50 Amazing Photos That Won The Prestigious Siena International Photo Awards
The 2018 Siena International Photo Awards has received 48,000 submissions from the best photographers in 156 countries, and the judges have had an incredibly hard time deciding the winners. Nonetheless, the best pictures of 2018 have been decided, and just like in 2017 and 2016, their cool images show just how diverse our beautiful world really is.
Every year, the competition includes a special category. This time, it was entitled Splash of Colors, seeking out excellent color compositions. In total, the famous photographers competed in 11 categories, ranging from stunning landscapes to subtle portraits and cool photos of dramatic sports moments. The grand prize, the Photo of the Year award, went to Bangladeshi photographer K. M. Asad for his shot Battle Victim. Asad has been documenting the plight of the persecuted Rohingya in Myanmar for six years now, and the best photography of a young Rohingya refugee perfectly portrays the terrible human tragedy unfolding there.
Continue scrolling to check out the rest of the best picture nominees of 2018.
More info: sipacontest.com
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El Calbuco, Chile (1st Place In The Beauty Of The Nature Category)
This photograph was taken during a violent night eruption of the Calbuco volcano in the Lagos region, Chile. An incredible dirt storm wraps the fumarole of the erupting volcano
I don't think there could be anything else which is so scary and so beautiful at same time! Mother nature at its best again!
Looks like an inter dimensional portal just opened up. Scientists at CERN commented "Oh... Whoops!" on this.
Awesome is an overused expression but in this case it's not enough.
This is indeed the true meaning of awesome. To see this and not feel awe is not possible. We are so small and insignificant in the grand scheme of nature. We are simply a part of this planet, not its masters.
Load More Replies...Sharing Emotion (Remarkable Award In Fascinating Faces And Characters Category)
Your heart is broken by the sight of a boy and an animal at peace?
Load More Replies...I was great friends with a jersey cow as a kid, in the field by my house (didnt belong to me). She would let me use her as a pillow and we just lay in the long grass enjoying the sun in 1976. When she had a calf she allowed me to learn how to milk her. Cows are the best
Load More Replies...So much care and concern from 1 child and several tons of animal. they know the child is not a threat. They could easily kill a wolf or a lion
Hmmm. Yes. First impressions often deceive. The Docile Bovines are off by light years of course when you stop to think about how many cows are killed by the two-footed "friend" compared to four-footed wild & fearsome predators. Are we the only ones capable of loving and caring for our future food?
Load More Replies...just show you...these beautiful animals have so much feeling..... why on earth do people have to eat them :(((((
They don’t have to eat them. They choose to because they don’t care about the life of the animal at all. It’s immoral.
Load More Replies...One of the most moving photos of all time. Every politician should have it on their desk to remind them that love and care needs no money, that simplicity is better than complex, and that humility is the essence of goodness
Mr Coker, so well said. Yes the world could be a better for more love and Respect, towards all life forms.
Load More Replies...Arctic Fox, Usa (3rd Place In Animals In Their Environment Category)
I encountered this fox scavenging a Caribou's carcass on the coastal plains of Alaska's Arctic. I spent two hours slowly approaching it until I took this picture from six feet away, as she finished her meal. It was a surreal and unforgettable experience and a rare opportunity to be accepted into a wild animal's existence for a few special hours
What a majestic creature, the fire and passion in eyes, amazingly beautiful pink tongue and of course the cute snoot to boop!
Whenever you comment something I read your username as part of your sentence and it always makes it better.
Load More Replies...Well I'm sure she let you in thinking if the caribou wasn't enough she would try something new.
Cosmic Wildflowers, Brazil (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
The 180º panorama, with the milky way in the background, magnifies a field of Paepalanthus wildflowers in the National Park of Veadeiros Tablelands
No, like nature. A painting can only dream of such beauty.
Load More Replies...I guess this ish where James Cameroon got the idea of glowing trees in Avatar!
Bioluminescence is a cool thing! Maybe he got the idea from his deep sea dives as well ^^
Load More Replies...Trying to find out what causes the lumminescence of the flowers, but found no article or resource that's mention Paepalanthus would be luminescent. So how did this happen?
The photographer used some light to illuminate the scene
Load More Replies...Rhino Silhouette, Kenya (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
I was taking an early ride out from the camp in Masai Mara National Park, searching for the Great Migration, when I saw a rhino from far away standing beside a tree. The backlight from the early sun was too strong, so I took a silhouette instead
A gentle breeze comes by and blows the leaves in the wind.
Load More Replies...This definitely deserves to be top of the list! The composition of the birds looking like leaves floating away from the tree looks almost surreal
The rino farted at dawn n scared the flick if bids n the smell, time to leave!
And to think people slaughter these majestic creatures for 7 lbs of keratin. Jesus wept.
That tree will be gone by morning if that Rhinoceros even rubs against it. What a moment to capture!
And just think generations ahead, photos of this beautiful creature will all that will be left.
Underwater View Of The Winter Lofoten (Remarkable Award In The Beauty Of The Nature Categoty)
That water must be at freezing temperatures! Still, what a shot! I
The urchin is all bright and cheerful, and everything else underneath is just like, "ehhhh..."
Nemo In The House (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
Beyond Pink, USA (Honorouble Mention In General Color Category)
Breast cancer goes beyond the month of October and the pink ribbons. This portrait is part of a series showing honest and empowering images of breast cancer
Not all super hero’s wear capes, some just radiate empowerment.
Load More Replies...I am speechless. this reminds me a lot of my mother. she underwent a mastectomy when I was about 12 and sometimes, when I helped her getting her bath, she used to ask me " does it scare you?" because she was naked in front of me and she felt ashamed. And that broke my heart :(
My mother had a mastectomy too and when I picked her up from the hospital she was so ashamed of her body and I just wanted to show her to be unapologetic about her body. To be proud and honest and how to be empowered and inspirational for what her body had endured and survived. Its something very close to my heart that is why I made this project. My aunt also had a double mastectomy this summer so again this topic is very close to my heart. thank you for checking out the images and commenting. @beckyyeephoto
Load More Replies...I feel ashamed of myself for not knowing what a woman who's had a double mastectomy looks like. This picture is not only empowering, but it's also educational.
Don't feel ashamed, but I do get what you mean. I think this is the first proper picture I have seen of a double mastectomy and I am mesmerised by it. She looks so strong, powerful and full of experiences. Amazing.
Load More Replies...thank you for checking out my images. @beckyyeephoto
Load More Replies...At least she's allowed to strip on facebook! There's always something good in the bad ;-) But joking aside, I admire her pride and positive flagrance!
Hahahaha - just topless, and only because I lack nipples.
Load More Replies...Wonderful to see a confident woman who does not think her value consists of the size of her breasts!
Amen! me being an asian women in the 90's was a tough thing! I think i bought one too many wonderbras haha
Load More Replies...Toy Houses, Russia (1st Place In Architecture & Urban Spaces Category)
This picture of some Russian dachas near the city of Arkhangelsk is interesting thanks to the intense contrast between the colors of the houses and the white snow covering the Russian town
Imagine painting them all white and coming home one night drunk!
