The annual international EISA Maestro contest is back! Here we share the winning Single and Series photographs responding to the theme of ‘Travelling’ from the UK national entries, which will go forward to the International round of the competition for the chance to win up to €2000.
The annual EISA Maestro photo contest is run by the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), which comprises photography and tech media publishers from around the world, of which Amateur Photographer was a founder member in 1982. This year the theme was ‘‘Travelling’. There were two categories to enter: Single (for best individual image) and Series, for the best set of up to eight photos. The winners from each participating member country (there were 14 this year) go forward, Eurovision style, to the international contest, where the overall series winner receives €2000, and the single image winner gets €1000. There’s also a €500 prize for each Public Choice winner.
UK National Single Image Winner: Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA by Ryszard Lomnicki
Ryszard was born in Poland, but has lived for many years in Galway, on the west coast of Ireland. He specialises in landscapes and long-exposure photography, and is passionate about travel, discovering new places, and capturing the beauty of nature through images. ‘Through my photography, I strive to show the world not only as it is, but also as I experience it — full of emotion, harmony, and wonder,’ he says.
‘This photo captures Lower Antelope Canyon in Arizona, one of the most photogenic places in the world. Carved by water and wind through red sandstone, the narrow slot canyon captivates with its fluid, almost sculptural forms. Warm shades of red and orange contrast with the intense blue sky visible through the crevices overhead. Natural light streaming into the canyon highlights the undulating lines of the rocks, creating a dramatic interplay of light and shadow that lends the scene an abstract character.’
Instagram: @rx70
UK National Series Winner: People of Zanzibar by Adam Rhodes
Adam hails from the Norfolk Broads and has a passion for travel and the outdoors. He took up photography as recently as 2021, when he bought a Sony A6000. He’s now rocking a Sony A7 IV and selection of Sigma lenses which go with him everywhere he goes.
‘These photographs were taken on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, where I stayed for three-months while my girlfriend was working on a construction project. Through my lens, I sought to document daily life, capturing moments of freedom, hard work, and community among the people who call Zanzibar home. Many of those I photographed had never left the 53 mile long island. After experiencing its beauty and culture myself, I can see why they would want to stay.’
Instagram: @adamrhodesuk
Related reading:
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- Why Cheney Orr’s astonishing viral photo should definitely win a Pulitzer Prize
- These incredible photographs that paid witness to the end of Apartheid are included in a must-see major exhibition this summer
Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.
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