Stunning landscapes take patience, persistence and determination

Andrew Mielzysnki's Atacama Desert, part of his winning portfolio.

Canadian photographer Andrew Mielzynski has beaten over 3600 others to win the coveted title of International Landscape Photographer of the Year, announced in Sydney this week.

Mielzynski’s winning portfolio is made up of arrestingly stark, almost abstract views of landscapes literally and figuratively frozen in time and space.

Chairman of the award judges Peter Eastway stressed that patience, persistence and determination are essential qualities for a top landscape photographer.

Image 1 of 10: Sunrise on the Atacama Desert by Andrew Mielzynski, from his title-winning portfolio.

“The idea that we wander out into the landscape and easily capture images ... is simply nonsense,” Eastway said.

“Great landscape photography requires a great deal of patience – patience for the right season, the right weather and the right light.

“It also takes perseverance because rarely will the season, weather and light work together in ways that inspire us. How often have we visited a location with great hopes, only to have them dashed by inappropriate light?

“To be a successful landscape photographer, you also need determination to see your projects through.”

In addition to the photographer of the year, the International Landscape Photographer of the Year (ILPOTY) also awards winners in six other categories for outstanding single images.

The best single image was won by Japanese photographer Ryohei Irie for his image Traces of Light, an eerie night-time shot of a denuded forest woven through with light captured in a 30-second exposure.

The Aerial award went to Benjamin Barakat of Switzerland with his late-in-the-day image of Mount Bromo in the Seremu National Park, Indonesia.

An abstract, graphic image titled White Tie Affair secured the Black and White award for American J. Fritz Trump, while Italian Frederico Delucchi’s Aurora, meteor shower and other cool stuff packed it all in for the Exciting Sky award.

Icelandic photographer Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove won the Snow and Ice award with a stunning drone image of an ice swirl and Shirley Wung of Taiwan won the Forest award with her Fireflies flying in the misty.

The best 101 photographers, including the winners, are published in the hardcover book that celebrates the annual awards.

“We received 3643 entries and ... competition was tough and I don’t think any of the top 101 photographers would mind me saying that the next 100 entries or so could easily sit alongside them in the book,” Eastway said.

The best 101 photographers and the next best 101 are recognised on the ILPOTY website as the best 202+.

The winners and next-best two photographers in each category shared US$12,500 ($21,300) in prize money, a copy of the book and the recognition that they have the patience, persistence and determination to make great landscape photography.

See the full gallery and book online at www.internationallandscapephotographer.com

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