These are Dachas. Usually you get drunk right there. Or at your neighbourgs. You'll find your way back. LOL
Load More Replies...The Wave, Antarctica Waters (3rd Place In Journeys And Adventures Category)
In the Drake Passage, between Cape Horn and Antarctica, a 12-meter wave pounds the boat's forecastle with its enormous splashes
Camels In The Desert, Mongolia (2nd Place In General Color Category)
On the evening of October 24, 2017, in Inner Mongolia, camels and their loyal dog were creating waves of dust under the sunset's glow. This spectacular picturesque scene in the Mongolian desert was created thanks to the shadows and magnificent light cast upon the desert
Indeed! And with the visual effect of the sand, this looks magical
Load More Replies...Run! (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
I looked it up and saw the photographer won an award with a very similar shot in 2016. It looks like the two shots are consecutive. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/MAGAZINE-wild-at-heart-top-european-wildlife-photos-of-2016-1.5456151
Load More Replies..."I want to Hug him and Kiss him and Squeeze him and call him , George. Uh-huh-huh-huh!"
Love On The Rocks (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
This made me sad... I wish people would just understand that we have nowhere else to go when we destroy this planet :(
Load More Replies...Snow without snow. Love these. Hope that are still around after I die.
Wow! So hard to photograph these animals at all and to capture such an iconic moment... Wow.
I love all pusscats no matter the size, treat them all with respect .
Load More Replies...Joana, Dancer At The Tropicana, Sat With Her Grandmother, Cuba (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
Joana Menendez Gonzalez, a performer at the Tropicana Cabaret in Havana, sat with her maternal grandmother, proudly looking at her
I am obsessed with this photo. It is such a beautiful room with two gorgeous ladies. Love!
Thanks Wynand!...shame they forgot to credit the photographers for a few of the images posted.. this one was by me..Katinka
Load More Replies...I have a thousand reasons to love this pic. Upvoting it right away, should be on top!
Thanks for your amazing feedback! ....shame they forgot to credit some of the photographers, this one was taken by me! Katinka
Load More Replies...Dear Bored Panda....love it if you could add credits to all the photos not just a few. This was taken by me...Katinka Herbert ..thankyou! www.katinkaphotography.com Instagram : katinka.inc
Can i by you a numbered copy or your pic somewhere?i definitly love your work espacially this one.😀😀😀
Load More Replies...Jump, Canada (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
A snowy owl takes flight alarmed by the call of another female. This species gives particular care to protecting its own hunting territory
"Listen to them---the Choildren of the Night....I vant to drink your blood...."
Break, Indonesia (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
During heavy work at a noodle factory in Indonesia, this man had the chance to rest for a little while. His exhausted expression is a clear sign of the extremely hard working conditions these people face every day
When I count my blessings I make sure to be extremely greatfull for where I was born and live! 🇨🇦
This poor man looks like he’s on the brink of death; he’s forced to kill himself working in that factory producing food for OTHER people. More than likely, he’s very undernourished and not getting enough to eat while doing such a grueling and agonizing job. First-world people must to learn the degree of suffering that exists in these countries.
When I see something like this, makes me realize how rich we are. That poor man works himself to death so we can have noodles and then we complain when prices go up. So sad. Just makes you aware of how much we have and take for granted.
Irony in my country. People work hard but get small paid. But the corruptor earns more than this guy!
Mind The Gap, Antarctica (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
A small group of Emperor Penguins huddles near a crack in an ice floe, in a pristine area of the Southern Ocean adjacent to Antarctica, known as the Ross Sea
They are having a party downstairs, look at those blue lights!
The Road Of Fortune, Vietnam (Honorable Mention in Splash of Colors category)
In Vietnam, red is the color of good luck and is traditionally considered the symbolic color of happiness. Joss sticks are offered at altars to obtain good business and good fortune
We put a flame to the tip, and the whole red area of the stick will ember-burn itself down to the brown bare holding area, smoking delicious incense all the time.
Load More Replies...I’ve searched for info on this , and have come up with nothing 😩
I don't know what it is either, and I'm Vietnamese lol
Load More Replies...So this is a path made up of MILLIONS of joss sticks? Is this a special place, or does this happen throughout Vietnam? Thanks!
that looks like a huge size of makeup blush but the stick part is small
Battle Victim, Bangladesh (Photo Of The Year)
In Cox’s Bazar, Asmat Ara looks clearly traumatized after the recent violence which took place in Myanmar, on September 6th, 2017. The previous night she had entered Tenkhali Rohingya refugee camp with her family from Kumar Khali, Myanmar Rohingya state. According to the UNHCR, more than 646,000 Rohingya refugees have fled from Myanmar since August 25th, 2017, most of them trying to cross the border to reach Bangladesh
It's sad that people are forced out of their home to become refugees, fleeing for their lives.
And then we moan about them seeking refuge in our countries. We are SO messed up in the head!
Load More Replies...I'm not trying to be flippant our disrespectful but things really have to be bad to make you flee INTO Bangladesh.
Finally, someone said it! You have no idea how much I appreciate this thought. Been trying to explain others but none paid heed to my words.
Load More Replies...Looking into this child's eyes breaks my heart. And some here in the US complain because they TV is broken.
This breaks my heart, innocent families suffering should not be !!!
Killer Whale In Polar Night, Norway (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
A killer whale emerges on the surface while hunting in an Arctic Norwegian fjord during the polar night
They're apex predators at the top of their food chain. They are vicious coordinated pack hunters. Doesn't make them any less beautiful - but they're killers just like lions are killers. Not really a misnomer.
Load More Replies...Little Nenets Nedko, Russia (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
The North is a fantastic region populated by extraordinary people with a distinct culture fully adjusted to the environment of the extreme North. Despite being in the 21st century, people of the North still maintain their traditional culture, reflecting the time-honoured, close interaction between people and nature, demonstrating a genuinely caring attitude towards everything that surrounds them
Awe , I just want to give them both a big cuddle,mand ofcorse take the dog home 🙈
They probably would both bite you , at least the dog would to protect his baby. LOL
Load More Replies...I so admire these people and they are blessed to live in nature !!!
The Beakful Of The Hoopoe, Italy (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
Looking, as usual, for the nests of the most beautiful bird species in Trentino, I unexpectedly saw this hoopoe and I immediately grasped the opportunity to photograph it
It's about time Bob! I'm starving and the kids have screamed non stop for an hour now!!
Not enough words to describe this beauty in nature, I want a print !!!
Beautiful birds to behold. Always admire them when I see them in the yard.
Flying On The Beach, The Netherlands (Honorouble Mention In General Color Category)
I was lying down in the cold water looking for the right position and took this picture at the exact moment when the dog was jumping high to catch the disc, almost flying in the sky
Is that a flying border collie? EDIT: Sometimes its beyond my understanding that why even such harmless comments gets downvoted? if you don't agree say so.. or if i am wrong then correct me...
There are quite a lot of bored panda's without any sense of humour. That explains the downvotes.
Load More Replies...Wow! Thanks for how you took the photo... I would never have guessed you were "lying down in the cold water." That's real dedication!
Due to a terrible miscalculation of scale. the entire battle fleet was accidentally swallowed by a small Dog.....
Share (Remarkable Award In Fascinating Faces And Characters Category)
the blessing of technology - wonder if they are speaking to a hard working child or theirs who is currently overseas
Drink, China (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
In a small hilltop village with water shortage problems, a little boy drinks water from a water pipe
I know that this is not what the photo is trying to say but when you're that age water always tastes better out of a pipe or hose.
i still like pipe and hose water. it's so delicious!
Load More Replies...Beautiful light but disturbing picture because that baby is so dirty. His family must be extremely poor :O(
Duel In The Snow (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
I’m guessing those are two snow-covered bisons butting heads??
