The Winners Of The 2020 Tourism Photography Contest Have Been Announced. Subjects As Diverse As Majestic Landscapes, Intimate Animal Portraits, And Interesting Night Scenes Under The Surface Of The Ocean Were Among The Winners Of This Series.

The Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) contest is organized by several photographers for all photographers around the world. TPOTY is a global event, whether you are an amateur or an amateur, no matter where you live. Whether you’re a professional, a beginner, or an expert, young or old, the Tourism Photography Contest of the Year is for you.

TPOTY-winning photographers have their work showcased worldwide through this competition, boosting established photography businesses, launching new ones, and giving people who never imagined seeing their photos in print a pleasant surprise—Experienced in their lives.

The Tourism Photography of the Year competition covers various topics, such as majestic landscapes, intimate animal portraits, interesting nighttime underwater scenes, and glimpses of different cultures worldwide.

The winning images of the 2020 Tourism Photography Contest capture a glimpse of life on our planet at a time when travel was difficult or impossible. Winning images from this series of competitions will be displayed in May at TPOTY exhibitions, including London’s Chester Cathedral.

Despite the challenges facing photographers and travel restrictions in 2020, the Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) still produced outstanding images worldwide.

In this series of competitions, more than 25 thousand images from 147 different countries have competed.

This competition has two categories of portfolios and individual types, and the best prize is awarded to the photographer who presents the best portfolio. The overall winner of this year’s award was awarded to a photographer from Russia for the first time. Vladimir Alekseev’s striking collection of frames captures a vibrant mix of landscapes, wildlife, and people. It has been selected by the jury to showcase the diversity of the Russian photographer’s skills.

(Click on the images to see them in actual size)

The overall winner of the competition

• Name of the photographer: Vladimir Alekseev
• Country of the photographer: Russia
• Image location: Norway

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

The solar eclipse of March 20, 2015, was a total. This solar eclipse happened on March 20, 2015 (March 29, 1393), and its peak time was 9:46:47 UTC. The duration and length of this solar eclipse lasted 2 minutes and 47 seconds.

This solar eclipse happened precisely one day before the beginning of the Iranian New Year (Nowruz) and exactly one day before one of the two beginnings of the Hebrew New Year on Nisan 1. This solar eclipse started from the eastern Atlantic Ocean and reached from Greenland to northern Siberia. This was one of the most important and impressive astronomical events. In the morning, the blizzard started, and the sky was covered with clouds. But, an hour before the eclipse, the weather got better, and I managed to capture this unique moment.

Winner of phone and tablet photography

• Name of the photographer: Azim Khan Ronnie
• Country of the photographer: Bangladesh
• Image location: Dhaka

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is the most populous city in Bangladesh and the 20th largest city in the world. This city is the heart of Bangladesh’s business, economy, and culture. Dhaka is one of the most important cities in South Asia and is also known as the city of mosques. The reason for naming Dhaka with this name is due to the existence of old mosques in this city; some have remained since the 17th century AD and are considered unique historical monuments. In this image, thousands of people are praying on several floors of one of the largest mosques in the world.

A frame from the island

• Photographer’s name: David Newton
• Photographer’s country: England
• Picture location: Taiwan Island, China

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

In this frame, a stone rock that has clashed with the waves has formed its own small island right off the coast of Taiwan. Taiwan, also known as Formosa, is the largest island in the Republic of China. The Portuguese discovered this island in 1590 and named it “Formosa,” meaning “beautiful.” Between 1624 and 1661, this island was occupied by the Dutch and the Spanish.

This island became part of the Chinese Empire in 1683. However, this island was handed over to Japan again in 1895 after the end of the Sino-Japanese war. After the end of World War II, this island was recaptured from Japan and now belongs to China again.

A frame of loneliness

• Photographer’s name: Mark Anthony
• Country of photographer: United States of America
• Photo Location: Butalan, Zambales, Philippines

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

In Botulan, a first-class city in the province of Zambales in the Philippines, we relaxed and observed the weather. Meanwhile, the sunrise suddenly beautifully illuminated the beach.

A frame of colors of life

• Photographer’s name: Peter Walmsley
• Photographer’s country: England
• Image location: India

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Do you think you have visited crowded markets before? If your answer is yes, you have never traveled to Bangalore in India. Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka province and a city in India. With an area of ​​741 square kilometers and a population of more than twelve million, it is considered one of the 17 most populous cities in the world. Bangalore is the fifth largest city in India and one of the greenest cities in the country. This city has had different names and nicknames throughout history, But one of the most famous titles is “Garden City.”

The contrast between the weather and greenery of this city with most Indian cities is one of the reasons why people and tourists pay attention to Bangalore. Bangalore has changed a lot over the years, But it was always famous for its beautiful and green nature and had different parks and gardens in this city. For this reason, it is no wonder that one of the busiest flower markets in the world is located in this city.

