International Garden Photographer of the Year Celebrates Botanical Beauty
The International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) competition celebrates all things botanical photography, including close-ups, abstract images, and landscape scenes. The winners of the 17th edition have been revealed and are beautiful.
The Garden Photographer of the Year was started by the Garden Photographers’ Association members in 2007 in the United Kingdom and added “International” to the contest name the following year, following significant international interest. The contest is run in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, UK, and an exhibition is held annually in Kew. The exhibit then tours other areas throughout the year.
This year, photographer June Sharpe won the overall prize and the Abstract Views category for her beautiful image of colorful, layered branches.
“The layered branches of this conifer reminded me of the dancing cranes often featured in Japanese woodcuts. In post-processing, I added a fill layer and used exclusion blending mode to alter the colors and enhance the feeling of movement and sense of the ‘birds’ dancing in a fantasy woodland,” Sharpe says of her winning photo, featured above.
“When judging pictures we are hoping to be embraced, and taken on a journey, within a story. June’s picture delivers. There is an abundance of interest and depth which fires the imagination. The soft, new growth transforming between plant and feathers — it is both enticing and enchanting. We are pulled into and beyond the symbolic dancing cranes, and embraced by their ‘wings,’ to a place of hope and peace. It is rare that one can connect with nature and feel such compassion,” adds head IGPOTY judge Tyrone McGlinchey.
Alongside Sharpe’s overall victory and top marks in the Abstract Views category, the IGPOTY awarded winners in 17 additional categories, including four special awards categories. Selected category winners are featured below.
The full winner’s gallery, which includes second and third-place winners and commended entries, is available on the IGPOTY website. The IGPOTY contest also named Annaick Guitteny’s portfolio, “Evanescence,” as the best of the year.
The winners of the 17th International Garden Photographer of the Year competition are on display at Kew Gardens from February 3 until March 10. Complete details on this and other exhibitions are available on the IGPOTY’s website.
Image credits: All images courtesy of the International Garden Photographer of the Year. Individual photographers are credited in the photo captions.