Load More Replies...You can almost hear the sound of the clash, and feel the earth shake
Kid With Hand Crafts, Ethiopia (1st Place In Fascinating Faces And Characters Category)
In Ethiopia, the kids of the Suri tribe are being over-protected by their families. Imagine these metal handcrafts as a jail with a Suri kid locked inside. Young kids are the hope and inheritors of the Suri culture, but the overprotection will marginalize the new generation from the world
This is so badly written—dam. I read it twice and I still don’t have a clue what they’re trying to say about these people & their kids.
I think it means protecting them from outside influences. In trying to keep the children grounded in their culture, they are keeping them from integrating into the outside world.
Load More Replies...In a world where children are hurt every day I can't feel angry at over protection of them. Stunning picture nevertheless.
The commentator is COMPLETELY WRONG about the Suri culture - typical of Western insistence on knowing what's true for others.
Kitten (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
cute, but i first thought it was a baby cheetah with a REALLY long neck
Looks to me like the cub is playing with her tail, right?
Load More Replies...I thought the Mommy cat's tail was prehensile and was caressing the Kitten's ear.
Floating Market, Indonesia (1st Place In Splash Of Colors Category)
Early in the morning before sunrise up to a hundred boats meet at the colorful Lok Baintan Floating Market in Indonesia. It is one of the oldest markets in Asia where the inhabitants still trade from traditional wooden boats
so many banana pods. Life is in the fruit and vegetables. And the women share the same posture
Travelers, Antarctica (3rd Place In The Beauty Of The Nature Category)
A group of Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis Antarctica) is resting on an iceberg. When sailing Antarctic waters you will often see different types of icebergs. Some of these floating islands are great resting places for hunting penguins who can travel many kilometers, before jumping back into the icy water
It's like a playground slide. There's a big ladder on the other side, obviously.
Load More Replies...This is actually pretty tragic. Hundreds of those little guys get trapped on the iceberg and they float way out to sea and never find their habitats again. Then they starve to death
You're kidding right? They can swim home any time they want (pending killer whale and seal attacks). Their grocery store is all around them, why would they possibly starve? Trapped how?
Load More Replies...Polar Trout, Norway (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
A brown trout spawning in a special night atmosphere as the stars and the full moon light the scene
The water is so still, that fish must be master of sneak game!
The look on this trout says, " Don't even put a hook in the water, I will just jump up and eat you. So go away."
Giochi In Verde (Remarkable Award In The Beauty Of The Nature Category)
As a sci-fi fan, I can easily imagine that a rift between Time and Space opened up a Gateway right at the point of that Green "Whirlpool of Light".
Migration, Saudi Arabia (2nd Place In The Beauty Of The Nature Category)
In the desert of Dahana, in the center of Saudi Arabia, Bedouins migrate with camels from place to place, searching for food and water. I took this picture while a group of nomads was passing us with their camels, creating beautiful shadows in a peaceful atmosphere
This makes me want to start singing the Arabian Nights song from Aladdin.
I 've seen a similar picture a few years ago in NAt Geographic Magazine USA. Mesmerizing !
Cold At Surface, Norway (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
In the waters of Tromsø, during a freezing polar night (-18°C), a killer whale is taking a breath at the cold surface gifting us this amazing photo
Maybe the last sort of this kind of photos if we keep destroying earth and its nature
Facing Reality, Pleneau Island, Antarctic Peninsula (1st Place In Animals In Their Environment Category)
A leopard seal got into a lagoon just before low tide. The seal was hiding, waiting to ambush young penguins as they got closer. When a penguin got close enough, the seal moved extremely fast and caught the penguin by its feet dragging it to the open water. I was following parallel to the action. The seal released the penguin twice and the terrified penguin succeeded in escaping, but the seal continued chasing after it, and on the third attempt, drowned the penguin and devoured it
Those seals look positively prehistoric. And have these amazing serrated teeth even a shark would envy.
I'm not sure a shark ever thought, "Damn, if only I had better teeth."
Load More Replies...Nature can be cruel. Seal eats penguin to survive. Penguin dies Alternatively seal chases penguin, penguin escapes. Seal dies because of lack of food Ps yes I know a seal won't die from missing one meal, this is just an illustration of Mother Nature, survival of the fittest perhaps
I can’t explain how amazing this photo is to me. All my life I’ve seen photos and films of penguins running the gauntlet of the famed leopard seal, but you never saw much but a head or bit of the body. Always too fast and blending in with the sea. Never really saw this beautiful predator like this. Stunning photo. Stunning work to get it.
Flying Fishing Nest, China (3rd Place In General Color Category)
This image is able to evoke a sense of peace, portraying a fisherman at work on the Ningde Jiuli River in Xiapu County, China, while the wind lifts his fishing nets. The special light, the sun's rays, and the wind all add up creating a magical and striking atmosphere
fish nets kill a lof of fish and marine animals as by catch. there is nothing magical about that.
It took me a moment to realize this was on the water...such an unusual way to fish!
It looks like a wuxia movie . II am waiting for the Martial Arts warriors to come gliding dow from the sky and start walking/fighting/ traipsing on those 'sails'.
Redyk, Poland (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
In this photo of Mizerna, in southern Poland, the traditional sheep grazing, called "Redyk", has more than 1,500 animals. From the Low Beskid Mountains, shepherds bring back the animals to the city of Nowy Targ, where the owners will take care of them during the winter. The animals will go back to the mountains in spring
I love sheep. When we lived in Devon we saw this many times (on a much smaller scale of course!)
Vulture And Jackal (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
Oh my gosh, are vultures really that big? This is nightmare fuel.
The Window, Costa Rica (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
During my stay in a hotel in Costa Rica, red-eyed frogs (Agalichnis callydrias) flooded the gardens. As I approached this one, it climbed into one of the holes and I photographed the frog as if it were sticking out of a window
Unity, Bangladesh (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
Unity is the strength, as with teamwork and collaboration with which wonderful things can be achieved. Here this frog wanted to eat the ants, but its own life is at risk in the face of their unity
Ants are truely exceptionally talented masters of Teamwork. And as we know from last post on BP, except Antarctica and Arctic, they have virtually colonized entire world. Hats off to tiny masters!
The frog wanted to eat the ants, but now the frog will become the ant's food. Circle of life. Damn nature you cruel.
Smoking An Old Woman (Remarkable Award In Fascinating Faces And Characters Category)
Look at that face and the lines written by time , experience and weather. What she must have lived through in her life.
Snowy Ballerina (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
Sure looks like it, but this was taken by a woman in the US. The other one was taken by a guy in Canada.
Load More Replies...School Of Barracuda (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
I was fortunate enough to be in that exact situation (also with barracuda) some years ago. An awesome experience indeed. Very evocative photo.
Well done you, glad to see other pandas living a full bucket list life
Load More Replies...The long black one making all the bubbles? It's a Fartacus horribilis.
Load More Replies...The Great Eclipse, USA (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
This photo was taken during the total solar eclipse that happened in the USA in August 2017. It is the result of HDR stacking from 14 images
I was on the East coast and watched the eclipse with my friend Judy, but this is a much better view of it.
Why do you care what someone you've never met did a year and a half ago since it didn't hurt neither you nor him?
Load More Replies...Ouch, It Is Cold (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
i grew up in s**t like this. i moved and never looked back.
Load More Replies...They look so well wrapped, I doubt the wind could even rock them on their heels!
I had to walk 2 miles in the snow to school... I can hear the stories now.