The flower market in this part of the world is quite chaotic. Just dive in and move with the crowd as other customers move. It is tough to photograph this environment and in this commotion. But with some creativity, you can climb several building floors and capture images like this from above.

The best single image in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer’s name: Paul Sanzum
• Photographer’s country: England
• Picture location: Vietnam

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s most giant ceramic mosaic is the Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural Project in Vietnam, which has an area of ​​1,570.2 square meters. This wall idea came from a journalist and an artist named Nguyen Tu Thuy. Paintings on the ceramic mosaic wall represent Vietnam’s history, contemporary works, and children’s drawings, which replaced the various murals that covered the Honga (Red River) Dam. This three-year project was completed, and a total of 35 Vietnamese and ten artists from other countries worked on this mosaic, which is more than 6 kilometers long.

I made a lot of effort to reach this wall in the heavy traffic of Hanoi, restricting me from left, right, and behind. I was only hoping that a bike or motorcycle would pass by this wall for a few moments so that I could capture my image. I have called this image, which is part of the longest mosaic mural in the world, Green Energy.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer name: Nicholas Raspiangeas
• Country of the photographer: France
• Picture location: Sweden

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Lake Akajaur, although technically, is an artificial water reservoir, is one of the biggest lakes in this country. This lake was formed in the early twentieth century; That is when the construction of the Sorva dam on the source of the Leule river was finished.

Lake Akajaur is one of the deepest lakes in Sweden, and since its water is used to generate electricity in the surrounding areas, the lake’s water level fluctuates wildly. This lake, located in the country’s northwestern region and about fifty kilometers from the Norwegian Sea, is one of the most stunning views of the Alps that can be found in Sweden.

Fishing, boating, and swimming are popular summer activities in this lake, But due to its northern location, autumn and winter are early, which limits the period of these activities. In this image, which was recorded in winter, thick ice covers Akajaur Lake. In winter, the water level in this place is low, and ice layers form at the lake’s lowest elevation, creating an incredible sight.

close to home

• Photographer’s name: Luigi Dudi Pier
• Country of the photographer: Italy
• Image location: Italy

 

The time of recording this picture was the beginning of autumn and one of the last days when we could take advantage of being outside in the park for a few hours before the corona quarantine restrictions were imposed. My friend Julia and her son were playing with soap bubbles, and I captured this image. The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

A frame of loneliness

• Name of the photographer: Irene Becker
• Photographer’s country: Hungary
• Image location: Serbia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Drina river in Serbia is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Drina’s house is also built on a rock in the middle of this river. A small place that, after decades, still maintains its balance on this rock and has become one of the wonders of this country. This house, which does not have a specific name and is known as The House Of Drina River, has doubled the attractiveness of the views of this river and has turned this area into a tourist place in recent years.

The Drina River House in Serbia attracts many curious travelers from all over the world. This tiny house is located on a rock in the middle of the Drina river near Bajina Basta, A city situated in the Drina River valley on the eastern edge of Tara National Park. A few years ago, a photo of this house was published on the Internet, making it so famous that many tourists visit it today.

You might imagine that this house has just been built, But interestingly, about half a century has passed since its construction. Although this house has become famous in recent years, it has been in the middle of the Drina river for more than 40 years. The story of the construction of this house is exciting and listenable. In 1968, some young boys looking for a quiet and peaceful place to use the sunlight saw a rock on the river and saw this as an excellent place to sit and rest.

Since the rock was not a comfortable place to rest, they built a wooden platform on it. For this reason, a piece of wood was brought to this place from a ruined hut near the river. Little by little, they decided to build a wooden house for more comfort, So they made a roof and walls on that platform and shaped this house.

The runner-up in the example of wildlife works

• Photographer name: Wenming Tong
• Photographer’s country: China
• Picture location: China

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Puyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China, located in the north of Jiangxi Province in Southeast China and a depression south of the Yangtze River. Puyang Lake is a reservoir located in the north of Jiangxi Province. Poyang Lake provides a seasonal home for over a hundred migratory birds, including eleven endangered species.

Puyang Lake has been covered with mud in recent centuries, and Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi, which was once located on the shores of the lake, is now about 24 kilometers away. The Poyang lake has been drained. This lake’s pollution, flood, erosion, and destruction are other problems. Also, in 2011, Puyang experienced its most extensive drought, unprecedented in the last 60 years. It caused issues such as cracking of the ground, drying up of some rivers and lakes, fish deaths, and a sharp decrease in rice production in the area.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer’s name: Alessio Messianic
• Country of the photographer: Italy
• Photo location: Kalsoy Island, Faroe Islands

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Going to Kalsøy, one of the Faroe Islands seems like a gamble. This place is in Kalsoi, a small island where only a few ferries pass daily. Seeing such a special light is possible only in winter. So I had to face the fantastic northern European weather. It was windy and freezing, and small pieces of snow and ice intermittently hit my face.

