Stevington Windmill, Bedfordshire © Amar Sood
With just two weeks left to enter the 15th edition of Landscape Photographer of the Year, we catch up with competition founder Charlie Waite…
OP: You launched the first edition of Landscape Photographer of the Year in 2006. How has the competition evolved over the years?
Charlie Waite: As each year has gone by, there has been a hugely growing interest in nature photography worldwide. The camera has been shown to be an ever-increasing and remarkably effective conduit to bring the individual into a more profoundly engaging relationship with the natural world. Our mission is one of expressing our sense of wonder at what we see and behold, and Landscape Photographer of the Year continues to allow our profound reverence of the beauty of our natural world to express itself and share it throughout.
OP: Do the images entered into the competition still have the power to surprise you and show you something new about the British landscape?
Charlie Waite: Most certainly they do. As photographers develop their photography and observe photographs made by others, they find a deeply refreshing stimulus to the way they see things. I am always encouraging photographers to be visually agile, and photography is primarily about noticing things and, despite multiple influences and duplication prevailing within the industry, photography never stands still!
OP: Twenty-five experts will be joining you on the judging panel this year. What are the benefits of bringing so many pairs of eyes to the judging process?
Charlie Waite: There can only be positive benefits from an increased number of photographers on the judging panel. Each member of the judging panel will bring to the valuation and assessment process, an important element to prevent any individual prejudice distorting the results. Each category winner will have won their success legitimately and entirely fairly.
OP: Finally, tell us why people should enter this year’s competition…
Charlie Waite: Entering Landscape Photographer of the Year offers each photographer a unique opportunity to engage with the wonderful fraternity of photographers where we share a united front of passion and preservation in the name of nature along with an acknowledgement of nature’s beauty and the sacredness of it. In addition, those with aspirations to develop their photography into a career may hasten that possibility by entering the competition. There is also a top prize of £10,000 for the overall winner and other large sums for other categories.
All the images featured here are from LPOTY 2022. Scroll down for 15% off entry to 2023’s competition.
Loch Ard, Stirling © Stephen Ball
Dawn Reflection, Loch Creran, Argyll © Natasha Burns, Young LPOTY winner 2022
Frozen Heart, Cornwall © Jethro Stebbings
Durdle Door NIght Lights, Dorset © Callum White
Tryfan, Snowdonia National Park © Aled Lewis
Brecon in Winter © Will Davies, LPOTY winner 2022
Special discount!
OP readers can get 15% off entry until the competition closes on 31 May. Simply use the code LPOTYOP15 when completing the competition form. Enter now at lpoty.co.uk