity in the administration of the contest. The awards and photo books give the community something to look forward to and convene each year, and the result is always guaranteed to be an exhibition of the era’s finest landscape photographers.
All images used with permission, courtesy of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards
