The 2018 Book
About The 2018 Awards
THE 5th INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2018
Winners Announced! Sydney, Australia – Thursday 14th February, 2019
Professional and amateur photographers worldwide were invited to enter the fifth International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition for a chance to share in the prize pool, including US$10,000 cash.
From nearly 3000 entries from 863 photographers, the winner of the fifth International Landscape Photographer of the Year (based on a folio submission of at least 4 images) is Adam Gibbs from Canada.
What makes a great landscape photographer? Persistence? Experience? Luck? Passion? Looking at Adam Gibbs’ winning portfolio, we can see a diversity of views, an understanding of light and the expert use of framing and composition. From sandy aerials to icy mountain locations, Adam’s portfolio demonstrates a range of topics, an essential component when it comes to convincing our judges that you are the International Landscape Photographer of the Year.
Adam Gibbs lives part-time between New Westminster, British Columbia and Parksville, Vancouver Island, Canada.
“I’ve been a professional photographer since 1992 and up until 2014, my primary source of income was photographing gardens for gardening publications, but since then I have been a full-time nature photographer.”
Adam says he was originally inspired by a nature photography book written by John Shaw in the 1980s.
“Since I'm still a bit old school from the film days, I tend to try and capture the majority of my images in a single frame. I don't have strong views on image manipulation, other than I find more joy in capturing great light and composition on site, rather than creating something that didn't exist when I took the photo. My love of nature and the outdoors is much stronger than my desire to make images, so for me, pictures taken at the moment have far more integrity and personal meaning than those made later in a computer.
“I generally try to keep the image accurate to form and not use too much post-processing, although when the light is not great, I'll use a few more tricks to bring the best out of an image. I use Lightroom Classic CC and Photoshop CC 2019 for all of my work.”
Adam is currently using a Nikon D850 along with 14-24mm, 16-35mm, 24-120mm and 70- 200mm lenses.
“And I l love the Breakthrough Photography filters, especially the Dark X4 CPL filters that combine a 3 or 6 stop ND filter with a polariser into one filter.
“Most definitely, light is the key to great photography. If I don't have great light, then I search out subjects that go with the light at hand.”
When we asked Adam if he had any secret locations worth investigating as a landscape photographer, he was quick to nominate one of his homes, Vancouver Island.
“It is an exceptional place. The landscape is rugged, but not in your face and extremely challenging, especially the forests. I love it. However, other than the popular Canadian Rockies, the rest of British Columbia and Canada itself are highly underrated, in my opinion, as prime photo destinations for those seeking raw wilderness experiences.
“And entering contests such as the International Landscape Photographer of the Year is an excellent way to gain recognition from your peers and the general public. It's also a great way to get your work out there in front of the world to see – and the chance of winning a major prize is always appealing!
“I have entered many contests in the past. I tend to enter in waves. Some years I'll enter a few and other years none. Of course, not placing in a contest is disappointing, especially if you believe that your image is the best that you have ever taken. However, I don't take it personally because I know that judging in itself is a long and sometimes arduous process. The results are almost always contentious and, of course, subjective, but in the end, I am usually happy for the winners as they have gained the things that I enjoy about winning contests, recognition from their peers.
“After all, landscape photography is not generally considered a competitive pursuit, but an opportunity to enjoy nature and make a few images along the way.”
Adam Gibbs, the 2018 International Landscape Photographer of the Year
adamgibbs.com
The International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2018 - Second Place Greg Boratyn, USA
The International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2018 - Third Place Peter Svoboda, Slovakia
The winner of the fifth International Landscape Photograph of the Year (awarded for a single image) is Paul Marcellini from the USA.
While a portfolio of winning images may be a little quieter individually, a single winning image must stand on its own with presence and impact. Paul Marcellini from the USA understands this and is the 2018 International Landscape Photographer of the Year.
Paul is a full time landscape photographer who specialises in Florida scenery, with a focus on print sales.
“I have always loved nature and enjoy all types of nature photography, but initially, grand skies and weather caught my attention the most and I just went with it. They also sell better than macros of bug and snakes!”
