Travel Photographer of the Year 2013

In July I went to the 2013 Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society.  This is an exhibition that doesn't disappoint in terms of photography and subject matter, but the display is not great.  The inside photographs are ok, but the outside display is mounted on white boards, and with the summer sun, there is a lot of glare, which is hard to look at after a while.  In fact, it is easier and less of a headache to get the book and comment from that, or look at the website.  Which is what I did.

One of the aspects I really liked though is the fact that portfolios are submitted, so you get to see different aspects of the same subject.

The top entries for me were by Jasper Doest.  I am officially Jasper Doest's biggest fan; I love the emotion and pathos he captures in his snow monkeys and can't wait to see them for myself in December this year when I go to Japan (on holiday not a Doest workshop).  Doest was joint winner for the "Portfolio - Wild Stories" category for his original take on four portraits all with the eyes closed showing a sense of fragility and battle against the elements.  Amazing!

The other entries I found interesting, were those by Simon Morris (see TPOTY website for all these) shot in Mongolio - runner up for Portfolio of Vanishing and Emerging Cultures.  I found his perspective both original and educational and of course stunning to look at, and also lots of details tht you notice after looking for a while - like the cat under the table with the eagle with a cap on - image 92.  And of course, the "one shot - extraordinary" winner by Justin Mott of an elephant apparently in a swimming (but isn't) is amazing because of the ambiguity - see image 114.

All in all - a fantastic collection of images and very inspiring; pity the display isn't better.  This year I'm going to Varanasi and Japan, so hopefully I'll have something to enter in the 2015 call for entries!

Websites:

• Jasper Doest Photography available from http://www.doest-photography.com/
   [accessed 2 August 2014]
• Royal Geographical Society available from http://www.rgs.org/HomePage.htm [accessed 2 August 2014]
• Travel Photographer of the Year Competition available from http://www.tpoty.com/ [accessed 2 August 2014]

Own work referenced:

• Adcock, A. (2013) Jasper Doest. Digital Photographic Practice Blog [available online] http://jointheaadpp.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/jasper-doest.html[accessed 2 August 2014]