Travel Photographer of the Year 2016
Photographers from 20 countries have won awards, and the winning images will go on show at Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) exhibitions at the UK City of Culture celebrations in Hull from 18th May to 30th June 2017 and at 10 Stockwell Street, Greenwich at the University of Greenwich, London from 4th August to 3rd September 2017.
Joel Santos, Portugal – Winner
Joel Santos becomes the first-ever Portuguese overall winner in the award’s 14-year history, beating photographers from 123 countries to take the title of Travel Photographer of the Year 2016. His winning entry features a delicate and intimate portfolio depicting traditional fishing in Ghana and – in another first for TPOTY – an aerial portfolio captured using a drone, giving a bird’s eye view of one of the hottest places in the world, Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression.
Lake Bosumtwi, Ashanti, Ghana (c) Joel Santos/www.tpoty.com
The Ashanti people fish from the traditional wooden padua.
Salt Desert, Danakil Depression, Afar, Ethiopia (c) Joel Santos/www.tpoty.com
This unique aerial photo shows the salt miners guiding a dromedary and donkey caravan through this desert’s unique salt patterns.
Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2016
Darpan Basak, India – Winner
Chadipur, India (c) Darpan Basak/www.tpoty.com
From land to sea – joy to eternity
Courtney Moore, USA (age 18) – Winner, 15 to 18 years old
Island Beach State Park, New Jersey, USA (c) Courtney Moore/www.tpoty.com
On a particularly windy day, this fox was sitting only a few yards away from the ocean as sand pelted against his fur.
Zijie Gong, China (age 16) – Runner-up, 15 to 18 years old
Between Sichuan and Tibet, China (c) Zijie Gong/www.tpoty.com
A life of freedom for young children.
Ankit Kumar, India (age 13) – Winner, 14 years old & under
Lake Natron Tanzania (c) Ankit Kumar/www.tpoty.com
A flock of Lesser flamingos take flight above Tanzania’s salt and soda Lake Natron.
Mankind
Ruiyuan Chen, China – Winner
Daliang Mountains, Sichaun province, China (c) Ruiyuan Chen/www.tpoty.com
Portraits of the ethnic Yi people, who live in great poverty.
Panos Laskarakis, Greece – Runner-up
Volakas, Falakro Mountain, Greece (c) Panos Laskarakis/www.tpoty.com
Mysterious and ancient celebrations in the forests on the mountain.
Jeremy Woodhouse, UK – Winner, Best Single Image in a Portfolio
Coltesti, Romania (c) Jeremy Woodhouse/www.tpoty.com
This elderly woman was cutting grass from a small plot to feed her livestock.
Land, Sea and Sky
Craig Easton, UK – Winner
West Kirby, Wirral, UK (c) Craig Easton/www.tpoty.com
A lone Buddhist monk walks around the boundary wall of the West Kirby Marine Lake.
Martin Siering, Germany – Special Mention
Komba Island, Indonesia (c) Martin Siering/www.tpoty.com
The eruptions of Batu Tara volcano are extremely loud, big and powerful, so that the whole island quakes.
Journeys & Adventures
Beniamino Pisati, Italy – Winner
Bayankhongor, Mongolia (c) Beniamino Pisati/www.tpoty.com
Horses are present in all aspects of life in Mongolia. A popular saying is: “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings”.
Timothy Allen, UK – Runner-up
Andalucia, Spain (c) Timothy Allen/www.tpoty.com
Pilgrimage to El Rocío: celebrating at the end of the four-day journey.
Lluís Salvadó, Spain – Winner, Best Single Image
San Bartolomé de Pinares, Spain (c) Lluís Salvadó/www.tpoty.com
Each January 16, the festival of Saint Anton takes place in San Bartolomé de Pinares.
Shaped by Light
Biran Zhao, China – Winner
Baiyu County, Ganzi, Sichuan Province, China (c) Biran Zhao/www.tpoty.com
Every morning, the nuns walk around the mountain as practice lesson. Regardless of the season, they walk year after year, day in and day out.
Cities & Architecture
Michele Palazzo, Italy – Winner
Flatiron Building, Manhattan, New York, USA (c) Michele Palazzo/www.tpoty.com
While walking through the Jonas snowstorm that swept across the East Coast, I captured this shot of the Flatiron Building against a backdrop of swirling snow.
Dominic Byrne, Ireland – Highly Commended
Astana, Kazakhstan (c) Dominic Byrne/www.tpoty.com
An image of an interesting art installation composed in a way to give a War of the Worlds feel to a nearby modern tower.
Wildlife & Nature
Luke Massey, UK – Winner
Sierra de Andújar National Park, Andalucia, Spain (c) Luke Massey/www.tpoty.com
In 2001 there were less than 100 Iberian lynx left in the wild. Fifteen years later there are now more than 400, but it is still, unfortunately, the rarest cat in the world.
Kyle Adler, USA – Joint Runner-up
(c) Kyle Adler/www.tpoty.com
This alligator lay out in the middle of the waterway seeking what little sunshine was offered on a cloudy December day as we sailed by.
Rudi Sebastian, Germany – Joint Runner-up
Berlin, Germany (c) Rudi Sebastian/www.tpoty.com
In a small pond at the rural border of Berlin, male moor frogs in their bright blue mating colour try to mate with a common toad, which almost drowned. It took about 30 minutes before she managed to free herself and reach dry ground.
Marco Urso, Italy – Special Mention
Kamchatka, Russia (c) Marco Urso/www.tpoty.com
The young cubs like to play. This one was having fun with a small stick. After biting it, he relaxed for a few seconds, looking like a little fisherman.
Magdaléna Straková, Czech Republic – Special Mention
Prague Zoo, Prague, Czech Republic (c) Magdaléna Straková/www.tpoty.com
This flamingo was photographed early in the morning in January, when few people visit.
Smart Shot – iTravelled, iCaptured
Marina Spironetti, Italy – Winner
Paris, France (c) Marina Spironetti/www.tpoty.com
Two women waiting for the 14th July parade on the Champs Elysées.
New Talent – Eye to Eye
Alison Cahill, UK – Winner
Son & Dad Barbers, George Town, Penang, Malaysia (c) Alison Cahill/www.tpoty.com
Portrait of Elyas the head barber and owner of Son & Dad.
Raimondo Norberto Giamberduca, Italy – Highly Commended
Jokkmokk, Sweden (c) Raimondo Norberto Giamberduca/www.tpoty.com
Reindeer race.