A Giant In The Dark, Botswana (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
A close-up portrait of a bull Elephant (Loxodonta africana) captured in Chobe National Park in Botswana. A Low-Key monochrome conversion, with a blurred background, was used to add mood and achieve a more intimate portrait of this gentle giant
did you know a lot of creatures went extinct before there was man?
Load More Replies...Game Of Colors, India (2nd Place In Splash Of Colors Category)
The Holi Festival is a yearly Indian celebration announcing the arrival of spring, with a colorful atmosphere that radiates love and happiness
I used to live in India and I miss it so much! We have neighborhood Holi parties here but it's just not the same.
I remember on An Idiot Abroad when Karl Pilkington did this when he visited India (I think it was this.. I remember all the colours) and he hated it but I thought it looked amazing
I dont get love and happiness from this shot. It looks like an artists depiction of war and aftermath.
Read more about the celebration and read less into the actual picture perhaps
Load More Replies...Holi Guacamole! (No pun intended I meant to type a y but it turned out wrong)
Google for "Holi India" and go to image section, you will love it! It's such a colorful festival!
Exhalation (Remarkable Award In Splash Of Colors Category)
I found this: https://javierherranzcasellas.com/artistica-natura/
I believe it is a picture of a leaf that was taken with a slow shutter speed while moving the camera. Or a fast shutter speed while moving the limb the leaf was attached to. Probably the latter.
Leap Of Leopards (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
We got to see the exact same scene in South Africa in 1988. Unforgettable. Especially for my 3 pre-teen children. When we got back to camp at Londalozi, we had Impala for dinner also. Best meat ever.
good way to keep the scavengers from stealing your hard-earned meal!
Sperm Whale Herd, Sri Lanka (3rd Place In Animals In Their Environment Category)
The sperm whales pictured here had just emerged from milling around in a gigantic cluster, with many of the whales defecating to such an extent that the water was opaque with secretions. This scene was part of a large, multi-day aggregation comprising hundreds, perhaps thousands of whales
Notice how scarred some of them are, that could be a sign of a fight with a giant squid.
CLick click click....and then the camera shutter clicks as well, capturing the scene. Sri LAnka also has a large population of blue whales.
This is their toilet area. They swim else where to wash off and they even have a car wash set up around the corner that takes off all the barnacles and other unwanted stuff attached to their bodies.
Krishna The God Of Colours (Remarkable Award In Splash Of Colors Category)
The picture is from the festival of Janamashtmi, one that marks the birth of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the times of the Mahabharata. It's supposed that he had a dark complexion which is why he's blue (even I don't get this logic). Here, he's being carried to a place where he'd climb a pyramid of people, literally, a pyramid of people 10-12 metres high and rupture an earthen pot, hanging up somewhere between two towers, containing cream. It's believed that Lord Krishna loved cream.
Load More Replies...Seems so, I Googled it and it said nothing about Krishna being god of colours.
Load More Replies...He was born blue and they knew what they needed to do a long time ago by transfusion and he survived . On his birthday every year they put blue powder on him and carried him to the river to be cleaned off when the party was over. That is what I told my children because I didn't know the answer either. Every year they choose a new child boy to represent this gentle man.
Am I the only one thinking of the irony calling Krshna the god of colors, but is always depicted as blue ...
Hyaena, Tanzania (Honorable Mention In Animals In Their Environment Category)
A hyaena is roaming in the water looking for food on a misty morning. The black and white image conveys a sense of quiet
I fee sorry for these poor things because they get such a bad rap all the time. They are natures gleaners, like birds of pray but on four legs.
The Twins' Gymnastics Dream, China (3rd Place In Story-Telling Category)
When I discovered these twins at a gymnastics school, I decided to capture their telepathic coordination, mutual assistance and dependence on each other in daily training. I also focused on capturing their individual differences performed in training, particularly in simple mandatory movements. I worked hard to find and capture their differences in the hope of unveiling the characteristics and forms of twins in competitive sports. The photos were mainly taken at a gymnastics school in Jining City, China. The two children were born in 2007. Their names are Liu Bingqing and Liu Yujie. 1、Before training, Liu Bingqing and Liu Yujie were running along the corridor. 2、Liu Bingqing was doing gymnastics with the help of the coach and was clearly suffering. 3、The twins were training in simple movements on the horizontal bar
These pics are horrible. the one child being bent looks to be in agonizing pain. I find both pics showing trama for these poor kids.
Also dancing ballet is a never ending torture as eleve or prima ballerina.The training is always painful and after a few years you are unable to walk in flats. It's the dedication to the art why dancers endure it.
Load More Replies...These children are FAR too young to have chosen this life for themselves. Yes these photos tell a story but it’s not a good story at all.
Their dream.. or their parents dream!? Children should have smiles on their faces when doing something they enjoy. These pictures deserve no recognition
You haven't spent much time in an American Olympic Gymnastics training center to know. This is the normal pain and suffering these athletes go through in order to be champions. It's the same pain that Ballerinas experience, body builders experience and multitudes of other types of sports categories. If you think that training to be a champion is all rainbows and skittles..you're sadly mistaken. When I found out what pain I would have to endure to be a gymnast, I dropped out of the program. But other girls and boys were more than happy to endure the torture if it meant eventually getting the gold. Some have what it takes..some don't. Just because the child is tearing up from pain doesn't mean he's not yelling to his coach "Keep going!"
Load More Replies...This is a bit disturbing. Cannot see how it could win an award when those kids are in pain.
This is why I am not a fan of professional sports of any kind, be that the Olympics or whatever. What you are seeing in any sport once you get to a high enough level is people sacrificing a lot in their lives, including ruining their bodies. Modern gladiators if you will.
Load More Replies...This looks more like child abuse , than sport. I wonder if they actually get a choice in what they want to do at the age of 11. The parents are high achieving and expect their children to also. But this just looks cried and uncalled for. I’ve also read that parents breed their children from conception. Ridiculous !
Poor kids? You'll be amazed when you're sitting in front of the tv chugging big gulps, watching these kids during the Olympic Games and a wondering how they became such incredible athletes.
It's a bit of a double edged sword. One one hand this seems more like torture than playing sports. On the other hand. This is for some people one of the only ways to be able to provide for them and their family.
I understand what you are saying, but children shouldn't be the one's providing for their families. However I know the world is a hard place
Load More Replies...Eagles Arguing, Finland (Honorouble Mention In Under 20 Category)
Two white-tailed eagles are fighting in their arctic environment in Sodankylä, Finland
If they were gangsters, the eagle on the left would be saying "Look old man, I'm taking over, see …" (in an Edward G. Robinson voice.)
The Contact (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
is sad to see animals not being in the wild but some would not survive in the wild any more
some would not survive in the wild, because of us! This is the hardest part of the story!
Load More Replies...Let's see, if I eat that one first I'll be too full for seconds but then I can eat the shorter one for a snack tonight. But I could eat two of the little ones over threre; although that might mess up my diet...
I understand the meaning but can we please appreciate the look on that one kids face.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed that :3
Load More Replies...Well the lion is definetely not free considering the fact that he's in an enclosure. The kids aren't very free either because they have to obey their guardians. But no one is truly free, we all have to answer to someone.
Load More Replies...Wow, so much food. Weren´t it for that damned glass I could have a great dinner tonight.
Even though it is not the case, I love how it looks like the Lion is in the wild and is staring at the humans trapped in a glass cage.
Poor lion :( I can't imagine children banging on the glass is fun for him.
