Entries to the Red Bull sports action photography competition are now being accepted.
The Red Bull Illume Image Quest, which
organisers claim is “the world’s greatest action and adventure sports
photography contest” is back for the first time in three years, with entries
for the 2013 event now open. The contest aims to find the best
sport images from amateur and professional photographers around the world.
Organisers say the last contest in 2010
received 22,764 images from almost 5,000 photographers in 112 countries. Some of the shots from previous competitions have included a kayaker
plunging off a waterfall in the depths of Zambia
and a surfer deep inside a “barrel” in Chile.
Two of Australia’s most
talented photographers made their mark in 2010, taking out two of the 10
categories - Nathan Webster from Sydney won the ‘Close Up’ category for his
shot of a surfer “getting tubed” and Stuart Gibson from Tasmania won the best
image in the ‘Energy’ category for a surfer in the depths of a treacherous wave
in Shipsterns Bluff off the southern coast of Tasmania.
There are 10 categories,
ranging from ‘Lifestyle’ and ‘Playground’ to ‘Experimental’ and ‘Spirit’,
and photographers are allowed to submit up to five images per category.
This image by Stuart Gibson was taken at the terrifying Shipstern's Bluff, off the southern coast of Tasmania. It amply illustrated the category of 'Energy'!
Submissions
are open until April 30, when a judging panel of over 50 experts from
publications including USA Today, AFP, Photo Magazine and Sports Illustrated,
will select the 50 best images to travel the world as part of a unique,
stand-alone night time photo exhibition.
Senior editor of SOUL magazine and Red
Bull Illume Judge for 2013, Dimitris Karathanos says: "I love
sports photography for its charisma to portray humanity during extreme
conditions. I love the effort, courage and determination in those
pictures." Each of the category winners will receive a Leica X2
camera and an overall winner will win a Leica S Camera. Chris Burkard’s
‘Perfect Day’, a shot of surfer Peter Mendia riding the waves of Chile’s west
coast, took out first prize in 2010.
Submissions
are open from now until April 30, 2013. Entries can be submitted via the
website www.redbullillume.com where full competition details are also available.
Nathan Smith's entry for the Close Up section of the Red Bull Illume sports action photo contest was dramatic.
Chris Burkard's shot really captured the meaning behind the 'Illumination' category in the last contest.