<strong>Winner "Live the Adventure" category -- Mikolaj Nowacki (Poland): </strong>Nowaki took this photograph on a cruise ship on the Baltic Sea (somewhere on the way from the Swedish island of Utklippan to the Danish island of Christiansø). "It was my first cruise on a yacht on the open sea and there were only two of us -- myself and captain Jacek Pasikowski," he says in a statement. "It was a stormy day, but the captain -- who has more than 40 years of experience sailing in open seas -- remained completely calm and relaxed, even though waves were breaking over him every few minutes. While taking this picture I was hiding partly below a folding canvas roof: scared, but pretending not to be."
Winner "Live the Adventure" category -- Mikolaj Nowacki (Poland): Nowaki took this photograph on a cruise ship on the Baltic Sea (somewhere on the way from the Swedish island of Utklippan to the Danish island of Christiansø). "It was my first cruise on a yacht on the open sea and there were only two of us -- myself and captain Jacek Pasikowski," he says in a statement. "It was a stormy day, but the captain -- who has more than 40 years of experience sailing in open seas -- remained completely calm and relaxed, even though waves were breaking over him every few minutes. While taking this picture I was hiding partly below a folding canvas roof: scared, but pretending not to be."
Courtesy Mikolaj Nowacki/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "Spirit of Travel" category -- Andy Holliman (UK): </strong>Holliman took this atmospheric photograph of Kangerlussuaq Airport, Greenland: "It was the simple color palette of this scene that appealed to me, including the signposts that are apparently directing the planes to their destinations," says Holliman of the image.
Winner "Spirit of Travel" category -- Andy Holliman (UK): Holliman took this atmospheric photograph of Kangerlussuaq Airport, Greenland: "It was the simple color palette of this scene that appealed to me, including the signposts that are apparently directing the planes to their destinations," says Holliman of the image.
Courtesy Andy Holliman/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "At the Water's Edge" category -- Witold Ziomek (Poland)</strong>: This spectacular image of Thórsmörk (the valley of Thor) in Iceland was composed by Witold Ziomek on an Icelandic road trip. "We walked up to a viewpoint where we could see ... exactly nothing, due to the fog. We waited, and eventually the fog started to lift," says Ziomek.
Winner "At the Water's Edge" category -- Witold Ziomek (Poland): This spectacular image of Thórsmörk (the valley of Thor) in Iceland was composed by Witold Ziomek on an Icelandic road trip. "We walked up to a viewpoint where we could see ... exactly nothing, due to the fog. We waited, and eventually the fog started to lift," says Ziomek.
Courtesy Witold Ziomek/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "Under Exposed" category -- Saeed Rashid (UK)</strong>: Rashid took this shot of of fish swimming in Egypt's Red Sea: "You need to make sure you don't get too close as a photographer's hands make a very easy target and often get cut," he explains.
Winner "Under Exposed" category -- Saeed Rashid (UK): Rashid took this shot of of fish swimming in Egypt's Red Sea: "You need to make sure you don't get too close as a photographer's hands make a very easy target and often get cut," he explains.
Courtesy Saeed Rashid/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "Young Outdoor Photographer of the Year" -- Josiah Launstein (Canada)</strong>: 12-year-old Launstein took this shot of this Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, near Kamloops, British Columbia in Canada. "I love bighorns, and Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are extra-special because they are an endangered species," says Launstein, who took the photograph in -25 C (-13 F) conditions.
Winner "Young Outdoor Photographer of the Year" -- Josiah Launstein (Canada): 12-year-old Launstein took this shot of this Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, near Kamloops, British Columbia in Canada. "I love bighorns, and Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are extra-special because they are an endangered species," says Launstein, who took the photograph in -25 C (-13 F) conditions.
Courtesy Josiah Launstein/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "Light on the Land" -- Simon Baxter (UK)</strong>: Baxter took this eerie photograph of a North Yorkshire forest in Spring 2016: "The combination of the damp cobwebs, fallen birch, dominant old pine and the soft light filling this atmospheric and shallow valley makes it a favorite spot of mine for solitude," says Baxter.
Winner "Light on the Land" -- Simon Baxter (UK): Baxter took this eerie photograph of a North Yorkshire forest in Spring 2016: "The combination of the damp cobwebs, fallen birch, dominant old pine and the soft light filling this atmospheric and shallow valley makes it a favorite spot of mine for solitude," says Baxter.
Courtesy Simon Baxter/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "A View from Above" category -- Tom Sweetman (UK):</strong> In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Sweetman took this aerial photograph of the rushing river and the bridge below with a drone. The aerial category is new for 2017. "Some days you just capture the moment," says Sweetman.
Winner "A View from Above" category -- Tom Sweetman (UK): In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Sweetman took this aerial photograph of the rushing river and the bridge below with a drone. The aerial category is new for 2017. "Some days you just capture the moment," says Sweetman.
Courtesy Tom Sweetman/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "Wildlife Insight" -- Jose Fragozo (Portugal):</strong> While traveling in the Nairobi National Park, Kenya, Fragozo took the photograph of these animals: "The photo was taken from inside a 4x4 vehicle, and the major challenge was keeping the camera and lens dry," explains Fragozo.
Winner "Wildlife Insight" -- Jose Fragozo (Portugal): While traveling in the Nairobi National Park, Kenya, Fragozo took the photograph of these animals: "The photo was taken from inside a 4x4 vehicle, and the major challenge was keeping the camera and lens dry," explains Fragozo.
Courtesy Jose Fragozo/Outdoor Photographer of the Year
<strong>Winner "Small World" -- William Mallett (United Kingdom)</strong>: Mallett took this picture in his garden in Saffron Walden, Essex, England. "The asparagus plant in my garden -- which has become a bush and produced berries -- is a haven for wildlife," says Mallett. "I normally look for spiders in it to photograph, but on this particular evening, after a rain shower, it was covered in tiny snails."
Winner "Small World" -- William Mallett (United Kingdom): Mallett took this picture in his garden in Saffron Walden, Essex, England. "The asparagus plant in my garden -- which has become a bush and produced berries -- is a haven for wildlife," says Mallett. "I normally look for spiders in it to photograph, but on this particular evening, after a rain shower, it was covered in tiny snails."
Courtesy William Mallett/Outdoor Photographer of the Year