Infrared photography is one genre that allows one to see the world that lies beneath our own. With the aid of a special sensor or filter, one can see wavelengths that are beyond human perception, where the images have a life of their own. however, despite how alluring infrared photography is, only a handful practice it. To honor these photographers, who continue to pursue their passion for seeing the unseen, Kolari Vision launched biannual photography in 2019. Today, they announce the winners of their fifth edition: Life in Another Light.
The lead image is by Mitja Kobal, courtesy of the artist and Kolari Vision. All images are used with permission.
The Kolari Vision Life in Another Light contest saw over 3,000 submissions in 11 categories. This includes photographs and videos from around the world that showcase the power of infrared visual storytelling, which the contest claims is growing. The latter is a result of the inclusion of infrared in movies such as Dune Part II, Nope, and The Irishman.
The infrared photography contest winners receive varied prizes across various categories. The first-place winners receive a $450 gift card and a camera conversion service worth up to $1,150. Second-place and third-place winners will receive a $150 gift and a $50 gift card, respectively. In addition, the Honorary Mentions will also be awarded a $50 gift card.
The 2024 edition had a renowned jury, including photographers Pierre-Louis Ferrer and Yann Philippe, who were responsible for judging the Candy Chrome and IR Chrome categories, respectively. All the images were judged on technical execution, composition, and creativity in three rounds before the finalists showcased here were selected. The winning images will inspire, captivate, and make you want to take up infrared photography.
Without further ado, here is a look at the winners.
Table of Contents
Landscape – Infrared
First place: Gavin Spooner, Switzerland
Second place: Jonas Hangartner, WA1K345
Third place: Sennen Powell, Into the Trees
Sennen Powell
Astro Landscape
First place: Jonas Hangartner, Losing Track of Time
Second place: Daniel Stein, Neowise
Third place: Jürgen M Lobert, The Glactic Tree
Jonas Hangartner
Black & White
First place: Carolyn Hinton Hutchins, Alligator in Morning Mist
Second place: Muhammad Amdad Hossain, Beginning of the winter day
Third place: Edd Allen, Divide
IR Chrome
First place: Mitja Kobal, Dreams of Reality
Second place: Jonas Hangartner, Vaulion
Third place: Jan Ole Müller, Grow Out
Landscape – Visible Light
First place: Yohan Raintung, Merapi
Second place: Mike Lee, Reflective Dawn
Third place: Jason Kurth, Lunar Sunrise
Aerial
First place: Bobby Ritchey, Black Sand Beach
Second place: Muhammad Amdad Hossain, Dried fish processing
Third place: Simone Marulli, Majestic Waterfall
Long Exposure
First place: Dibakar Roy, People mixture
Second place: Simone Marulli, The River Full of Sky
Third place: Peter Pelosi, Tintagel
Portrait
First place: Rob Jemmett, Meg with Scarf
Second place: Ivan Kulikov, Duble
Third place: Natalia Pereverzeva, Polina
Ultraviolet
First place: Michael Riffle, Magnolia grandiflora Riffle
Second place: Rain Hayes, Borage for Courage
Third place: Troy Casswell, Luminous new growth
Candy Chrome
First place: Ginny Taylor, Bout to Bloom
Second place: Robert Gajsek, Candy landscape
Third place: Mark Burke, Grazing
Abstract
First place: Olga Ivanova, Stairsteps
Second place: David Harland, Down from the deep
Third place: Raido Elmat, Indoor Road
To see the honorary mentions or to know more about the contest, visit Kolari Vision’s website.