The Hunt, India (2nd Place In Animals In Their Environment Category)
A young and inexperienced tiger cub attempts to hunt a chital (spotted deer) in Ranthambore National Park, India; but the chital turned out to be too big for this young cub. I captured the moment when the tiger cub was struggling to get the prey down, as his siblings and mother were watching from a distance
...meanwhile, son, there’s a very slow human squatting down on the ground who is much easier prey.
I take it that you're unfamiliar with the zoom lense. Trust me, this photographer was very far away.
Load More Replies...I have anxiety and when I see pictures like this my heart beats so fast and I have to just move on to the next picture. If I see more that three nature attacks then I close the page. If I don't 911 will have to be called and they will ask me what caused the attack this time and they will laugh at me. That won't help me.
lol why is the first thing I noticed the marvelous face on the deer (i think that's what it is?)
*chital (it's a kind of deer so I was close :D)
Load More Replies...You really should have read the description. It proves what you wrote is wrong.
Load More Replies...Ocean Fury, Iceland (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
After 2 days with winds blowing up to 100 Km/h, huge waves can be seen on the Icelandic West coast. Winter was ending and the snowfall alternating with the sun's rays. The challenge in obtaining this image was standing close to the cliffs in the gusts of wind
It is their choice to live there as it is kind of stupid of the photo man to stand where he was to take this picture. LOL
Load More Replies...Man Carries Injured Son, Iraq (1st Place In Journeys And Adventures Category)
A heartbroken father, carrying his injured son, flees a checkpoint in West Mosul, Iraq
Thank-you George W Bush, D**k Cheney and the rest of the fossil fuel industry.
The US government has had interest in Iraq since the 1950s. With American Christian Missionaries having been there since the 1830s and oil companies there since the early 1900s.
Load More Replies...I notice the young man has lost a leg. I dont know how his father is managing to carry him.
In times of stress and great need people find huge strength from somewhere
Load More Replies...Come on billionaires, help these poor souls out, the boy is missing a foot for God’s sake.
Good-Bye, Israel (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
A chameleon whipped out its tongue to capture a dragonfly, while I was hiding behind a bush in order not to disturb the scene. Its tongue is longer than its body, and its tip is sticky and thick
I’m pretty sure that tongue is going as far as it needs to go.
Load More Replies...Okay aside from the chameleon getting lunch, I like this branch. Look at all those knobs and markings.
In The Melaleuca Forest, Vietnam (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
A woman is collecting water chestnuts during the high tide season in the Melaleuca forest in Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Giant Serenity, Kenya (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
A female Elephant (Loxodonta africana) approaches a stream at sunset in the Northeastern part of Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya
Egrets Fight (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
The scene may have been aggressive but I think Egrets Flight would’ve been a more fitting title given the image.
The Man Staring, Bangladesh (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
This photo was taken at Tongi Railway Station, Bangladesh. A train from the country was entering the platform and as it arrived I suddenly found a pair of curious eyes staring at me through the window. The mist on the glass and the curious eyes create a dreamy atmosphere where the black umbrella represents reality - a journey towards the city full of hopes and dreams
For some strange reason, i stared at this pic for too long!
Swing, Bolivia (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
Tanya is playing on a swing in the Bolivian trains cemetery, 3 km outside Uyuni. This place, where many trains were abandoned at the beginning of the 19th century, is connected to Uyuni by the old train tracks
Cannonball, Tonga (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
This is a humpback whale launching itself out of the water during an overcast, stormy day. The young whale was a little boy, showing off his skills. I took this photo with a camera modified for monochrome images
Fantastic photo, hopefully the camera man's boat was a good distance away
Fisherman At Inle Lake, Myanmar (1st Place In Under 20 Category)
This picture was captured at Inle Lake on the Shan Plateau in Myanmar. As the lake is covered with reeds and floating plants, it is difficult to row while sitting. As a result, the Intha fishermen have developed an unusual rowing style. It is amazing how people in each corner of the world find ways to adapt to nature, inspired by nature itself
When you see them in action , yes it is true balance like a ballet.
Load More Replies...Every Breath You Take, Germany (1st Place In General Color Category)
The picture was taken from 35 individual images of swimmers at the triathlon in the Duesseldorf Media Harbour in the summer of 2017. I was able to take them from above, while the athletes crossed a pedestrian bridge capturing their very individual "breathing techniques“. I was inspired by the work of Andreas Gursky; therefore, I took the individual images with the highest possible sharpness
Just looking at this kicks up my anxiety. There’s too many people and not enough personal space. lol
At first glance, I thought it was a wall of entombed men trying to get out.
The great thing here is the fact that each swimmer is taking a breath at the "same time" very smart photo montage
Truit (Remarkable Award In General Color Category)
Henningsvær Football Field, Norway (2nd Place In Architecture And Urban Spaces Category)
The football field of Henningsvær, in the beautiful Lofoten Islands in Norway, is considered to be one of the most amazing football fields in Europe, and maybe even in the world
The island is 4km wide. That's one hell of a pitch. You'd get very tired playing a match there.
Load More Replies...I doubted this actually existed until I looked it up on Google Maps. Astonishing. Beautiful. foot-5c1d0...a1c1f6.jpg
Runner, The Netherlands (1st Place In General Monochrome Category)
This photograph highlights the modern architecture of Arnhem Central Station in the Netherlands by using black and white technique and the movement of the runner in the static scene
If you zoom in, it kind of looks like he's wearing shorts or a speedo or something
Load More Replies...Arnhem Central Station in the Netherlands. https://www.google.nl/search?q=arnhem+centraal+station&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPnpz3wMLeAhVHUBoKHYezDbAQ_AUIDygC&biw=1600&bih=789#imgrc=_
Load More Replies...Giants Of The Ocean, Norway (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
Two humpback whales enjoy playing during the polar night in Northern Norway
Mt. Bromo, Indonesia (Honorable Mention In The beauty of the nature Category)
This phenomenal picture was taken in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park at sunrise. Mount Bromo's eruption, in January 2016, was highly unusual as it lasted for almost a year
You're a very lucky individual to have had such an amazing experience
Load More Replies...Save The Last Dance, Germany (Honorouble Mention In Architecture and Urban Spaces Category)
A piano telling a story of other times, when in the 1920's couples danced to its notes. Even today, despite the dust covering it, its music echoes in the room, bringing us into an atmosphere full of charm and emotion
He really would've enjoyed the decrepit, memento mori-feel of this wonderful historical place, wouldn't he?
Load More Replies...Free-Riders (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
Meh? MEH? I'd like to see you ride on the connection between two MOVING trains you arrogant pig.
Load More Replies...4 Hours Of Air Traffic, USA (Honorouble Mention In Architecture and Urban Spaces Category)
A stacked exposure showing 4 hours of air traffic departing from the N/S runways at SFO. This is one of a series, showing the frenetic pace with which these complex microcosms operate. To achieve this image, I was perched on a mountaintop 2 miles from the runway, with a super-telephoto lens, clicking exposures every time a plane departed
You hope their safe is what? Do they have a safe? I hate when ppl don't finish their sentences.....
Load More Replies...Bored Panda is nothing short of remarkable. The pictures are breath-taking. A welcome medicine for broken soul if ever there was one. Thank you, Bored Panda!!!
My finger wants to follow the lines of light to see where they went in the world.
The dedication of the photographer is astounding. To lay on a mountaintop 2 miles away for four hours is fantastic. Thank you for your patience and artistic approach to the pictures.