Paul says he enjoys using Canon’s 17mm and 24mm tilt-shift lenses on his Sony A753 camera, adding that the Canon 11-24mm ultra wide-angle zoom is also a staple in his camera bag.
“I shoot raw and start working on my files in Adobe Camera Raw before moving into Photoshop. I use the tilt- shift lenses to make nearly seamless stitches and after putting together the panoramas, I typically do colour and contrast work to lead the eye to the centres of interest, but there’s not much more done after that. I always try to minimise the post-processing since large prints are the goal.
“I think art is art and there are no rules, but composite photographs in landscape and nature should be disclosed to the audience. Swapping skies or subject matter is deceptive and not true photography in my opinion. My clients expect that what they buy is the same scene that was in front of me so when I took the photo – and that is what I stick to.”
Since so much of Paul’s work is achieved in-camera, he says light and composition are paramount for him. “While I love crazy storms, I am most proud of a well put-together composition. Capturing a crazy storm can take a lot of preparation, but many times it is a lot of luck and fast paced in my experience.
“I seem to love every place I spend some time in, but it is the swamps of Florida that will always be my favourite habitat to explore. I enjoy the challenge of trying to organize the chaos. It is also a pretty strong bet that I will be the only one out there and the solitude is great!”
Paul says he respects the aims of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year award and has always thought the winning images were of very high quality.
“I have entered most major competitions over the years and have been lucky to place in many, but early when I started out, I used to take it a little personally if I didn’t rate. Now I consider it a bonus and it doesn't affect me if my image doesn’t stand out to a judge. Art is all personal and when a competition is judged by only a few sets of eyes, it is inevitable that sometimes you won't get picked.”
Well, on this occasion, Paul’s image was picked – and we’re sure you can see why!
The International Landscape Photograph of the Year 2018 - Second Place Miles Morgan, USA
The International Landscape Photograph of the Year 2018 - Third Place Roberto Marchegiani, Italy
There are also some special awards which change each year to keep things interesting, and the 2018 winners are:
The Sunset/Sunrise Award 2018 Xiao Zhu, China
The Abstract Aerial Awards 2018 Chris Byrne, USA
The Snow and Ice Award 2018 Ignacio Palacios, Australia
The Exemplary Tree Award 2018 Ann Kristin Lindaas, Norway
The Mist and Fog Awards 2018 Oliver Wehrli, Switzerland
The top 101 is the result of expert opinions collaborating to curate a wonderful exhibit of the world's best contemporary landscape photography. Our thanks go to:
David Burnett, co-founder Contact Press Images, USA
Tim Parkin, ON LANDSCAPE Magazine Editor
Max Rive, 2017 International Landscape Photographer of the Year
Kaye Davis, NZIPP Grand Master of Photography
Jim M Goldstein, Fine Art Photographer and Author, USA
Chairman of Judges, Peter Eastway says:
Landscape photographers are a passionate lot! Some are passionate about discovering remote locations under exceptional light, while others are passionate about using their imagination to create landscapes of the mind. However, both schools of thought put their differences aside to engage in our annual International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards.
The International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards 2018 presents 101 exceptional landscape photographs, selected by an experienced judging panel from nearly 3000 entries. Entrants and winners alike represent all corners of the globe in a wildly disparate display of remarkable and emotionally charged landscape photographs.
While entrants’ main aim is to be one of the top 101 images of the year, the judges are also asked to do what is really an impossible task: to pick the best of the best. But is it the best photograph or the best photographer?
For this reason, the Awards have two main prizes. The Photograph of the Year is for the best single landscape photograph, while to be named International Landscape PhotographER of the Year requires a set of four images, showing in addition to a spark of landscape brilliance, a degree of consistency and experience. Please enjoy the fruit of our fifth awards – and the best international landscape photographs of 2018.
