National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

Denne uken ble vinnerbildene i konkurransen National Geograhic Photo Contest 2011 kåret. Indonesiske Shikhei Goh stakk av med hovedprisen for et makrobilde av en øyenstikker.

- Dette bildet ble tatt mens jeg tok bilder av andre insekter, noe jeg vanligvis gjør når jeg fotograferer makrobilder. Jeg var faktisk ikke klar over denne øyenstikkeren siden jeg var opptatt med andre motiver. Da jeg var i ferd med å ta bilde av den, begynte det plutselig å regne, men lyset var bare fantastisk, forteller Goh.

Bildet vant både naturkategorien og hovedprisen. Vinneren får $10 000, en tur til bladets hovedkvarterer i Washington D.C. og bildet publisert i bladet verden over.

Svenske Izabelle Nordfjell vant kategorien People med et bilde av en samefamilie i nord-sverige, mens filipinske George Tapan vant kategorien Places med et bilde av en regnbue, fotografert i hjemlandet.

I årets utgave av konkurransen skal flere enn 20 000 bilder fra fotografer i 130 land ha blitt sendt inn. Både profesjonelle og amatører deltok.

Les mer om konkurransen på www.ngphotocontest.com.

Splashing, Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia

Shikhei Goh, National Geographic Photography Contest

Vinner av Grand Prize og naturkategorien

Blue Pond & First Snow, Biei, Hokkaido ,Japan. Hederlig omtale i naturkategorien.

"The blue pond of the famous tourist resort. This is a place where many tourists gather in spring, summer, and autumn. However, since this pond freezes in winter, nobody is there during that period. This photograph is the moment of the first snow of the season falling on that blue pond. We can see the first snow of the season beginning at the end of October. Why is the pond blue? Because the underground hot spring ingredient is gushing. This blue pond changes color every day. I think that mystical blue and pure white snow are beautiful. All are nature's tints."

Sunrising Jellyfish, Mar Menor coastal lagoon, Murcia province, Spain. Hederlig omtale i naturkategorien

"Jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) drifting just beneath the surface, looking to capture the first sunrays to trigger their symbiotic algae to produce energy for it."

Panic in the Pan, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Hederlig omtale i naturkategorien

"I was leading a photographic safari in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. It was midday and we came across a dazzle of zebra approaching a waterhole to quench their thirst. Every few minutes the zebras will enter the water to drink, just to panic and scatter out of the water again."

The Hunt, Kenya, Masai Mara National Reserve. Hederlig omtale i naturkategorien

"I personally believe that, beyond the formal representation of reality, mediated by the technical instruments necessary to fix an image in time, photography is made of insights. The shot is the last act of image capturing and in many ways the easiest part of the whole process. This panning effect, even in its imperfection, with the chromatic harmony of the background, with all the needless information eliminated and the luck of having the big cats lifted tail in symmetry with the impala horns, brings the observer inside the hunting without distractions."

The Fjellman Family, Arjeplog, Lappland, Sweden. Vinner av kategorien People

"One shot and the reindeer is dead. The Sámi family Fjellman, which lives in Arjeplog, northern Sweden, now have food on their table. In the early autumn they slaughter a couple of their reindeers for food during the cold winter months."

Zombies, Brisbane, Brisbane, Australia. Hederlig omtale i kategorien People

"A young family dressed as zombies in Brisbane, Queensland. Each year around Halloween time a gathering of people dressed as zombies walks through the city in an effort to raise money for the Brain Foundation of Australia."

Auburn Pride, Sydney, Australia. Hederlig omtale i kategorien People

"Young men driving into a patch of reflected light along Auburn Road. Part of a larger personal project documenting the western Sydney suburb of Auburn. The series provides a glimpse into the life of the next generation of Australians living in Auburn, peering behind the veil of this little-known side of society. Auburn is a small suburb in Sydneys west, a landing point for many migrants and refugees when they first arrive in Australia."

From Up Here, Manhattan, NY, USA. Hederlig omtale i kategorien People

"Stephen ST 2 Lettaz Harris, and David Yung Clova Williams make up the Huntsville rap duo G-Side. I took this photo of them on tour, conducting a cell phone interview with a journalist on a fire escape in Manhattan. The photo speaks to the D.I.Y. nature of the current independent music scene. Digital technology has played a big role in G-Side's business strategy, enabling them to use the Internet and viral word of mouth to build a diverse international fan base. G-Side released a track in 2011 called Nat Geo."

Into the Green Zone", Onuk island, Balabac Palawan,Philippines. Vinner av kategorien Places

"A beautiful rainbow after the rain, into the green zone of the Palawan Islands."

Sulfuric Fire Festival, Taipei. Hederlig omtale i kategorien Places

"Once a year, Formosa fishermens unique sulfuric fire fishing ritual is handed down from generation to generation."

Flying Kites, Santa Marta, Rio de Janeiro. Hederlig omtale i kategorien Places

"Kite battle at Santa Marta ghetto, Rio de Janeiro. For many years, the kites were used to alert the drug dealers when their enemies were coming. The place was a war zone controlled by traffickers that were in constant conflicts against each other to control the drug market. A few years ago, Santa Marta was occupied by the Pacifier Police Division, which released the population from the traffic domination."

Cyber Monsoon, Bhaktapur, Nepal. Hederlig omtale i kategorien Places

"A torrential monsoon rain in Bhaktapur"

Waterway to Orbit, Ponte Vedra, Florida. Hederlig omtale i kategorien Places

"Space shuttle Endeavour STS-130 launches into orbit toward the east, as the stars and waning crescent moon trail toward the west, leaving a beautiful reflection on the Intracoastal Waterway in Ponte Vedra, Florida. This 132-second time exposure of the final night launch of a space shuttle, from launch through SRB separation, was taken 115 miles north of Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center."

Se vinnerbildene fra fjorårets konkurranse her

National Geographic 2011