EyeEm, a global community and marketplace for photography and video, is in the middle of its fourth and largest photography competition yet.
With more than 590,000 submissions from 88,000 photographers in over 150 countries, EyeEm’s contest has become the largest photo competition in the world.
EyeEm has been kind enough to grant us permission to show some of its stunning entries – including those of a teenage boy mourning the death of a friend in the Philippines and residents in Dhaka, Bangladesh desperately trying to board a packed train.
Winners will be announced during the EyeEm Photography Festival, which is being held in Berlin on September 15-17.
(CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW)
1) THE GREAT OUTDOORS CATEGORY
This photo was taken at the Sólheimasandur airplane wreckage in Iceland, the site of an abandoned US Navy Douglas Super DC-3 airplane. The plane was forced to crash land on the black sand beach of Sólheimasandur in 1973.
Photograph: Zane Jēkabsone
Camping on Mt Tsubakurodake in Japan at night.
Photograph: Masaki Sato
This image was taken while the photographer was living on a ship in Mexico as part of a marine conservation campaign to protect endangered marine life from illegal fishing ships. Drones were used to locate, identify and document illegal fishing activities in a protected area. “As the drone pilot in this campaign I saw too much of the dark side of humanity in such a beautiful place. I decided to make the best of my time while I was flying, so every time the drones were launched I tried to capture the beautiful side of the area I was patrolling.”
Photograph: Guiga Pirá
Stokksnes is one of the most iconic places in Iceland with the mountains Vestrahorn and Eytrahorn cradling a beach of black sand, created by never ending waves and winds. “Luckily I had my drone with me as this place has, to my knowledge, never been droned before, since drones are a fairly new tool, even for professional photographers. So I took out the drone, rose up and was struck by this beautiful and totally unknown aerial view of the road that connects the mainland to a small peninsula.”
Photograph: Michael Schauer
2) THE PORTRAITIST
This photo is from the series ‘Finding Amos,’ a series of self portraits dedicated to Adeolu’s grandfather who recently passed away. “Maybe this is inspired by an urge to find consolation or my intimate affection for a time before or me just being “Adeolu”. Regardless, I’m forever glad I happen to find myself in this state.”
Photograph: Adeolu Osibodu
This is a portrait taken of three girls in Atlanta as part of the Atlanta edition to David Schulman’s series, ‘Nasty Women and Bad Hombres of LA’. “Post 2016 presidential election, the American paradigm has shifted in such a way to dangerously empower sexist, racist, and xenophobic factions. This project attempts to peacefully and principally counter this darkening storm by presenting the enduring light reflected by many Nasty Women and Bad Hombres of Los Angeles.”
Photograph: David Schulman
3) THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER
Part of Francis Malapris’ IN SITU series People in particular places, thinking of another world or another time. Escaping from their current location, they are present and absent at the same time, searching for a better place or moment. Then the environment echoes with the character.
Photograph: Francis Malapris
On the streets of Nonthaburi, Thailand.
Photograph: Jatuporn Pateepaparnee
This is from Julie Hrudova’s series ‘Leisure’, a play with photography being a trustworthy and truthful medium by creating some confusion about what is actually happening in the image, or why it is happening. Her subjects are focused on their leisure activities, often isolated, even when they are together.
Photograph: Julie Hrudova
A street in New York City. Photograph: Michael Kowalczyk
4) THE ARCHITECT
This was taken on the Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong at the highest observatory deck, the 101st floor of the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong. “I tried to depict the labyrinth nature of Hong Kong.”
Photograph: Jeremy Cheung
Santiago Calatrava’s City of Art and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. Photograph: Claudia Solano
Taken over Chicago, Illinois, USA. Photograph: Scott Firestone
5) THE PHOTOJOURNALIST
Sixteen-year-old AJ mourns at the crime scene where his neighbour Antonio Perez has been shot by unidentified assailants on January 3, 2017 outside their shanty in PasayCity, Manila. Perez works in the barangay and treated AJ like a son. “When we got to the crime scene, the house was situated next to a ditch and barely reached our chest. AJ had to run to the store to buy candles when the cops came to investigate. He lit one after they left and prayed.”
Photograph: Kimberly dela Cruz
Every year during Eid, the Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan, lots of people leave Dhaka city to see family. Due to a shortage of trains for a large number of people, it’s tough and risky to travel. In this photo, the parent was trying to get his child off the train, as they could not get off due to the mass of people getting on.
Photograph: Md. Enamul Kabir
Republic of Moldova has one of the highest inmates per capita in Europe, including the highest rate of the long term convicted. Art centre “Coliseum” directed a play in the most secure prison, penitentiary nr17. For several months inmates were studying the craft of acting to perform on the same level together with professionals from National Theatre. This photo is from a production of ‘Hamlet’ the inmates performed.
Photograph: Ramin Mazur
Rupesh Kumar, who weighs just over three stone, has aged 8x faster than normal due to Hutchison-Gilford progeria. Rupesh, from Hanumanganj in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, began to show signs of the condition as a young boy. Most people suffering from progeria die by the time they reach 13-15, but Rupesh has made it to 21. Rupesh’s parents have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for help and are still waiting for a reply.
Photograph: Ritesh Shukla
A photo taken at the 5th “Não Vai ter Copa” (Will not have the World Cup) protest in São Paulo. Protesters concentrated in the area of the São Paulo Arts Museum. Around 8:00 pm they left for Avenue Paulista in Butantã, where people were harassed and trapped inside the Butantã Metro Station.
Photograph: Bernardo Guerreiro