This year, we partnered with retailer Public Lands for our biggest World Photography Day Contest yet! Topping out at 12,950 group members and a whopping 33.3K photo submissions, our judges had the privilege to review some truly stunning work submitted by the Flickr community. After much deliberation, we’ve got five winners selected and want to introduce you to the photographers and their prize winning photos.
The winners are……..
Seasons in the Wilderness Category
Lightning Over Toroweap by John Wang
Meet the photographer: John Wang is a data analytics executive living in California who began taking photos almost 15 years ago. What started as a hobby, focused mainly on taking photos of his newborn daughter, has developed into a real love for photography. John makes sure to bring his gear with him on all of his travels which lead to this prize-winning photo in our Seasons in the Wilderness category. John managed to showcase the peaceful and explosive sides of the wilderness in one epic shot of the Toroweap Overlook in Littlefield, Arizona.
When asked about setting up this special shot, John said “This photo was taken this past summer at Toroweap. I arrived just as a late afternoon storm was forming over the canyon. Shortly after setting up my camera, lightning and thunder began, and the storm quickly intensified. I had to switch the camera to interval shooting and take shelter in my truck. It wasn’t until the following day, after I got home, that I discovered this photo (out of 8000 taken during the storm) on the memory card.”
Lives in the Open Category
Untitled by Jason Garris
Meet the photographer: Jason Garris is a Pastor, videographer, and photographer based in Asheville, North Carolina. He works in a community center, coaches basketball and also works with non-profit organizations that aim to help close the equity gap. This photo caught the judges eyes as a true depiction of what the Lives in the Open category spoke to – adventure, curiosity and a story unfolding.
When asked about his winning photo Jason said, “This photo was taken in Asheville, North Carolina during a back-to-school backpack event that the organization I work with puts on. We get to work with families that live in public housing and help them prepare for school with supplies, backpacks, and other free services. During the event there are games, music, partner program booths, and a neighborhood cookout… feels like a great big family reunion.” Jason’s been a Flickr member since 2007 and has an eye for catching joy, action, and community through his photography. Make sure to check out his Flickr site for more awesome photos!
Wildlife and Their Habitats Category
Sunrise Sleepy Dalmation Pelican, Greece by Deirdre
Meet the photographer: Deirdre Irwin is a Wildlife Photographer living in Ireland who loves to travel around the world documenting the communication and behaviors in wildlife. And if you ask her about being a photographer, she’ll tell you, “I love what I do, there are ups and downs but all worth it.”
According to Deirdre, this image was taken at sunrise on a boat at Lake Kerkini in Greece. She continued, “It was a perfect morning. A sleepy Dalmatian Pelican welcomed the morning as the mist rose on the lake and the sun shone its golden hue on the spider web on the top of the tree branches casting a tapestry of woven gold.”
The tone and composition of this beautiful pelican in its natural habitat gives the viewer an intimate look into a restful and quiet moment in nature, making it the top pick for our Wildlife and Their Habitats category. For more moments of creatures big and small in their habitats make sure to check out Deirdre’s collection on her Flickr site.
Patterns in Nature Category
Stripes by Martin Jurák
Meet the photographer: Martin Jurák is a photographer based in the Czech Republic. Martin was introduced to photography by his father, a professional photographer. Martin said, “After getting my college degree I worked for 5 years in one of the largest camera stores in Czechia, where I also taught photography courses. While I did some paid photography work too, I mostly keep photography as a hobby to wind down from the stress of everyday life.” He enjoys the slower pace of landscape photography which allows him to thoroughly assess a location, wait for the best light and then find that composition that speaks to him.
The winning photo, Stripes, was shot at one of Martin’s favorite locations in South Moravia, near Kyjov. This area, often referred to as Moravian Tuscany, offers striking rolling hills and a landscape that provides a multitude of textures, which lead this photo to be the top choice in our Patterns in Nature category.
Urban Exploration Category
Frankfurt City- The other View by Michael Hertel
Meet the photographer: Mike Hertel is a biologist working in medical sales in Germany, but today we get to celebrate his skills as a black and white street photographer. Mike loves contrast, light, and shadow, which you can find throughout his Flickr site. Currently he works with Ricoh (GRIII, GR IIIx, GRD IV) and the new Fujifilm X100 VI.
Mike said his winning photo for the Urban Exploration category was taken from a car while traveling through downtown Frankfurt. He said, “It was an interesting view in the back mirror of the car so I took this snap with a Fujifilm XE 3 and the 27 2,8 mm. Photography is becoming more and more a passion.” Last year Mike’s work was published in several street photography magazines and he hopes that winning this contest will help get him more exposure and connections with other street photographers.
Your Best Shot is on the horizon!
If you enjoyed these photos, there are so many more to browse. We will be highlighting more of our favorites and honorable mentions this month for our World Photography Day Explore Takeover on Thursday, September 26th so don’t miss it!
And the contest fun is far from over. Next up we have our most popular contest, Your Best Shot! Make sure to stay tuned for announcements about that Flickr favorite soon. Thanks again for celebrating World Photography Day with us and thanks for being part of the Flickr community!