Winter Idyll In Everyday Life, Germany (Honorouble Mention In General Color Category)
From above, in winter, even an everyday life scene can become interesting and suggest a story
Kudos and three cheers to all hard workers out there who cleanup these roads and makes it possible to reach our destination in the comfort of warmth inside our cars!
Honey Hunters (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
Look for the - bear necessities, the mother nature's recipes, forget about your worry and your strife! Lalalalalala
I looked at the picture before reading the title and with all the smoke it just looked like a sunken corpse in murky water.
The Jump, USA (Honorouble Mention In Sports In Action Category)
The Red Bull Rampage, held near Zion National Park, has become one of the biggest mountain biking events every year. The event is similar to freestyle skiing and snowboarding, where competitors are judged on their choice of path down the course, their technical ability and the complexity of their tricks
People who are into extreme sports have titanium balls (both males and females)!
Wow! Looks like ET phoned home and they are coming in for a landing to deliver him to his destination.
I very seen these videos. What these people travers on a bike I wouldn't do with a rope and years of climbing experience. Truly nuts.(and amazing)
My hubby used to do this kind of thing, and wondered why I didn't want to go watch! I'd have had a heart ATTACK!
The Paradise Of Forgotten Hearts, Togo (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
A group of children happily plays in a river from heavy rains near Mandouri (Togo, West Africa). Every year, unsafe water, coupled with a lack of basic sanitation, kills at least 1.6 million children under the age of five around the planet. Six to eight million people die annually from the consequences of disasters and water-related diseases
So sad to look at their happiness and know that not all of them will grow up to adulthood.
Gypsy Child (Remarkable Award In Fascinating Faces And Characters Category)
Traditional Coastal Cod Fishery, Norway (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
An old Norwegian fisherman catching a cod the traditional way. Fishing has always been the major traditional activity for Norwegians and still holds a central place in their households and daily life
I Want To Play, Myanmar (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
A boy who lost his leg is watching his classmates playing football. He seems to be saying, "I want to play too." If only he could
He can still play, if his friends accommodate his special needs. I hate to see a child being left out.
So have you made a donation to an organization that provides prostheses for children?
Load More Replies...It is sad. If he were in a Western country he would have a much greater chance of getting a prosthetic limb then he could play with his classmates
I'm not understanding that Jerry rigged looking metal support. If he had a 3D printed prosthetic, he very well may be able to play. ONE world would be such a nice place to live.
Shark And Mountains (Remarkable Award In The Beauty Of The Nature Category)
The way the picture is taken, it makes the fish look like some huge prehistoric monster
Well.. it actually is some huge (prehistoric) monster :D It's a whale shark and the biggest fish alive.
Load More Replies...Fighting, Russia (Honorouble Mention In Under 20 Category)
Two big brown bears are ferociously fighting, even though there is no prize to win
Territory is an unseen prize but one that means survival to these majestic creatures.
How do they know their Russian? Did they check the bear's passports?
Reflection Pole Vault, Spain (1st Place In Sports In Action Category)
The pole vaulter makes his final jump, decisive to proclaim himself the winner of the event. The moment is captured in the reflection generated by the intense rains on the ground
Path Of Camels Across The Sands, Saudi Arabia (Honorable Mention In General Color Category)
From an unusually high point of view, these camels seem to trace a road across the desert dunes, projecting beautiful shadows on the sand
Roopa, Dimple And Soniya (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
I cannot find a description, but I believe the middle girl is an albino, and the other two were victims of acid attacks.
Load More Replies...It seems that these horrific acid attacks are becoming more common, or we're just hearing about them more. As a woman of a certain age who was taught that my value was tied to my physical appearance, my soul hurts every time I see one of these women. The bravery it takes to just face each day after being attacked like this astonishes me.
Apparently, in India, after raping or gang raping a woman, the attacker(s) throw acid on them to scare them into dropping charges. One woman who has refused to do so has had acid throw on her multiple times. Sort of takes #metoo to a whole new level. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/07/27/acid-attacks-women-india-survivors-fight-back/486007001/
Men who throw acid on their women should be put in jail for a very long time
Only truly evil people would throw acid on someones face & claim so in the name of a God. So heartbreaking.
Dimple is an albino student. Soniya is an acid attack survivor.
Order Within Density, Hong Kong (3rd Place In Under 20 Category)
This aerial photograph of Sheung Wan area questions the stereotypes of Hong Kong being claustrophobic, demonstrating the existence of a geometric order within this chaotic city
Everything is symmetrical, even the cars on the roads. This is not a real picture, it's been flipped from top to bottom and side to side!
Sue. You're right. Looked too symmetrical to me as well. Then I noticed the cars and the symmetry from top to bottom. Very good.
Waiting In Limbo: Kashmir’s Half-Widow, India (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
Shamla Begum’s husband, Fathiq Nagar, was 37 years old when he was taken by strangers on his way to Baramulla, the nearest town to their village. The violence of Kashmir’s armed conflict has given rise to a category of women known as “half-widows”, whose husbands have ‘disappeared’ during the decades-long conflict
she looks a lot older than 37. How long ago was her husband taken and why is she considered a 'half widow'? Isn't there a time period when the missing would be declared dead. Can she remarry?
From The Cloud (Remarkable Award In Animals In Their Environment Category)
Is it wrong that i have an acute fear of Snakes? I am absolutely terrified of them always. I don't despise snakes, but they give me chills!
Nope, not wrong. They are my phobia, show me a tiny grass snake and I will run 10 kilometers screaming… and it's irrational considering the part of the country where I live, all snakes are non-venomous..
Load More Replies...It is not wrong you have this fear. I too have this phobia. If I see a picture of one in a magazine/newspaper my husband has to tear it out
Fear of snakes in an inherent memory found in many people who have never had any encounters with snakes. It is a survival skill going back to our basic ancestors, an awareness of danger even if that source is an unknown one.
High Dive, Hungary (Honorouble Mention In Sports In Action Category)
A competitor makes a practice dive prior to the Men's High dive on day seventeen of the Budapest 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest
A high dive tower was built at the bank of river Danube, opposite the Parliament, so it seems as if the swimmer in the photo would have jumped off the building of the Parliament.
Load More Replies...This picture leaves a lot out. Where's the dive originating from, where's the pool and how high is the diver really plummeting? So many questions.
Windows And Sculpture, France (Honorouble Mention In Splash Of Colors Category)
Windows with colorful yet abstract reflections and a Sculpture with colorful strips from La Défense business district in Paris
Young Lama In The Snowstorm, Sichuan (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
In the temple of Gerdeng, in the county of Aba, Sichuan province, young Lamas are sitting on stone steps, listening carefully to their teachers, in spite of the intense snowfall
Divine faith has many temptresses .. even nature herself. Truly a moving photo.
Headless (Remarkable Award In Sports In Action Category)
Playground, Italy (3rd Place In Splash Of Colors Category)
The art of regeneration is an urban renewal project through public art and design. "Playground" is a public basketball court located in Alessandria (Italy) designed by the Italian artist GUE. Public art is a response to urban degeneration. It can contribute to civic identity, has educational value, promotes social change, and encourages economic development. It is a way to transform a space into a place
I refuse to believe it's real. I know it is, but I still don't! Edit: Also, it's a OCD nightmare!
As a basketball player, I would find this extremely hard to play on. Where are the boundaries, foul line, half court, etc. Good art work, but makes playing the game extremely difficult.
The Pool - Para (Remarkable Award In Sports In Action Category)
I love how the guy is so fit and dedicated. I wonder if he is an Olympian?
