2013 Red Bull Illume Action Sports Photo Contest Winners

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Red Bull revealed the winners of their Illume action sports photography competition, last week, in Hong Kong. They flew in the top fifty winners along with the judges for an unveiling at an outdoor event on Hong Kong harbor, featuring the top fifty images in 2x2m light boxes. The Red Bull Illume photo contest was open to anyone and brought in over 28,000 photos from nearly 6500 photographers. In my opinion, just getting into the top 250 finalists made you a champ. But it is a contest and they had to pick some actual winners. So with no further ado, let’s get to the winning photos!

2013 Red Bull Ilume - Overall Winning Photo

The overall winning image (above) from the third Red Bull Illume photo contest was taken by German photographer, Lorenz Holder. It’s a photo of a snowboarder doing a trick on the base of a huge, backlit radio antenna. It’s a very sophisticated image that clearly required careful planning, pre-visualization, luck, excellent technical photographic skills – not to mention a worthy athlete. A great action sports photo is, after all, always collaboration between photographer and athlete.

Here’s Lorenz’s description of what it took to get this photo:

“I found this unique spot in the summer and I really wanted to shoot a snowboard picture there. I told Xaver Hoffmann about the spot and he was also fascinated. My idea to shoot in heavy snowfall wasn’t going to be easy, as it only snowed once in this spot last season. So there was pretty much just a one-time chance to get this shot. I used two big Elinchrom strobes in the background to light up the snowflakes and create a ‘white wall’ where I could capture Xaver’s silhouette as he jumped. To get some light onto the dish, I chose a 4-second exposure time to get some light from the moon. Overall, I’m pretty happy that we made it there that day!”

Lorenz Holder - 2013 Red Bull Illume Photo Contest Overall Winner

Besides the overall winner, five finalists and one winning photo were chosen for each of ten categories: Close Up, Energy, Experimental, Illumination, Lifestyle by Leica, New Creativity, Playground, Sequence, Spirit, and Wings. Each of the top fifty photographers won a Leica X2 high-end compact camera; and the overall winner, Lorenz Holder, won a package that included a $22,000 Leica S medium format digital SLR and a Broncolor portable strobe kit.

 

2013 Red Bull Illume Action Sports Photo Contest Winners Gallery
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©Daniel Vojtěch / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Winning Photo
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©Daniel Vojtěch / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Winning Photo

©Daniel Vojtěch / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Winning Photo. See more of Daniel Vojtěch's photography, here: http://danvojtech.com
© Zakary Noyle / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Winning Photo
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© Zakary Noyle / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Winning Photo

© Zakary Noyle / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Winning Photo - see more of Zakary Noyle's photography, here: www.zaknoyle.com
©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Winning Photo
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©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Winning Photo

©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Winning Photo. See more of Lorenz Holder's photography, here: http://www.lorenzholder.com
©Scott Serfas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Winning Photo
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©Scott Serfas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Winning Photo

©Scott Serfas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Winning Photo - see more of Scott Serfas's photography, here: www.scottserfas.com
©Romina Amato / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Winning Photo
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©Romina Amato / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Winning Photo

Todor Spasov of Bulgaria dives 29 metres from the rock monolith during the first training session of the third stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Islet Vila Franca do Campo, Azores, Portugal on July 19th 2012. Photo by Romina Amato. See more of Romina Amato's photography, here: www.romina-amato.ch
© Jeroen Nieuwhuis / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Winning Photo
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© Jeroen Nieuwhuis / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Winning Photo

© Jeroen Nieuwhuis / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Winning Photo. See more of photography by Jeroen Nieuwhuis, here: www.jeroennieuwhuis.nl
© Chris Burkard / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Winning Photo
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© Chris Burkard / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Winning Photo

© Chris Burkard / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Winning Photo - see more of Chris Burkard's photography, here: www.burkardphoto.com
© Samo Vidic / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Winning Photo
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© Samo Vidic / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Winning Photo

Jorge Ferzuli of Mexico dives from the 26.8 metre platform during the first training session prior to the third stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series at Lake Vouliagmeni in Athens, Greece on May 20th 2011. See more of Samo Vidic's photography, here: www.samovidic.com
©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Overall Winning Photo
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©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Overall Winning Photo

Winner of the Playground category and the overall winner from the 2013 Red Bull Illume photo competition, by German photographer Lorenz Holder. See more of Lorenz Holder's photographer here: http://www.lorenzholder.com
© Morgan Maassen / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Winning Photo
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© Morgan Maassen / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Winning Photo

