There were some great entries this year and the judging was a close-run thing. We are proud to present the winner, Snowdon Valley by Rachael Parker and the three excellent runners-up.
Winner / Snowdon Valley by Rachael Parker
Taken on a training walk for Cardiff WEMS Alps Expedition 2013, this image embraces the sheer magnitude and raw power of nature from the 1,085m summit of Snowdon. Captured also in the frame is an RAF Valley Rescue helicopter, using the smoke flare seen at the bottom of the lake to locate the casualty. This rugged wilderness, although conquered by many and tamed, somewhat, with a train to the summit still holds the ultimate force and demands the respect of all – a thought worth remembering for the fearless explorer…
We liked… the depth of field, beautiful lighting and excellent wilderness medicine backstory with the RAF Valley helicopter.
Second / Milky Way by Adam Gold
This shot of the Milky Way was captured on a beautiful night whilst camping under the stars in the French Alps this summer. It required careful balancing of ISO and shutter speed to capture the stars clearly without too much noise or star trails.
We liked… the even composition and the technical skill in exposing the foreground and the stars. We love the stars.
Third / The Black Cullins by Benjamin Watts
As adventurers we regularly neglect the “wilderness” at home. Skye is a formidable area of our great Isles, with many adventures to be had, with daunting and often dangerous challenges to be exploited. The Black Cullins are a majestic and intimidating set of mountains that have taken the lives of a few and enriched the lives of many. The Cullins are guaranteed to take your breath one way or another, this was just one of those moment when I had mine snatched during the decent of my solo completion of the infamous ridge.
We liked… the texture and the contrast of jaggy ridge and cloud. Great use of negative space, as arty types say.
Fourth / Borneo Kid by Tim Browning
Whilst working on constructing a gravity water feed system for the small rural village of Solung Kapit in Borneo, Malaysia we lived in with he local community for several weeks. In this time the various novel electronic devices we had brought with us fascinated the local children. From a simple digital watch to iPods and cameras, they were enthralled. My digital camera especially fascinated this young boy and we had a lot of fun together as he discovered the joys of photography.
We liked… the human interest and the feeling of a moment captured.