Faroe Islands is the name of a group of eighteen islands. Kalsi Island is a long and narrow island. The best way to enjoy Kalsoi is by hiking and walking to its lighthouse. If the weather is not too cloudy, you can see the other five islands in a panoramic way from the Kalsoy lighthouse.

About fifty thousand people live in the Faroe Islands. These islands are part of Denmark’s territory, But at the same time, they have a self-governing government. These islands are independent of Denmark and have their internet domain and area code. This island is about 320 km away from England. It also has a similar distance to Norway and Iceland.

Chosen in the sample section of the works of the people of the world

• Name of the photographer: Manab Taim
• Photographer’s Country: Syria
• Picture location: Syria

 

On World Theater Day, Waleed Rashid will perform puppet shows for children. Since 2013, he has been touring the refugee camps and destroyed neighborhoods of this country to do puppet work and various presentations for Syrian children. The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Selected in the best single image of animals and wildlife category

• Photographer’s name: Lawrence Wooster
• Photographer’s country: United States of America
• Image location: Australia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Wombats are short and muscular animals that belong to Australia. Their length with small tails is almost one meter, and their weight is between 20 and 35 kg. These creatures are very reluctant to be photographed. I was excited to find easier photographic baits in Cradle Mountain National Park.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer name: Jordi Cohen
• Country of the photographer: Spain
• Image location: Kannur, Kerala, India

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This picture is a portrait of a boy during the training of Calarai Plato. This sport is one martial art whose history goes back to South India. This martial art includes food abstinence, particular strikes, use of weapons, pre-determined movements, and wound healing methods. One of the places where you can watch this performance of this martial art is the Kadasanaden Kalari Center. You can also learn about this martial art by visiting the city of Kochi.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer’s name: Richard Lee
• Photographer’s country: China
• Picture location: Kamchatka, Russia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Salmon spawning in Kamchatka subvolcanic lake occurs in July and August. Spawning provides the tastiest food for brown bears. In this picture, the brown bear standing for Kamchatka salmon looks like a strange human looking for fish in the lake.

The first humans entered Kamchatka around four to three thousand years BC. Before the arrival of the Russians in this peninsula, almost half of its population was the Koryak people. During the Soviet Union period, due to the presence of military bases, Kamchatka became a prohibited area for foreigners to enter from 1945 to 1991. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the population of Kamchatka has been declining. Tourism had become necessary since the beginning of the 90s and when foreigners were allowed to travel. However, the number of tourists is still low due to the great distance of the peninsula from Europe and North America.

Chosen in the sample section of the works of the people of the world

• Name of the photographer: Jorge Basler
• Photographer’s country: Portugal
• Image location: Portugal

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Abilo da Fonseca has always been a farmer in Murtosa, Portugal. He is over eighty years old and spends most of his time caring for his animals.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer name: Joshua Holko
• Photographer’s country: Australia
• Picture location: Mongolia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

The Pallas cat is a small wild cat native to Central Asia. This animal is almost a little bigger than the size of a domestic cat and has a length of about 60 cm (not including its 25 cm tail) and an average weight of 3.6 kg. The color of his body hair is light gray or dark yellow with vertical stripes that are sometimes not seen among the thick and dense body hair.

The Pallas cat has various shapes that distinguish it from other felines. The round eyes of this animal are its most prominent feature. His legs are short, his butt is relatively large, and his hair is long and thick. Aware of my position, this cat watched me curiously and without fear. I also slowly moved to get the right angle to photograph him.

 Winner of Best Single Image of Animals and Wildlife

• Photographer name: Pavlos Evangelidis
• Photographer’s country: Greece
• Image location: Fiji

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Fiji, with the official name of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, which is in a perfect position in terms of tourism. Every year, many people are attracted to it. Fiji is located two thousand kilometers from the northern island of New Zealand, in the Melanesian region, and its capital is Suva.

Vanuatu from the west, New Caledonia from the southwest, the Kermadec Islands from the southeast, Samoa from the east, Wallis and Futuna from the northeast, and Tuvalu from the north are Fiji’s closest neighbors. Baga Lagoon in Fiji is one of the tourist attractions of this place. In this image, the fish help the shark navigate and clean.

Winner in the category of works of the people of the world

• Photographer’s name: Eddie Verlos
• Country of the photographer: Belgium
• Image location: unknown

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This is part of my series of images about losing the mind and the power of thinking, taken at the beginning of the 2020 covid crisis. An irregular period but also very fascinating in some ways. This is a photo of ultra-orthodox Jews who were unusually enjoying their freedom in the storm (of their lives) and escaping the quarantine.

