How I obtained to the travel picture finals with a ‘quick’ shot

There are heaps of fantastic images competitions to enter but Vacation Photographer of the 12 months (TPOTY) is one of the most important and most prestigious. It is a long working and eclectic contest, with categories to suit landscape and portrait photographers as effectively as purist travel shooters.

Tim Hen, a British photographer now centered in Finland, has been getting into the competitors for some time, but has done specifically properly in the newest judging, being named a runner-up in the popular and fiercely competitive Landscape & Atmosphere class.

As Tim explains, his shots from Obama Onsen in Kyushu, Japan, ended up taken on the hoof, and show that you never always want to meticulously approach out images just before moving into them into competitions – go with your gut, as it is always worth a check out!

How Tim bought to the finals of Journey Photographer of the 12 months

Obviously perseverance paid off – how several situations have you entered TPOTY?
‘Travel Photographer of the Year has been likely 21 yrs and I imagine I have entered at minimum 19 of all those! I have experienced one particular prior one impression runner-up and a number of commendeds and particular mentions but this is the initially time an full portfolio has come out virtually on leading, which is quite gratifying, specially when you imagine how many entries there are and the significant top quality of entries.’

Tim Bird Travel Photographer of the Year portfolio 1

What is the attractiveness of this competition?
‘I really do not enter lots of competitions but often make a particular effort and hard work for TPOTY. I discover the approach of deciding on the entries is extremely practical, the training of becoming seriously self-important and evaluating my entries with those by other entrants that have succeeded formerly. TPOTY is the gold normal for travel pictures I assume. And I have made a large amount of buddies and contacts by attending its situations above the calendar year.’

We recognize your winning portfolio was rather spontaneous – please explain to us much more
‘Yes, there was no study, no scheduling for my runner-up portfolio! I was on an assignment for the Finnair inflight journal Blue Wings in that portion of Japan and I had no strategy I would come across this scene – the magical mix of the classical Japanese gardens, the snow flurries and the mist from the very hot springs.’

Tim Bird Travel Photographer of the Year portfolio 2

I had to be quick to get the pictures for the reason that it seemed like a transient scene – and so it turned out.

How do you edit your images?
‘I fairly enjoy enhancing Uncooked files in Lightroom Common – it genuinely is like a digital darkroom, but I consider to get the very best place of what is in the shot fairly than overdo it and conclusion up with an about-exaggerated variation of what I set out to capture. In the case of these 4 images, the enhancing was pretty gentle. Commonly I slide down on highlights and it’s possible add some clarity – relies upon a large amount on the shot, but very little also elaborate.’

Tim Bird Travel Photographer of the Year portfolio 3

What recommendations do you have for visitors intending to enter Vacation Photographer of the Calendar year?
‘Always study the guidelines and the information for the competition. TPOTY’s are primarily practical. A portfolio needs to cling with each other as a complementary established, but every single shot requires to be of equivalent quality. Invest time on picking your entries and don’t be in also significantly of a hurry – what seems like a excellent shot these days may not following a 7 days or two!’

For a lot more of Tim’s operate, see Instagram @tim_hen_photo, www.timbirdphotography.com and timbirdphotography.photoshelter.com


Further more reading through
Get with your vacation shots
Astounding photos earn through in Travel Photographer of the Yr
Best picture-enhancing application in 2024