Shadowy figures stalk the streets of Mexico during Day of the Dead celebrations. A friendly Beluga whale smiles as a scuba diver swims alongside in the White Sea. Hundreds of laborers pile on top of a passenger train in Bangladesh, waving to an unseen cameraman. This is merely a smattering of the exotic scenes on display Friday at the Royal Geographic Society in London.
The new exhibit, on view through Aug. 19, showcases the award-winning shots from the Travel Photographer of the Year contest, a prestigious global competition that attracts entries from over 90 countries annually. The 2011 winners make their public debut at the free-to-view show.
According to Dr. Rita Gardner CBE, Director of the Royal Geographical Society, the photos will be shown alongside a number of archive images from the Society's own collection, giving visitors a chance to view pictures dating back to the pioneer days of photography.
Photography has a unique power to instantly inspire and inform us in equal measure about the landscapes, people and places of our world, she said. As an avid photographer, I welcome this opportunity for the Society's historic collection to be linked with some of the very best contemporary images, reflecting our long-term commitment to the photographic image as both a means of visual record and also as a source of pleasure and inspiration.
The annual Travel Photographer of the Year exhibit has been a sweeping success for the Society. Last year's show broke all attendance records, bringing in thousands of British and international tourists. With London gearing up to welcome the world for the 2012 Summer Olympics, this year's exhibition is sure to be equally well-received.
Have a look at some of the captivating images now on display at the museum:
Commended, Natural Elements Portfolio
Shot in Ed Damazin, in the Blue Nile State, Sudan on a Canon EOS 1 DS Mark III by Johnny Haglund of Norway.www.tpoty.comWinner, Best Single Image in a Cultures & Traditions Portfolio
A tribal dancer shot in Bafut, Cameroon, on a Hasselblad H2 by Philip Lee Harvey of the UK.www.tpoty.comRunner-up, Cultures & Traditions
Shot in Rokitno, a remote village in Eastern Poland, on a Fujifilm Fine Pix S3 Pro by Marcin Mikolajczuk of Poland.www.tpoty.comCommended, Cultures & Traditions
Shot in a Vuorilammen sauna, Jyväskylä, Finland on a Hasselblad 503 CW by Tessa Bunney of the UK.www.tpoty.comHighly Commended, Cultures & Tradition
Shot in Grabarka, Poland with a Canon 5D MkII by Yurian Quintanas Nobel of Spain.www.tpoty.comWinner, Cultures & Traditions Portfolio
Shot in Yamal, Russia with a Canon EOS DS MKIII by Sergey Anisimov of Russia.www.tpoty.comRunner-up, Exotic Portfolio
Shot in the Central Highlands, Papua New Guinea on a Canon 5D MkII by Timothy Allen of the UK.www.tpoty.comWinner, Exotic portfolio
Shot at the Tate Modern, London on a Cannon EOS 5D by Malgorzata Pioro of Poland.www.tpoty.comWinner, Best Single Image in the Exotic Portfolio Category
Shot in Tongi, northern border of Dhaka, Bangladesh on a Nikon D3S by Yeow Kwang Yeo of Singapore.www.tpoty.comRunner-up, One Shot Wild Moments (single image category)
Shot in Hudson Bay, Canada on a Canon 5D MkII by Thomas Kokta of Germanywww.tpoty.comOverall winner – Travel Photographer of the Year 2011
Shot in Oaxaca, Mexico with a Canon EOS 10D by Louis Montrose of the U.S.www.tpoty.comSpecial Mention, Natural Elements
Shot in Buriganga River, Dhaka, Bangladesh on a Canon 5D Mark II by Larry Louie of Canadawww.tpoty.comCommended, Natural Elements portfolio
Shot in Auyantepui, Canaima National Park, Venezuela with a Canon 5D MkII by Philip Lee Harvey of the UKwww.tpoty.comWinner, Natural Elements portfolio
Shot in Death Valley National Park, California, USA with a Canon 5DMKII by Anil Sud of Canadawww.tpoty.comWinner, Best Single Image in a Spirit of Adventure Portfolio
Shot in the White Sea, Karelia Region, Northern Russia on a Canon EOS 1DS MkII by Franco Banfi of Switzerland.www.tpoty.comWinner, Spirit of Adventure Portfolio Category
Shot in Lake Sassolo, Ticino, Switzerland with a Canon EOS-1 DS Mark II by Franco Banfi of Switzerlandwww.tpoty.comWinner, One Shot Wild Moments (single image category)
Shot at Kaieteur Falls, Guyana using a Canon 5D MkII by Stuart Dunn of the UK.www.tpoty.comWinner - New Talent Portfolio: Diary of a Destination
Shot in Gorée Island, Senegal with a Canon 40D by Edgard de Bono of Italy.www.tpoty.comWinner, Young TPOTY 14 and Under
Shot on a mountain pass overlooking winding road in Southern Ireland with a Canon Powershot SD 1100IS by Seamus Crowley of the U.S. (aged 14).www.tpoty.comOverall winner – Travel Photographer of the Year 2011.
Shot in southern Burkina Faso with a Canon EOS 5D MkII by Louis Montrose of the U.S.www.tpoty.com