Until just this moment I had never considered how easy it would be to slip and fall hoping on a soapy floor. The things that we never think about because we have never faced them.....
i feel like this is a little creepy...someone walking by and capturing this photo...
took me a min to realize but that guy is GOALS AF. wow. kudos to him & how fit he is. Bravo my man!
I envy his balance skills. I had a stroke when I was 12 and my balance isn’t good on two legs, much less one.
Interesting to see his prosthetic leg outside the shower. I wonder if the water damages it so he's forced to traverse the shower one legged.
The Light Fantastic, United Kingdom (3rd Place In Sports In Action Category)
Athletes compete in the Men's 10,000 meters final at Hampden Park during day nine of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
why they all running in a single file? Aren't they supposed to spread out and try to overtake opponent? Am i missing something?
The inside of the track is the shortest distance to run. A competitor must switch to an outside position in an effort to pass.
Load More Replies...Rohingya Exodus, Bangladesh (Honorable Mention In General Monochrome Category)
After Myanmar's army carried out the 'ethnic cleansing' of the Rohingya in Rakhine State, more than half a million people fled from the violence which included 340,000 children. After several days journey, a group of refugees reached Cox's Bazar camp in Bangladesh
Yes, this is a terrible, awful situation; but look at them all helping each other. THAT is what makes humans great.
What are you seeing that proves humans greatness? You think these people are getting help? Have you helped? Have you offered to sponsor a Rohingya family? Have you donated? Don’t say something dumb to make yourself feel better.
Load More Replies...f pakistan, bangladesh, and all other muslim countries
Load More Replies...Typical of radical Islamic violence and despair, you mean.
Load More Replies...Qasr Al-Yahud Baptismal Site, Qasr al-Yahud (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
An Eritrean Orthodox Christian pilgrim baptizes a young girl, as pilgrims celebrate Epiphany at the Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site, near the West Bank city of Jericho. The baptism site is where, according to the tradition, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Christian tradition marks this site as the place of the 'spiritual birth' of Jesus
Terrified of the filth in the water, no doubt.
Load More Replies...I'd be terrified too being dunked head first into that filthy water. So much contamination from humans it's disgusting.
Circus Decay, Belgium (Honorouble Mention In General Color Category)
In this photo, evoking an old circus ring, only the elephant and the ringmaster remain... the audience left long ago
While the elephant likely wouldn't do well to be in the wild, the elephant needs to be let "free" from the "ringmaster" and be given to an elephant or animal sanctuary.
Load More Replies...All wild animals that are able to return to the wild should be set free.
This is painfully sad. The contrast of a wish for good ol' days and tragedy in one picture. This should be a remainder not to go back to those good ol' days as traditions most often are not fair.
This elephant should not be performing. Don't think this picture is beautiful when it was taken at the expense of a creature who should be free
Load More Replies...Road To Ruin, Syria (Honorable Mention In Journeys and Adventures Category)
November 2017 - According to estimates by the Civil Council, more than 8,000 mines are hidden in Raqqa. The Civil Council explores a former ISIS hospital looking for medicines that can still be used. A view from the ruined tower clock, overlooking the ruins of Raqqa, shows Abdulla al-Arian as he inspects the place
This photo conveys the heartbreaking situation of the destruction of what used to be a beautiful vibrant country
It still sickens me to think that the United Nations, Russia and the Syrians continue to let people live like this.
blame the US and their ISIS mercenaries trying to overthrow assad
Load More Replies...The Bear, Romania (Honorouble Mention In Under 20 Category)
Since ancient times, the bear has always represented a sacred animal. Every year, before New Year's Eve, Comanesti is filled with Romanian traditions where children wear bear furs and make noise in order to drive away evil spirits and start a bright year
If these are real bear heads and skins, then this makes this one of the worst pictures in this list
They're real, but they're very old. Bear population was quite numerous in Romania in the past so they were hunted because they attacked sheep.
Load More Replies...I'm from Romania and I can guarantee that at least some of the pelts used in such customs are real, that is, taken from a killed bear. But only those individuals/associations who can afford them have them, others have fake ones (though they are much less common). As for being a crime against nature: 1. If you are part of the human race, there is 0 chance nowadays to be completely eco and not impact the environment in some way. Even animals kill other animals for surival, so please stop whining so much about this. If you want people to completely stop exploiting nature then the only solution would be the entire species' eradication, so please stop with the guilt trips and incomplete logics. 2. Romania has the largest brown bear population in Europe, 60% of Europe's bears are in Romania, 6.000 out of a worldwide number of 200.000. So if you wanna pick on somebody, pick on other countries in Europe who have eradicated their brown bear populations ages ago. Keep your perspective large and your reasoning open-minded, stop judging when you don't know all aspects.
wait...they're considered sacred but they skin and wear them. that seems contrary.
I've been to Romania, these are NOT real bear skins. They are costumes made out if cloth, artificial material and a great deal of talented seamstresses. Calm down people.
Not sure about being sacred. Isn't Romania where the bears have nose rings and they're made to perform? Looks like a lot of bear skins.
If the bear was so sacred, why are romanians so cruel to them? Breaking out teeth and claws and putting them on hot plates to make them dance?
I don.t know where you read that, but it suflet is not true...
Load More Replies...For God's sake! I'm from Romania and I'm telling you those are costumes made out of FAKE skin, fake everything. Please don't believe every stupid thing people tell on the internet in order to create outrage.
That's fine, no-one said it was real, we said they look real. So it's good that as a Romanian you can inform us; that's what these forums are about
Load More Replies...Road To Ruin, Syria (2nd Place In Story-Telling Category)
"Rubble and Delusion" A Journey Through Assad's Syria. With the fall of Aleppo, the regime of Bashar Assad once again controls the country's second-largest city. But is reconciliation possible? Follow me on a journey through the dictator's state in rubble. On an icy January evening in eastern Aleppo, a grotesque scene of destruction, five men are standing around a fire in a battered oil drum in a butcher's shop. Their trousers are dirty and their faces are covered with soot. There has been no running water for a long time. Every evening, the men come here to warm up, burning table legs and chairs from the ruins. In what is left of their apartments, there are no heating stoves. "The fear, though, is finally gone", says shop owner Ahmed Tubal. For over four years, various rebel groups have controlled the neighborhood of al-Shaar, but Syrian and Russian jets recently transformed half of the city into rubble to wipe them out. The rebels and their supporters have left the city, and following the regime's victory, only those who support Syrian President Bashar Assad have remained. "The bombing was necessary to drive out the Islamists," says Tubal, a short man with tired eyes. "Otherwise, they would never have left." The other men voice their approval. "We were so exhausted. We just wanted it to stop. And if that meant that everything had to be destroyed even further, then that was just the price we had to pay." A visit to Assad's Syria, a state in shambles, surrounding the largest cities in the West, over which the dictator has regained control thanks to Russian and Iranian support; it is like entering an apocalyptic world. Large Mercedes tractor-trailers drive water tanks through Aleppo's ruins while the streets are patrolled by armored vehicles manned by Russian soldiers. Assad can frequently be seen on television while fear can be seen in the eyes of many residents. Our journey leads us to the three largest cities in Northern and Western Syria: Aleppo; Latakia; Homs. Aleppo has become symbolic of the brutal bombing campaign. Latakia, the regime stronghold on the Mediterranean, was largely untouched by the war and is still a popular vacation spot in the summer. And Homs, once the center of the uprising, was destroyed and is now slated to become a model of reconstruction. When journalists travel through Syria, they are unable to move about freely. Officially, we are only allowed to visit places for which we have obtained written permits from Damascus. Furthermore, only people who are acceptable to the regime can be interviewed and any other meetings must take place in secret. Usually, journalists are accompanied by government minders. There is only one minder for international journalists in Aleppo, meaning that it is usually possible to speak to people without supervision. In Latakia, on the other hand, journalists have a military escort, while there are two minders in Homs. But even when minders aren't present, it isn't always easy to know if people are saying what they really think or if their words are guided by fear. It is clear what conclusion the regime would like visitors to reach: that Bashar Assad is the only one who can bring the country back together again. But what do people really think? What are the obstacles to reconciliation and reconstruction? And isn't Assad himself the greatest obstacle?" 1.Syria, January 2017 - Large parts of Homs are completely destroyed. Nevertheless, some residents come back and try to rebuild their homes. Three-quarters of Homs consists of ruins. A taxi drives through ruins. 2.Syria, January 2017 – A boy has caught a cat in East Aleppo. During the fighting, residents had hardly any food left. They paid up to 60 USD for cats to eat. 3.Syria, January 2017 – A chained dog and a boy in front of the coastal promenade in Latakia
US and its ISIS lackies have a lot to answer for
Load More Replies...According to the text people pay up to 60 USD for cats to eat so he is probably going to sell it or eat it.
