Today, we will bring you the top three works in the landscape category of the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards:
1. "Sacrifice Zone" (3rd place)
Eddo Hartmann
"This series explores a remote region of Kazakhstan known as Polygon, which was once home to the Soviet Union's main nuclear test facility. Between 1949 and 1989, more than 450 nuclear tests were carried out here, with little regard for their impact on local people and the environment. The full effects of radiation exposure were concealed by the Soviet authorities for many years and became clear only after the closure of the test site in the early 90s of the 20th century. The site is still heavily contaminated and can only be accessed in protective clothing. This series of images was taken with an infrared camera, suggesting a threat that is no less visible to the naked eye: radiation from a nuclear explosion. ”
"Local scientists use infrared technology to assess the current state of the contaminated area. Green vegetation reflects a large amount of infrared light, which allows for detailed analysis of environmental health. The different shades of reflection provide valuable insights into the overall toxicity of this irradiated landscape. Notably, foliage is a major concern in these areas because of its ability to absorb radiation particles from deeper layers of soil, making it a focal point for potential environmental hazards. ”
As far as the photos themselves are concerned, the performance of this group of photos is average, and the color saturation is a bit high, which looks a little strange, but it just caters to the theme of "nuclear radiation pollution" behind the photos.
This set of photos is very in line with the characteristics of Sony's competitions in recent years, that is, all kinds of categories pursue a sense of story to a certain extent, or humanistic care, so many award-winning works have a "sense of heaviness".
2. "Wildfires in Palermo" (3rd place)
Jim Fenwick
"I arrived in Palermo in September 2023 when Sicily was facing a difficult environmental problem. The canvas of the night sky has been transformed into a mesmerizing picture, and the flames from the ongoing wildfires paint a surreal and enchanting scene. The ethereal glow is a juxtaposition of beauty and destruction. ”
This is also a group of photos that look a little strange, and the colors in the photos are equally weird, especially the blue in which it comes from nowhere, and the green is too conspicuous, perhaps as a result of the author's use of long exposures to ensure that the picture is bright enough.
3. "Atypical Chinese Scenery" (3rd place)
Fan Li
"These scenes and objects – the result of human production and labour processes in the service of human survival and life – are now left on earth and become landscapes. Some of these landscapes have become construction waste, destroying the living environment and becoming permanent scars. ”
It seems that if Sony wants to win an award, no matter what the category, the work must have some special backstory.
Some of the works in this group of photographs can see some strange traces, and if they are artificial, it is needless to say.
That's all for today~