Overall Winner for 2019
A Tale of Two Cities by Sarang Naik
View the Full Results
2019 Prizes
Luxury African Safari
We have an amazing grand prize: a seven-day/six-night luxury African safari for two in Botswana courtesy of Natural Selection and Dusty Boots Travel. The safari itinerary is outlined below.
3 Nights: Mapula Lodge, Okavango Delta
Mapula Lodge is situated in a massive concession of over 220,000 acres within the norther reaches of the Okavango Delta and is rich in wildlife such as lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, elephant and various bird life. The lodge occupies an enviable position on a large, treed island at the edge of seasonal floodplains along the upper reaches of the Selinda Spillway, then river the connects the Okavango Delta to the Linyanti. View Brochure »
Situated in the northwestern corner of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site as it is the largest inland delta in the world. The magnificent Okavango River sprawls out over the dry sands of the Kalahari Desert forming this flourishing waterlogged oasis featuring countless meandering waterways and crystal clear lagoons studded with water lilies, as well as fertile floodplains and reeded islands inhabited with abundant wildlife. Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful activities such as game viewing, fishing, bird watching or taking an authentic guided Mokoro excursion through this wetland paradise in a traditional dugout canoe. Commonly spotted animals include: lion, rhino, leopard, giraffe, hippos, elephants, crocodiles and countless species of bird.
3 Nights: The Jackal & Hide, Khwai Private Reserve
The intimate, tented retreat is located amid the shimmering grasslands of the Khwai Private Reserve, one of the best-managed concessions in the greater Okavango Delta. Up here, there’s something to see around every corner and a different activity to enjoy every day, from classic game drives to mokoro trips and boat safaris. View Brochure »
Khwai Private Reserve is 440,000 acres bordering onto both the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park in northern Botswana. The Reserve comprises of some of the most fantastically diverse habitats in northern Botswana, including riverine woodlands, floodplains, open savannah, mopane woodland, rivers and lagoons. This range of habitats results in a range of wildlife, including elephant, lion, leopard, wild dog, cheetah and of course the eponymous sable antelope.
Panasonic G9 and 50-200mm f2.8-4.0 lens
This year’s overall contest series winner will receive a Panasonic Lumix G9 camera and a Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH lens!
The G9 sits at the top of Panasonic’s range of cameras and has an incredible set of features which make it perfect for nature photographers. The camera’s ability to capture up to 50 images per second gives you a better chance of capturing the perfect shot in an action sequence, and a “high-resolution” mode allows you to take stunning 80 megapixel still images, ideal for landscapes. The G9 also boasts 4K video resolution at 60 frames per second!
Taking into account the crop factor of the G9’s Micro Four Thirds sensor, the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm f/2.8-4.0 gives the equivalent of a 100mm-400mm focal length – a perfect range for wildlife photography. Furthermore, the fast f/2.8-4.0 aperture enables higher shutter speeds to freeze the motion of fast-moving subjects. Panasonic has used a nano surface coating to eliminate flare and ghosting and the lens has been designed to be dust, moisture and freeze-proof!
Camtraptions Sensor
The winner of each of the three contests will also receive a Camtraptions Camera Trap Sensor worth $200.
The Camtraptions sensor turns a DSLR camera into a high-quality camera trap for photographing nocturnal or elusive wildlife. Find out more here »
F-stop Voucher
The winner of each of the three contests will receive a €350 (approx $380) f-stop voucher.
F-stop create amazing camera bags which are ideally suited for wildlife photographers. They are extremely rugged and can comfortably accommodate bulky and heavy camera equipment. My own f-stop backpack is my primary camera bag and has accompanied me on every single photography trip since 2012.
F-stop has a range of backpacks with varying capacities to suit your needs. Find out more here »
Breakthrough Photography Filters
The winner of each of the three contests will receive their choice (excluding square filters) of X4 Neutral Density or X4 Circular Polarising filter from Breakthrough Photography, worth approximately $200. Two runners-up in each of the three contests will receive their choice (excluding square filters) of X2 Neutral Density or X2 Circular Polarising filter, worth approximately $100.
Breakthrough Photography make the World’s sharpest and most colour-neutral filters, guaranteed. Find out more here »
Cotton Carrier Camera Systems
The winner of each of the three contests will receive a CCS G3 Harness from Cotton Carrier worth $120. Two runners-up in each of the three contests will receive a G3 Strapshot worth $80.
Cotton Carrier produce secure camera-carrying systems that free your hands, keep your equipment safe, and your body mobile. Find out more here »
Skylum Luminar
All of the winners, runners-up and highly commended photographers of each contests will also receive a copy of Skylum’s Luminar photo processing software.
With Luminar, you’ll get professional-looking photos without extra effort. Begin with a sleek and friendly interface that seamlessly adapts to your own needs and skills. Create extraordinary images with supercharged tools, so easy to use you don’t need any manuals or tutorials.
The Exhibition
Big Screen Plaza
A selection of winners and highly commended images will be exhibited on the “Big Screen”, a gigantic outdoor screen in New York City, USA. This is a 30 ft. HD screen is located at Hotel Eventi in the thriving Chelsea District of New York City. When not privately booked, the screen displays a rotating selection of visual art and photography, curated from artists around the world.
The winners’ exhibition will rotate on the screen over the course of several weeks in 2020.
Supporters