Load More Replies...So sad. The picture of the cat is probably the most heart wrenching as you realize that it's probably going to be someone's meal very soon. Syria is truly hell on Earth right now. Assad needs to be eliminated.
Oh yes far worse than America's pet terrorists beheading people or blowing up school buses.
Load More Replies...Crossing The Border (Remarkable Award In Fascinating Faces And Characters Category)
True. Let's bring them all here we can ALL suffer together.
Load More Replies...The look on the parents' face shows sadness and determination. I hope this had a happy ending
What country is this. Definitely not the southern US/Mexican boarder that's fir sure.
Look at those criminals. I'm sure they destroyed whatever country they crossed into. So much evil.
Is this sarcasm? I think they need to steal a pair of shorts for kid with no pants.
Load More Replies...The Human Torch (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
A dramatic photo but luckily police’s riot gear is designed to resist things like that. This photo is from Paris 2018 may riots and no one were killed or severely injured.
Because some criminal throw a molotov at him! Sick people..
Load More Replies...This is just bloody horrible. How can someone stand and take a photo, when a man with friends and family that love him, is alight and onfire in terrible excruciating pain. Screaming and knowing this is the last of his life.. take a bloody photo. . This is wron !
I'm thinking that the photographer was involved in throwing the Molotov cocktail. Seemed to catch the photo right after it was thrown. Half the police are still unaware.
Load More Replies...because its real life... it stems emotion, gets people thinking. Not all photos that win awards have to be pretty or 'happy'
Load More Replies...Nobody died. As far as we're concerned, he is alive and well. Besides, slightly ironic that your username is The Girl on Fire?
Load More Replies...Colors Of Joy, India (Honorouble Mention In Splash Of Colors Category)
Devotees celebrate the traditional and colorful Holi Festival at Krishna Temple in Nandgaon, India
Prada, Usa (3rd Place In Architecture And Urban Spaces Category)
This picture is from the 'Lost America series' and shows a quiet stillness in a forgotten landscape that is somehow ‘on-pause’. Spaces appear frozen in time, their inhabitants, absent or long since departed. Ardently stagnant in their appearance, the images aim to unlock a moment of reflective contemplation and instill a melancholic feeling of familiarity
This picture is old. And it is considered as an art piece. It is not a actual retail Prada store in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. I've been to this little town in Texas and it is a busy little, popular town with this listed as a tourist attraction.
I think I have seen this. Didn't it keep getting robbed?
Load More Replies...I've seen this picture before - years ago. You sure this is 2018's pics?
It's located in Marfa, Texas. Every girl I know has this picture on her instagram
That's an odd location for a shop that sold Prada. If that's what it is. Maybe it was a different Prada.
The arms of consumerism never cease to amaze me. One day people will say "Prada Who?"
Meet The Hosts - Metro Driver, Russia (Honorable Mention In Fascinating faces and characters Category)
In 2018 Russia will host the Football World Cup and the idea of my project is to portray Russian people as the hosts. All together, they convey a picture of Russia and give an insight into the Russian soul. This work is about people, their identity, their environment, their culture, and society
This picture is conveying a totally different message than what it was supposed to
My dream travel wish on my bucket list. I definitely want to visit Russia before I die. They have some of the world's most interesting history, architecture and some of the most gorgeous women in the world!
Yibbum #1 (Remarkable Award In Journeys And Adventures Category)
I like the protecting rain cover coat the man outside (on the very left) had put on his hat.
Pool, The Netherlands (Honorouble Mention In General Color Category)
A symbolic image of a girl in a black swimsuit pretending to swim in an empty swimming pool
For a few seconds I thought she really was swimming because of the meter mark.
The Devotees,india (Honorouble Mention In Splash Of Colors Category)
Devotees performing the ritual of Dondi on the occasion of Chhath Puja on the banks of the River Ganges. While worshipping the Sun, they try to appease the divinity in order to prosper in the future
To be frank, babies cry about everything.
Load More Replies...Derby Goal, Sweden (Honorouble Mention In Sports In Action Category)
Nils-Eric Johansson scores the opening goal during the match of the Swedish championship between AIK and Hammarby at Friends Arena of Solna
Don't see what's so special here. A picture of a historical goal like Zidane's volley against Leverkusen would be better.
This man is not only a danger to the US, but to the entire world. As an article in Rolling Stone says, “Nobody had high hopes for Trump’s environmental policy. He had, after all, said climate change was a hoax and sent out more than 100 skeptic tweets even before running for president. But the speed, recklessness and spite with which his administration has sought to upend environmental protections has been breathtaking. Climate change aside, even the common-sense need to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink is being challenged as the administration has unleashed a slew of regulatory rollbacks. And his science-denying, fossil-fuel-fetishising policies couldn’t come at a worse time — the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has just published its most dire report yet, advising that if we don’t get to zero carbon emissions by 2050, we’ll blow past a 1.5 C temperature rise, the threshold for disaster.”
So beautiful! I would love to have the vision of these talented photographers!
What an amazing collection of awesome photos!! So many worked so hard and took such chances to get them. Give such a unique perspective on the world. Thank you, y'all!
amazing photographs raising strong and mixed emotions inside ... thank you!
This man is not only a danger to the US, but to the entire world. As an article in Rolling Stone says, “Nobody had high hopes for Trump’s environmental policy. He had, after all, said climate change was a hoax and sent out more than 100 skeptic tweets even before running for president. But the speed, recklessness and spite with which his administration has sought to upend environmental protections has been breathtaking. Climate change aside, even the common-sense need to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink is being challenged as the administration has unleashed a slew of regulatory rollbacks. And his science-denying, fossil-fuel-fetishising policies couldn’t come at a worse time — the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has just published its most dire report yet, advising that if we don’t get to zero carbon emissions by 2050, we’ll blow past a 1.5 C temperature rise, the threshold for disaster.”
So beautiful! I would love to have the vision of these talented photographers!
What an amazing collection of awesome photos!! So many worked so hard and took such chances to get them. Give such a unique perspective on the world. Thank you, y'all!
amazing photographs raising strong and mixed emotions inside ... thank you!
