2019 has been a bumper year for amazing photographs, and this collection of award-winning shots certainly proves that. If you've already bored by the lackluster Christmas TV listings, don't worry. We've collected our ten favorite images from this year's photo competitions for you to peruse and enjoy.
From incredible documentary shots, to jaw-dropping wildlife moments, there are plenty of images here to take your fancy.
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01. Royal History Museum WPOTY
The Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year is one of our favorite competitions of the year. Consistently packed with incredible wildlife shots, it's always a pleasure to report on this prestigious contest.
"You can see the overall winners of this year's competition at the NHM Wildlife Photographer of the Year website. Meanwhile entries for next year's awards are now open (until 12 December).
The book featuring the 2019 winner is now on sale - Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: Portfolio 29 is now on sale costing £25 / $39.95."
02. Wex Photographer of the Year
The Wex Photographer of the Year competition is packed full of amazing photos from all genres of photography. Our favorite part of this competition is that its free to enter and you can do so throughout the year!
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"For your best shot of winning next year's Wex Photographer of the Year competition, check out the rules below.
"Entrants are invited to share their best shot from the previous seven days on a subject matter of their choice, tagging @wextweets and using the hashtag #WexMondays. Every week, one winner, two runners-up and seven other shortlisted shots are selected by the Wex Photo Video judging panel based on technique and creativity, and allocated points on the #WexMondays leader board. The top three photographers with the most points accrued throughout the year are presented with the first, second and third place prizes in the Wex Photographer of the Year competition."
A collection of the 46 winning images from the weekly #WexMondays competition will be exhibited at the Wex Photo Video Gallery from 16 to 31 January 2020."
03. SINWP Bird Photographer of the Year
The Society of the International Nature and Wildlife Photographers Bird Photographer of the Year 2019 competition has a variety of beautifully captured bird photos that are well worth a gander…
"With over 2,000 entries, the judges saw everything from bald eagles to peacocks - and everything in between. However, there could only be one winner. The wildlife photographer to scoop the top prize was Thomas Vijayan from Ontario, Canada. His image of a family of emperor penguins helped him win a collection of prizes worth over £1,145.
You can discover more on the SINWP website."
04. Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year
The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2019 competition celebrates the tasty world of food photography. From a giant cauldron of noodles to colorful bowls of produce, there's plenty to salivate over here.
"Chinese photographer Jianhui Liao has won the overall title of Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2019 in the annual competition to find the best pictures around the globe of food, wine, farming and produce.
The shot beat over 9,000 images from 77 countries to win the £5,000 main prize, as well as the Food for Celebration category."
05. Digital Camera Photographer of the Year
The Digital Camera Photographer of the Year was announced at The Photography Show in March 2019. With categories such as Urban landscape, Wildlife, Street Seen, Abstract and Travel, there's plenty of photographic talent to be seen.
"Digital Camera's annual photography competition is one of the most prestigious in the industry, and is hosted on leading photo competitions site Photocrowd.
Photographer of the Year is sponsored by MPB.com, and the winners receive a prize pot worth over £7,100 from MPB and our awards partners Rohan, Sony, Rotolight and CEWE."
06. World Press Photo of the Year
The World Press Photo of the Year Awards celebrates press photographers who have captured socially significant photos. John Moore won this year's competition for his highly emotive photo.
"A photograph of a crying child has been announced as the overall winner of the World Press Photo of the Year awards. The winning photographer John Moore, who works for the Getty photo agency, received his award from Prince Constantijn of The Netherlands at a ceremony in Amsterdam last night.
The American pro's winning picture graphically depicts the moment that Honduran toddler her mother, Sandra Sanchez, are taken into custody by US border officials in McAllen, Texas, USA."
07. Close-Up Photographer of the Year
The inaugural Close-up Photographer of the Year competition gave us lots of macro and close-up photos to enjoy, from caterpillars to dandelion seeds.
"An amazing image of a Peringuey’s adder peeping out of the sand in southern Africa’s Namib Desert is the winner of the first-ever Close-up Photographer of the Year competition.
The stunning shot was taken by Italian television presenter Emanuele Biggi, who followed the snake’s tracks in the sand before finding it under a shrub.
Elsewhere in the competition, which attracted more than 3,000 entries from 42 countries, biologist Henri Koskinen topped the Plants & fungi category with his shot of coltsfoot seeds, while the Intimate landscape category went to graphic designer Hal Gage for his abstract shot of glacial mud."
08. Red Bull Illume Image Quest
The Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019 is one of the most exciting times of the year for sports photography. With some incredible action-packed shots to explore, this competition is one of our favorites.
"The winners of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019 have been announced. The contest that looks for the best action photography and videography, has named its 11 category winners, and its overall winner.
Taking home the grand title of Overall Winner this year is Ben Thouard with his mind-bending underwater image of Ace Buchan surfing in Tahiti. His winning image received an outstanding number of votes by the judging panel, which consisted of 50 outstanding photo editors and digital experts.
The Winners of adventure sports imagery contest were unveiled at a ceremony in the LUMEN Museum on top of the 2275m-high Plan de Corones in South Tyrol, Italy."
09. International Garden Photographer of the Year
The winner of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition is a blast from the past, using the cyanotype photographic print process.
"Every year we're wowed and wooed by the winners of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition.
Now in its 12th year, IGPOTY continues to push the boundary of the genre and communicate the beauty and importance of plant life – from around the world."
10. International Landscape Photographer of the Year
The International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition was packed full of incredible vistas, from moss-covered forests to arctic tundras.
"Professional and amateur photographers from around the world were invited to enter the fifth International Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.
Adam Gibbs from Canada is this year's winner, whose folio submission (of at least 4 images) was selected from nearly 3000 entries from 863 photographers.
What makes a great landscape photographer? Persistence? Experience? Luck? Passion? Adam's portfolio shows a diversity of views, an understanding of light and the expert use of framing and composition.
With sandy aerials to icy mountain locations, the judges liked that Adam’s portfolio demonstrated a range of topics."
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