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
Julija's story of developing photos in her grandfather's darkroom as a child is truly magical and resonates with the pure discovery aspect of photography. It's fascinating how both photographers emphasize the unpredictable nature of their craft, waiting for moments to reveal themselves rather than forcing them. This article beautifully captures how patience and observation are key, almost like finding a clear path on a slope unblocked by obstacles, leading to those perfect, unscripted shots 📸.
집에서 편안하게 휴식을 취하면서 몸 관리까지 함께할 수 있다는 점이 마음에 들었습니다. 바쁜 직장인이나 외출이 출장마사지 어려운 날에도 일정에 맞춰 이용하기 좋고, 긴장된 근육을 부드럽게 관리하며 휴식 시간을 더욱 알차게 활용할 수 있어 만족스러웠습니다.
디지털 서비스를 편리하게 이용하려면 결제 방식과 이용 조건을 정확히 확인하는 것이 중요합니다. 비교적 작은 금액을 처리할 상품권할인 때 활용할 수 있고 간편한 이용 과정이 장점이지만 과도한 사용은 피하는 것이 좋습니다.
A se lekar Gya tak hindi varnmala mein kitne akshar hote hain ko samajhna ab easy lag raha hai. Beginners ke liye achha article hai.
@FNF For Saurabh’s "Splash of Colour," was the third-place image captured from the ground or with a drone, especially since he works so much with both intimate street scenes and aerial perspectives?