Through Their Lens: The Stories of Our Travel Photography Winners
Behind every memorable travel photograph lies a journey. Sometimes it is a journey across continents and unfamiliar cultures; other times, it is simply the journey of discovering a remarkable moment in an unexpected place. Travel photography allows photographers to transform these experiences into visual stories, preserving not only the beauty of a destination but also the emotions, people, traditions, and encounters that make each journey unique.
In this article, we explore the stories behind the winning photographs of our Travel Photography Contest, discovering the experiences, inspirations, and creative decisions that led to these remarkable images. Each winning photographer has a different way of seeing the world, and their photographs reflect personal journeys shaped by curiosity, exploration, patience, and a passion for discovering new places.
JULIJA ZANDERSONE
My name is Julija Zandersone. I am a wildlife and nature photographer from Latvia. My relationship with photography started when I was about 11 or 12 years old. My grandfather gave me an old Soviet film camera and taught me how to use it. We developed the photographs ourselves, turning the bathroom of his apartment into a small improvised darkroom. I still remember the magic of watching an image slowly appear on a blank sheet of paper.
At that age, of course, I had no idea that photography would become such an important part of my life. I was simply curious. I have also always loved animals and nature.
As a child, I read everything about wildlife that I could find. Much later, these two interests naturally came together. For many years photography developed alongside a very different professional career in business. Gradually, however, it became much more than something I did in my free time. Today, wildlife and nature photography is an increasingly important part of my life and the direction in which I am consciously building my future.
Wildlife is where I feel most at home as a photographer. I am fascinated by animals, but increasingly I am interested not only in the animal itself. I look for its relationship with the landscape, with other animals and, sometimes, with us. My work is gradually moving towards longer-term conservation and storytelling projects because I want photography to do more than show that an animal is beautiful.
When I photograph, I try not to impose too much on what is happening in front of me. Wildlife photography teaches you very quickly that you are not in control. You can travel a long way, wake up before sunrise, carry heavy equipment, wait for hours in uncomfortable conditions – and nothing happens. Then suddenly everything happens in a few seconds. Perhaps that unpredictability is exactly what attracts me. The moments I value most are when an animal stops paying attention to my presence and simply continues with its life. I observe behaviour, relationships, light and the surrounding landscape, and try to recognise the moment when all these elements come together into the image I want to create.
My aspiration is to continue developing as a photographer and storyteller, working increasingly with wildlife conservation and the relationship between people and the natural world. I want to create projects that can live beyond a single photograph. For me, photography is ultimately a way of paying attention. It makes me stop, observe and stay curious. And perhaps, by sharing what I see, I can make someone else stop for a moment too – and care a little more about the wild world that still exists around us.
You can know more about me and my work in my Instagram!
SAURABH SIROHIYA
My name is Saurabh Sirohiya, an internationally recognized award-winning photographer, photojournalist and qualified graphic designer based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, with deep roots in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Photography has been a major part of my life for many years, and I love exploring streets, people, cultures and everyday moments throgh my camera.
I am primarily a street, documentary, travel and aerial photographer. I enjoy looking at ordinary scenes and finding something extraordinary within them. Festivals, traditions, human emotions, architecture, landscapes and the small, unscripted moments of daily life are some of the things that constantly attract my attention.
A fun fact about me: I am completely self-taught as a photographer. I learned by observing, experimenting, making mistakes and spending countless hours behind the camera. Another fun fact is that I love photographing India from above with a drone as much as I enjoy getting close to people and stories on the streets. I like moving between two very different perspectives - one intimate and human, the other wide and geometric.
My interest in photography began from a simple curiosity about the world around me. Over time, that curiosity became a passion, and photography eventually became my way of documenting people, places, traditions and moments that might otherwise disappear. My work has taken me from crowded Indian streets and colourful festivals to landscapes and cultural celebrations across India and beyond.
My favourite type of photography is documentary and street photography, because nothing is completely predictable. I enjoy waiting for that one moment when people, light, movement and emotion come together naturally. I also have a strong love for drone photography because it allows me to see familiar places from a completely different perspective.
My aspiration is to continue growing as a photographer, tell meaningful visual stories and have my work reach audiences around the world. I want my photographs to make people pause for a moment - to feel something, discover something, or look at a familiar subject in a new way.
For me, photography is much more than simply making beautiful pictures. It is about observation, patience, emotion and storytelling. When I am shooting, I am constantly asking myself: What is happening here? What is the story? What makes this moment special? I try not to force a photograph; I wait for the moment to reveal itself.
I have been fortunate to receive recognition in numerous national and international photography competitions, including awards for both my documentary and aerial work. Most recently, my photograph “Splash of Colour” was selected for third place in The Artist Gallery Travel Photo Competition, which I am truly grateful for.
Readers can discover more of my photography through my Instagram.
Don't forget to take a look to our other open photo contests for more opportunities to showcase your skills and creativity. Explore them here: www.theartistgallery.art/open-contests
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Julija's vivid memory of developing photos in her grandfather's darkroom really emphasizes the foundational magic of photography. It’s inspiring how both Julija and Saurabh, despite their diverse interests from wildlife conservation to street scenes, converge on the idea that true storytelling comes from patient observation rather than forcing the shot. Their ability to capture such profound moments reminds us there's always a fresh perspective to discover, like finding the ideal composition on a tricky slope 3. 🌟
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오랜 시간 이동한 뒤에는 조용한 공간에서 몸과 마음을 쉬게 하는 것이 중요합니다. 서비스를 알아볼 때는 업체의 전문성과 위생 관리 방침, 프로그램 출장마사지 구성을 살펴보세요. 무리한 활동을 피하고 충분히 수분을 섭취하며 휴식하는 습관도 건강한 일상을 유지하는 데 도움이 됩니다.
야간 시간대를 활용하고 싶다면 본인의 생활 리듬과 가능한 근무 시간을 먼저 정하는 것이 좋겠습니다. 중간에 정보를 살펴보면 다양한 업무와 근무 조건을 비교하기 밤알바 편리합니다. 일정과 맞지 않는 공고를 걸러내고 원하는 시간대와 업무 형태를 기준으로 선택할 수 있다는 점에서 구직에 유용한 정보가 될 것 같습니다.