Orthodox Judaism is one of the main branches of Judaism that emphasizes the interpretation of religious teachings and texts. Most of its followers consider the Talmud and its texts from God and refer to it more. Orthodox Judaism is stricter than other branches of Judaism.

Selected in the best single image of animals and wildlife category

• Name of the photographer: Alexey S. Sachdev
• Country of the photographer: Germany
• Image location: Indonesia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This image resembles a small spaceship captain and a small fish feeding on plankton collected by a crab reef. The photo was taken at night in the open Sea.

Winner of Young Travel Photographer of the Year

• Photographer’s name: Neely Larmore
• Country of the photographer: Ireland
• Image location: Pakistan

 

Wazir Khan Mosque has been located in the city of Lahore, Pakistan, since the 17th century and is considered one of the most important landmarks of this city. The mosque is decorated inside and outside with paintings and tiles in blue, green, orange, yellow, and purple colors. This view above the Kashmiri bazaar is one of the most amazing spots in Lahore. The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Wazir Khan Mosque is open to worshipers from sunrise, and sometimes people are seen in this place to talk to the caretaker who proudly protects this mosque. Wazir Khan Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in Pakistan, with its ornate arches leading from the main building to the prayer courtyard.

Overall winner

• Name of the photographer: Vladimir Alekseev
• Country of the photographer: Russia
• Photo location: Yamal Peninsula, Russia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

For the indigenous people of the Far North (the part of Russia that lies beyond the Arctic Circle), owning a deer equals owning wealth. For the people of these areas, deer includes food, shelter, clothing, and transportation. From a very young age, children learn how to drive reindeer on special sleds called Narta.

Winner in Nature, Sea Life, Wildlife category

• Photographer’s name: Marco Steiner
• Country of the photographer: Austria
• Picture location: Maldives

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This picture depicts a flying fish while diving in black water. I used a very slow shutter to capture the movement of this flying fish. On that day, we found three of these fish, and a few days later, another number of them were found, which was very interesting for us; Because we had never seen anything like this before in the Maldives.

Honored in the section on exemplary works of the people of the world

• Photographer: Piper McKay
• Photographer’s country: United States of America
• Picture location: Ethiopia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This image depicts pilgrims gathering at St. George, one of eleven monolithic rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia. The original name of this church was “Roha” or “Varvara,” and recently, it has been known by the modern term “Lalibela.” This church was created from the carving of clay and volcanic soil in the twelfth century and has been dubbed the eighth wonder on earth.

This church was created in a pit 25 meters long and 30 meters deep, and it was built by the king of Ethiopia known as Lalibela. For this reason, it is also known by this name today. According to the facilities of the 12th century AD, it was impossible to build a building with a height of 30 meters; Therefore, the king of Ethiopia used the hard stones under his feet to achieve his goal by digging the building.

The runner-up in the example of works of landscape and earth elements

• Photographer’s name: Scott Portley
• Photographer’s country: Australia
• Image location: South Australia

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

Lake Eyre is the largest salt lake in Australia, But on average, it is only covered by water every eight years. This lake is the largest in Australia during high water. Lake Eyre is located in South Australia and was observed and reported by Edward Eyre in 1840. This lake is situated seven hundred kilometers north of Adelaide.

This lake is the lowest area in Australia, with fifteen meters more bass than the open Sea. The lake’s size in the wet season is 9500 square kilometers, and the water height is about one and a half meters on average. When the lake is complete, it has the same salinity (water) level as seawater, But as the lake dries up and evaporates, the saltiness also increases.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer’s name: Jonathan Stokes
• Photographer’s country: England
• Image location: Spain

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This picture was taken at Bar Las Teresas, Seville, Spain. Three people are sitting and talking at a small table amid a cluttered interior of old posters and paintings, plates and baskets of food, and a row of cooked Jamun meat hanging from the top of the table.

Winner of Young Photographer of the Year (fourteen years old and under)

• Name of the photographer: Miguel Sanchez Garcia (eleven years old)
• Country of the photographer: Spain
• Picture location: Madrid, Spain

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

This photo is an image of the forest of Herria San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Madrid, Spain. A dreamy but natural forest located in the village of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Madrid (autonomous department). San Lorenzo del Escorial has an area of ​​56 square kilometers, a population of eighteen thousand, and 1032 meters above sea level.

Selected in the sample of tourism works

• Photographer’s name: Alessio Messianic
• Country of the photographer: Italy
• Image location:

The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:

It is not easy to see the northern lights in the Faroe Islands. In winter, inclement weather is widespread, and the sky of this island is often cloudy.

I parked the car, turned on the radio, lowered the seat, covered myself with a blanket, and waited for several hours to capture this image. I took this picture around midnight, but I stood and enjoyed it until 4 am.