In the Cappadocia region almost every day, just before dawn, around 100 balloons rise in the air simultaneously. This breathtaking spectacle is made even more magical by the rising sun illuminating the peaks of the rocks and the balloons. Giulio Montini from Italy was lucky enough to be higher up than the other balloons, and was able to isolate one, perfectly illuminated. This image was the joint winner of the Open Colour category.
These people from the Hindu community are celebrating a three-day long ritual called “Rakher Upabas” at Loknath Temple in Barodi. Devotees offer prayers after lighting earthen lamps and they observe fasting until the lamps are burned out. This image, taken by Ahmed Gelal from Bangladesh, won an Honourable Mention in the Open Colour category.
Fishermen fishing from the Li River in the northeast of Guangxi Province use trained cormorants to dive and catch the fish. Cormorant fishing is a traditional method practiced in China for more than a thousand years. This image by The Eng Loe Djatinegoro from Indonesia won an Honourable Mention.
This image by Joseph Tam was taken from the most difficult-to-reach part of the Great Wall without special climbing gear. It captures the Wall’s awe-inspiring beauty as it breaks through the triviality of humanity and rises for the birth of another day in its unparalleled history. Its timeless magnificence is a true celebration of mankind and a reflection of the rising dragon that is China and its place in the world order. This image won an Honourable Mention in the Travel category.
These peculiar cabins and umbrellas are used throughout northern Europe. Their position on the white sand, their unique orientation, people coming in and out of these “cells”, recall bees and their hive. Massimo della Latta, from Italy, won an Honourable Mention in the Travel category.
- Hasan Baglar from Cyprus was the Nature category winner with this image, which was taken in Balikesir. When mantis are afraid of something they raise their arms and spread their wings. It’s a normal behaviour to defend themselves. The photographer took the image after he tried to touch the mantis and they attacked him. They opened their wings and started to follow him. They look like smiling dancers.
- "During a violent thunderstorm in France’s Haute Savoie, I took refuge inside a big cave in the mountain. From the inside I was able to capture this dangerous but fascinating summer storm. The quick movement of the clouds gave me only a few chances to shoot the scene in good conditions before they descended, bringing down the curtain. The title was inspired by a John Howe illustration for The Hobbit" says Enrico Fossati, from Italy, who got an Honourable Mention in the Nature category for this shot.
"The distinct colouring of the blue starfish (Linckia laevigata) makes them an extremely eye catching subject to photograph. This pair seemed to compliment the blue and orange tones of a warm reef sunrise above," says Warren Elliott from Australia, who won and Honourable Mention in the Nature category for this image.
On one hot summer’s day, while strolling by a pond, Petar noticed few dragonflies mating and flying down on a floating stem of a water lily. In order to get close enough to them, he had to get in the water up to his waist and wait. He set himself up in order to use their reflection and the reflection of the bright sky and the clear water. "They were constantly flying up and down the stem. Their game of mating lasted for about half an hour and this is how long it took for them to make an interesting formation with reflection," says Petar Sabol from Croatia, who won and Honourable Mention for this image in the Nature category.
- This image by Russian photographer Vladimir Proshin won first prize in the Siena Photographer of the Year Awards. The image shows Chinese fishermen on the Ou river close to the city of Lishui (its name means 'beautiful water'). "I took this in 2013 during a photo tour for the 15th China International Photographic Art Exhibition, run by the China Photographers Association, where it won the gold medal." says Vladimir.
People diving into the Mediterranean Sea on a hot summer’s day in Nice, southern France. This picture was taken on 21st July 2014 and temperatures reached up to 28 C. Sebastien Nogier from France got an honourable mention for this image in the Travel category.
The Danakil Depression area is among the hottest and most inhospitable places on earth. It is also one of the lowest - Lake Asale is at 116 metres below sea level. The Afar people extract salt here, using camels for transport. This image won Norwegian photographer Jorgen Johanson third prize in the Travel category.
A novice monk sincerely praying in a temple. "Due to the influence of the religion, you might find a lot of monks and young novices here. Myanmar people are very honest, full of enthusiasm and very polite. This makes a lot of people after a journey, including Lim Chee Keong, fall in love with Myanmar. The photographer, from Malaysia, got an Honourable Mention in the Travel category for this image.
These three small insects with characteristic big eyes, called damselflies, are heating up over a wild flower, before flying away. The image was taken on a cool spring morning at the river banks and flood plains of the Po river, the longest Italian river. This image by Ghizzi Panizza from Italy won joint third place in the Nature category.