The Inspiring International Garden Photographer of the Year Winners

International Garden Photographer of the Year introduced the winners throughout its fundamental classes for Competition 19, showcasing a variety of nature, backyard, and panorama images from around the globe.

Mark Hetherington Named Overall Winner

Taking the highest honor as Overall Winner of International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) Competition 19 is Mark Hetherington for his picture Grange Fell Last Light, which additionally earned first place within the Breathing Spaces class. Captured in Borrowdale in England’s Lake District, the {photograph} reveals heather, silver birch timber, and the nice and cozy gentle of sundown considered from Grange Fell. Hetherington blended 4 exposures to create an HDR picture. The {photograph} was made with a Sony α7 IV paired with a Sony FE 16–35mm f/2.8 GM II lens.

“The winning photograph depicts a stunning landscape vista, full of plant life, with layers of colour and tactile textures, and through a well-balanced composition, truly immerses us in the scene. The use of multiple exposures has allowed us to see the environment in all its glory — many congratulations to Mark,” says Tyrone McGlinchey FLS FRSA, Managing Director, Head Judge, IGPOTY.

Category Winners Highlight Diverse Natural Subjects

The winners throughout the remaining classes replicate the breadth of topics celebrated by the competitors, from summary interpretations of landscapes to detailed macro research of vegetation and fungi.

In the Abstract Views class, Ian Gilmour earned first place for Autumn Flurry, created in West Yorkshire within the United Kingdom. The picture combines {a photograph} of timber mirrored within the Rochdale Canal with a second picture of bokeh from lights mirrored in a window. The two photos have been blended throughout post-processing to create the impression of a windy autumn day. Gilmour used a Pentax Ok-5 with a Venus Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2x ultra-macro lens.

First place in Beautiful Gardens went to Stephen Studd for Lower Pool, Exbury Gardens, photographed at Exbury Gardens. The picture captures spring daylight breaking by the tree cover and illuminating the backyard’s seasonal show of coloration.

In the Beauty of Plants class, Alison Tinson received first place for Game, Set and Match, photographed in Béziers, France. The picture includes a dahlia photographed utilizing a Lensbaby Velvet 85mm lens and punctiliously managed lighting inside a customized black field setup.

Studd additionally secured one other class victory, successful first within the PMC Plants and Planet class for Mangrove Restoration, photographed in Kep, Cambodia. The picture highlights coastal mangrove restoration initiatives that help fisheries and assist shield coastal communities whereas storing important quantities of carbon.

In the Trees, Woods, and Forests class, Grant Bulloch received first place with Glen Affric, captured in Scotland. The {photograph} reveals the contrasting colours of inexperienced pine timber and purple birches considered from above the treeline.

Photographer Bernadette Benz received the Wildflower Landscapes class for Alpine Cotton Balls, photographed at Märjelenalp in Switzerland. The picture reveals Scheuchzer’s cotton grass, a protected alpine plant identified for its distinctive white spherical spikes.

In Wildlife within the Garden, Perdita Petzl took first place for Rare Beauty, a picture of an japanese festoon butterfly photographed in Lower Austria. The species is taken into account one of many rarest butterflies within the nation and is usually discovered close to vineyards.

Finally, the World of Fungi class was received by Tony North for Amethyst Deceivers, captured in Styal Woods in Cheshire, England. The {photograph} depicts a pair of amethyst deceiver mushrooms alongside a fly and was created utilizing a spotlight stacking approach to mix a number of photos.

Together, the Competition 19 winners spotlight the varied topics that outline the International Garden Photographer of the Year competitors, from backyard landscapes and ecological restoration to wildlife and complicated macro images. Runners-up and third-place winners for every class are featured on the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition website.

Image credit: International Garden Photographer of the Year, Individual photographers as credited