$1,000 to the Winner: Which Image Do You Think Will Scoop the Prize?

$1,000 to the Winner: Which Image Do You Think Will Scoop the Prize?

What are you like at judging a photography contest? Do you think you know what goes through the minds of those who hold the fate of contestants in their hands? Soon, the final choices will be made and $1,000 cash will be given to the winner. Check out the images of the 50 chosen finalists and take your pick. 

The spectacular images were among almost 20,000 entries in the "World's Best Photo of #Freedom2020" contest run by photography app Agora. Agora has a community of more than 3.5 million users from 193 countries where people create, vote, and curate the best images made worldwide. CEO and co-founder Octavi Royo said: "We're creating a global democratic system where everyone can create, vote, and enjoy the best creations of humanity." There are some great images among the final 50, which revolve around travel and highlight some of the most majestic and mysterious parts of the world.

There are some stunning photos there, and I certainly don't envy the judges having to pick one from among them to get the big prize. If I really had to stick my neck out, I'd probably go for the drone shot with all the turtles and the lone swimmer.

Take a look and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Unfortunately, entries for the contest itself are now closed.

Iain Stanley's picture

Iain Stanley is an Associate Professor teaching photography and composition in Japan. Fstoppers is where he writes about photography, but he's also a 5x Top Writer on Medium, where he writes about his expat (mis)adventures in Japan and other things not related to photography. To view his writing, click the link above.

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4 Comments

Not a fan of posed shots. Will pick most probably pick "Wild" of the ram in the forest.

I agree with Bobo Bird... too many staged/posed shots. All that was missing was the Indian sitting on the horse in Monument Valley. I really like "Head Above The Clouds" which MAY have been staged too, but it doesn't look like it. Beautiful photo, nice exposure, composition and a good story.

I like the one with the turtles. it feels like a very unique moment and it fits the sense of freedom, as most images do with animals (outside of a zoo). It's also why I like the image of the Russian wild horses as it really gives a sense of freedom, which was the criteria.
'Head Above The Clouds' is also one of my favourites of the list.

Quite a few staged and posed images that I'm not a huge fan of. Some are just not that interesting where I don't feel they were in the top of 20.000 images. Some with just basic things "wrong" with them.

the "'The children play on the sand hill' for example. It's... ok.. but the motion blur in the hoops seem more like an accident then intended blur. (and the huuuuuuge watermark.. come on.. you're entering it into a competition, usually they don't allow watermarks for official competitions.. so how did that sneak though)

the motorbike in the desert has blown out highlights in a point where no light source exists (looking at the motorbike's shadow the light is on the right side of the frame. Not in the middle). And all the footsteps in the sand towards the tripod make it more staged.

"free like a boat", Nice shot overal, (just not very original at that location). And how "free" is it when this is a very touristy location where you stand in line to get on that boat and go to specific locations that are cornered off so you don't go off the beaten path.. If it was your own private boat, yea maybe. But a tourist boat, I wouldn't call it "freedom" as much.

"Freedom in the sky', the bird is nice. but the background is bland. and the horizon isn't straight.

'Freedom is a state of mind' I like it, but.. the building is not quite centred in the arch, the horizon is not quite straight, they are all ever so slightly off. Which for a building that is all based around symmetry, is a big deal.

'Somewhere in Iceland' Not impossible that it's real, but honestly it just looks like a cloud and rain overlay of some free photo editing app.

In my opinion, and as a teacher I grade a LOT of photography, the "A man paddles a boat with his dog on board in Tuyen Lam Lake, Vietnam" Is one of the strongest eye-catchers for me, but because of a bad crop (there are some sticks on the very edge) I'm thinking the winner is going to be "A fire-eater leaps in the air on Labadi beach, Ghana, in this incredible photo called 'Like a Phoenix'" It has a unique perspective, technically solid, filling the frame, peak frozen action... and fire- humans are always mesmerized by the patterns of flames. It obscures the subject's face, which is actually a great thing for contests. If it is a portrait, we judge based on our attraction to the face and the emotions on it. I think this one will win!