In a world full of selfies, what can be the ultimate landscape photography? For the eight judges of the Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards, the answer has been: ice.
The awards, now in their 12th year, honor the best amateur and professional photographers who have managed to capture landscapes at their finest.
This year’s jackpot winner of £ 10,000 (just over € 11,000), Pete Rowbottom, was selected for his photograph of the town of Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands. The distinctive cracks in an icy ‘pool’ beneath a snowy peak are what sets this image apart from the others, according to head judge Charlie Waite.
“The many strong diagonal lines of ice fractures in Pete’s image echo the shape of Buachaille Etive Mòr (The Buachaille) in the background and have peaks of their own,” he said. “You can’t take your eyes off the relationship between the mountain and the ice; it is visually very strong and has mathematical precision. The cold of the mountain and the ice go well with the amber in its surroundings. This is an image where you can hear and feeling the landscape, as well as seeing it, so it is emotionally strong and engages the viewer on multiple levels, “Waite continues.
The title Young Landscape Photographer of the Year went to Josef FitzGerald-Patrick, who also won two other categories with a selection of photographs taken in the county of Cornwall.
Overall, the judges said of the 2018 awards: “From dramatic storms and raging seas to the calmest joys of cloud forests and close-ups of fascinating details in nature, the winning photos not only showcase the talents of their creators, but also inspire visitors to explore and discover the wonders of the British countryside. “
All winning images can be viewed in a free exhibition on the Balcony at London Waterloo, Britain’s busiest station. It will be open from November 19, 2018 to February 3, 2019; subsequently, it will tour a wide range of selected stations across the UK.
