TPOTY - Travel Photographer of the Year

The Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) award is organized by photographers for photographers. TPOTY is truly global - no matter where you live in the world, whether you are an amateur or a professional, a beginner or an expert, young or old, the Travel Photographer of the Year is for you!

TPOTY is not just a prize, but thanks to our strong support from sponsors, we will win some great prizes. This prestigious award provides ample exposure for your work through our media campaigns, books, photographer materials, and exhibitions.

The works of TPOTY award-winning photographers have been exhibited around the world: the mature photography industry has been greatly propelled, new careers have begun, and those who never thought they would see their photos in print will be pleasantly surprised when they see their photos in online galleries and exhibitions around the world!

These awards are judged by leading photographers and experts in the field, whose excellence and integrity greatly enhance their reputation as one of our award winners or even nominees.

But whether you are a winner or not, this is also a pleasure - the pleasure of challenging yourself to shoot a theme, looking at your photos with fresh eyes, comparing your photography with those of peers, and becoming a part of it. TPOTY experience. Become a part of the adventure!

How did it all start

The story of TPOTY began in 2002. Professional travel photographer Chris Coe is becoming increasingly frustrated with the limited understanding of travel photography among image buyers and editors. Many photographers take great photos, but these are not used because they do not match the predictable 'beautiful photos' that most publications prefer to illustrate travel related features and books.

Chris listened to the radio and came back from a photo editor in London. He heard a BBC radio host describe travel photography as "... just beautiful brochure photos and Photoshop. Anyone can do it!

This is the triggering factor - he realized it was time to do something to change this perception and showcase the best travel photography and photographers. Chris and his partner Karen have decided to create an award to recognize and acknowledge the diversity and breadth of topics covered by travel photographers, while showcasing the creativity and skills required to take truly outstanding travel photos.

Launch awards

Initiating an award requires support and prizes. Fortunately, the idea of a new large-scale tourism photography award has captured the imagination of potential sponsors such as Adobe, Fujifilm, and Plastic Sandwich. The annual tourism photographer has attracted respected judges from the beginning - from experienced photographers and editors to image buyers and technical experts

Miami Beach -2003 TPOTY Champion

The first Annual Travel Photographer Award began accepting entries in February 2003. As we know now, this was before the emergence of the Internet, but it quickly attracted the attention of photographers around the world; In the first year, we received entries from 34 countries - which is not an easy task for a new independent award. Before the competition began, Chris and Karen were unsure of the image standards that TPOTY (soon known as the "teapot") would attract. Fortunately, as bags of printed materials arrived at post offices from around the world, it quickly became clear that some very talented amateur and professional photographers had accepted the TPOTY challenge.

Photography is not, and has never been, about whether you are an amateur photographer or a professional photographer; This is about images. The annual travel photographer has always been suitable for everyone and has no age limit, including the category of young photographers from the beginning. We received photos from photographers aged 5 to 88.

The first winner, the first book

The champion of the first year was professional photographer Peter Adams from the UK. Unfortunately, Peter is no longer with us, but his stunning shots and other award-winning works have set high standards, and the photography industry is really starting to take notice. In 2004, TPOTY welcomed its first amateur champion - Pang Piow Kan from Malaysia, whose energetic image has been a favorite of TPOTY fans for many years.

After the first batch of winners, TPOTY's first self published collection of best visual works, Journey One, was released. The beauty of this series of books lies in their timeless nature, which together create a wonderful collection of contemporary travel photography and a collection of how travel photography reflects the constantly changing world over the years.

Diversity in Style and Imagery

TPOTY's award-winning works cover a wide range of themes and numerous countries, reflecting the diversity of travel photography. Some photographers have a keen eye for quirky moments - many of which can be seen in the Journey portfolio - and a sense of humor always catches the eye of judges. Over the years, there have been some lyrical and beautiful images among the winners, but there is also a more challenging aspect to travel. New Zealander Glen Howey won an award in 2005 for his portfolio depicting landmine survivors in Cambodia, while Australian Jason Edwards' protective images taken in 2019 strongly remind us that travel and protection also have a dark side.

This is about you

TPOTY has always been committed to showcasing tourism photography and shortlisted photographers, while also protecting their copyrights. This award is a great way for photographers to showcase their work to the world, and this exposure can bring them additional benefits. We helped negotiate the usage fee for the images found by the buyer through the award, and in 2010, we secured a five figure fee for our 2009 young TPOTY winner Courtney Krawec. She used this unexpected bonus to purchase her dream camera and pay for her college tuition. The following year, this usage was also updated!

In 2013, we launched the TPOTY series - a collection of exquisite images offered in the form of cards and prints - with photographers receiving royalties. In 2021, we launched Eye for the Light, our online membership magazine that offers exclusive articles and podcasts, collaborating with captivating leading photographers on everything from the technical aspects of photography to craftsmanship, inspiration, and creativity.

Global Awards

Since 2003, entries have been received from 151 countries, with representatives from over 50 countries among the winners. Our overall champions come from Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Referee

Without our expert judges, TPOTY would achieve nothing. They will spend time and utilize their considerable skills to evaluate your images. The group is international, and this year American photographers Elia Locardi and Chris Rainier, as well as environmentalist, photographer, and television host Megan McCubin, have also joined the group.

Journey

The best images from the awards appear in the annual exhibition, providing entertainment and inspiration to millions of visitors across the UK, including the London Eye, Royal Geographical Society, Lacock Abbey, Greenwich Maritime, 2018 City of Culture, London Bridge, and King's Cross here. The exhibition will also visit Valletta (Malta), Beijing (China), Sintra World Heritage Site (Portugal), Sharjah Xposure International Photography Festival, and Dubai City Walk. It will go to Chester later this year.

This is an exhilarating journey, sometimes even exhausting, but for the TPOTY team, it is also a wonderful adventure. We hope you can gain enough inspiration from this exhibition, then pick up your camera, choose to join us, and take the next step on our amazing journey in our 20th year.