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International Judging Panel
DAVID BURNETT
CO-FOUNDER CONTACT PRESS IMAGES
www.davidburnett.com
JIM M GOLDSTEIN
PROFESSIONAL AND FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER
www.jmg-galleries.com
KAYE DAVIS
G.M. PHOTOG. (NZIPP), M.PHOTOG. II (AIPP)
Kaye has close to 20 years experience as a photographer, following many years immersed in the creative industry of fashion and design. It was during her time studying for the fashion industry that saw her first experience the wonders of the darkroom, a love she went back to when deciding to retrain in photography many years later.
Since then, she has worked as a freelance photographer, undertaking wedding, portrait and commercial photography. Now working as a full-time Senior Lecturer on the Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging (UCOL, Palmerston North, New Zealand), she also gives back to the industry through writing a regular column for The Photographer’s Mail, as an international judge, a position on the NZIPP Board and as current Chair of the NZIPP Honours Council.
Kaye’s practice now revolves around photographic art and a love of landscape, still life, illustrative and portraiture.
Career highlights include Epson/NZIPP Professional Photographer of the Year 2013 (New Zealand), Illustrative Photographer of the Year 2013 (Australia), Creative Photographer of the Year 2014, 2013 and 2011 (New Zealand).
"I absolutely love being part of this amazing profession and I’m constantly amazed and inspired by the passion, creativity and talent that exists at all levels.
“As an artist, photography is my medium of choice for expressing and interpreting the wonders of nature and the world around me, and I love that I am constantly learning about the art of photography.”
TIM PARKIN
PHOTOGRAPHER, On Landscape EDITOR
Tim Parkin is On Landscape online photography magazine's editor and, along with Joe Cornish, co-founder. Originally a computer engineer with a PhD, he has worked extensively in publishing, the internet and the music industry, but today Tim is immersed in all aspects of the art and craft. While his background means he is completely comfortable with digital photography and post-production, he chooses to shoot a lot of his landscape work on film using large format cameras.
"Our original goal for On Landscape was to create something dedicated to the people we both meet on a fairly regular basis. The amateurs who spend all of their spare time in the field, the semi-professionals trying to make a living from this misunderstood occupation and the full timers who have managed to build themselves a niche in a challenging business field.
"At the end of the day my photography is about learning; learning to see, learning to take pictures, learning about other photographers. This process also becomes a conversation with other photographers (who tend to be a nice bunch mostly) and this engagement is satisfying in itself."
https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/
http://www.timparkin.net/
MAX RIVE
2017 INTERNATIONAL LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR WINNER
Born and raised in the flat country off the Netherlands, Max visited the high mountains of Switzerland for the first time at the age of 5. Looking at topographical maps, making hiking routes and running in front of his parents and brother, it was immediately obvious that Max had a true and deep passion for mountains and landscapes.
Many years passed by before Max would go back to the mountains for a hiking trip in the Swiss Alps. Even though Max ended up in the hospital after 3 days, he found his passion for the mountains again and returned many times to the European Alps.
As big as his passion was for mountains, photography and other hobbies - such as motorsport and cycling – so small was his passion and motivation for the countless studies he followed. The travels he made during his study made him realise that his current path and direction were only motivated by the expectations of his surroundings. After missing a deadline for his study, Max decided to end his life as a student and stepped only weeks later onto a plane bound for the Himalayas of Nepal. After almost losing his life in an airplane accident, and witnessing the major earthquake in April 2015, he continued traveling around the world to Chile, Argentina, Greenland, Sweden, Scotland, Norway and New Zealand.
“I gradually became more serious as a real landscape photographer when I started sharing photos on the internet and became inspired by the work of others – and by ‘real’ landscape photographer, I mean using tripods, filters, bigger cameras and waiting for days at a spot to get the shot.
“I have now called myself a professional for the past four years, although I always want to keep challenging myself. I don’t want to fall into a predictable routine or get comfortable with what I’m doing.”
Max was the winner of the 2017 International Landscape Photographer of the Year and as such has been invited to be on the 2018 judging panel. Max was also the winner of the 2018 International Landscape Photograph of the Year - winning both the major awards.