Drama in Panorama

Matt Jackisch's award winning picture: Spring hibernation, Squamish, British Columbia

Being in a state of solitude and mindfulness brought about while snowshoeing in the frozen coastal mountains of British Columbia inspired photographer Matt Jackisch to produce this year's winning entry to the Epson International Pano Awards. The image, dubbed Spring Hibernation, was captured while Jackisch was high in the mountains in March, where it was still very wintry and covered in snow and shows the faintest hint of life from a buried tree waiting for the spring thaw.

Amateur Winner Juan Lopez Ruiz's image - Light and dark on the Towers, Cuatro Torres financial complex in Madrid

The Pano Awards showcases the work of panoramic photographers worldwide, receiving nearly 6000 entries from 1452 professional photographers from 96 countries this year – a record for its 11-year history – competing for thousands of dollars in cash and prizes from major sponsor Epson Australia.

Colin Leonhardt's stunning abstract image in the Built Environment/architecture section of Mine waste, Collie, Western Australia

The winning pictures offer a wide range of views covering the natural and built environments.

The runner-up prize is a beautiful abstract scene of mine waste in Western Australia taken from the air by Colin Leonhardt reminiscent of an ink-splot painting.

Olge Gaponyuk of Russia won the VR/360 Award with Split in the cave, Chandelier Cave, Peru

A futuristic black and white cityscape in Madrid earned Spanish photographer Juan Lopez Ruiz the Amateur overall winner's prize, who enhanced the contrast to provide even more drama to his wide-angled view.

Special Award winner Blake Randall of Canada for Cascade Crown, Bella Coola, British Columbia

Craig Heckenberg, managing director of Epson Australia and judge in the awards was suitably impressed by the interest generated this year.

Amateur Award winner for Landscape/Nature Carlos F. Turienzo of Spain with Janela, Madeira Island, Portugal

"The competition continues to attract more aspiring photographers as well as repeat entrants as the bar is raised every year and the images submitted are nothing short of spectacular," he said. "This was another tough year to judge the incredible entries and Epson congratulates all of the winners and entrants for their interest and incredible passion."

Armand Sarlangue of France won the Curators Award with Convergence in the dark, Central Utah Badlands

Winners received prizes of cash, Nikon cameras and Epson printers and a "one-of-a-kind" European Alps photograph adventure for the overall winner to go and take more panoramic pictures, naturally.

Digital Art prize went to Manish Mamtani of USA for Dragon eye, Iceland