Morgan Maassen's photo was the winner of the 2013 Red Bull Illume lifestyle category as well as the athletes' pick for best photo in the 2013 Red Bull Illume photo competition. Photo by Morgan Maassen of the USA. See more of Morgan Maassen's photography, here: http://www.morganmaassen.com
© Lucas Gilman / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo
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© Lucas Gilman / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo

Red Bull Athlete Rafa Ortiz drops the 128.6 foot tall Big Banana Waterfall on the Rio Alseseca in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Veracruz, Mexico. This was the first descent of the monster waterfall. Ortiz ran the waterfall cleanly and came away unhurt except a badly blackened eye and 3 stitches. The waterfall is called Big Banana due to the numerous banana plantations in the region. ©Lucas Gilman 2010 - All Rights Reserved. See more of Lucas Gilman's photography, here: www.lucasgilman.com
© Benjamin Ginsberg / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo
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© Benjamin Ginsberg / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo

Big South Swell at the Wedge, Newport Beach, CA. See more of Benjamin Ginsberg's photography, here: http://www.driftwoodfoto.com
© Krystle Wright / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo
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© Krystle Wright / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo

© Krystle Wright / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo - see more of Krystle Wright's photography, here: www.wrightfoto.com.au
© Dimitrios Kontizas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo
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© Dimitrios Kontizas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo

© Dimitrios Kontizas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Wings Category Finalist Photo - see more of Dimitrios Kontizas's photography, here: http://www.adrenalinesports.gr/dimitrios
© Dave Lehl / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo
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© Dave Lehl / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo

© Dave Lehl / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo - see more of Dave Lehl's photography, here: www.davelehl.com
© Rafal Meszka / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo
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© Rafal Meszka / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo

© Rafal Meszka / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo - see more of Rafal Meszka's photography, here: www.meszka.com
© Stuart Gibson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo
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© Stuart Gibson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo

© Stuart Gibson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo - see more of Stuart Gibson's photography, here: www.stugibson.net
© George Karbus / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo
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© George Karbus / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo

© George Karbus / 2013 Red Bull Illume Spirit Category Finalist Photo - see more of George Karbus's photography, here: www.emerald-vision.com
© Vince Perraud / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo
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© Vince Perraud / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo

© Vince Perraud / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo - see more of Vince Perraud's photography, here: www.vincentperraud.com
© Dan Carr / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo
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© Dan Carr / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo

A sequence of Sammy Carlson hitting three backcountry jumps in a row during a Poorboyz Productions filming session at Pemberton Icecap,Whistler British Columbia,Canada. March 23, 2011. Photo: Dan Carr - see more of Dan Carr's photography, here: http://www.dancarrphotography.com
© Blotto Gray / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo
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© Blotto Gray / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo

© Blotto Gray / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo - see more of Blotto Gray's photography, here: blottophotto.com
© Scott Serfas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo
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© Scott Serfas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo

© Scott Serfas / 2013 Red Bull Illume Sequence Category Finalist Photo - see more of Scott Serfas's photography, here: www.scottserfas.com
© Scott Dickerson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo
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© Scott Dickerson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo

Aerial view of stand up paddlesurfing the Turnagain Arm boretide in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Eric Newberry, Dave Calkins, and Mike McCune rode the wave caused by the incoming tide for up to five miles on their standup paddleboards. Photo by Scott Dickerson - see more of his photography, here: http://www.ScottDickerson.com
© Paul Bride / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo
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© Paul Bride / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo

Climber Jen Olson belayed by Kyle Vassilopoulous on the hanging ice dagger known as The Real Big DripM7+ WI6+ Ghost River Canadian Rockies Alberta. Photo by Paul Bride. See more of his work, here: www.paulbride.com
© Olaf Pignataro / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo
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© Olaf Pignataro / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo

Full Pipe BMX riding in Ponte Pietra. Photo by Olaf Pignataro. See more of his photography, here: http://www.olafpix.com
© Martin Lugger / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo
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© Martin Lugger / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo

© Martin Lugger / 2013 Red Bull Illume Playground Category Finalist Photo - see more of Martin Lugger's photography, here: www.martinlugger.com
© Jimmy Wilson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo
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© Jimmy Wilson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo

© Jimmy Wilson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo
© Ismael Ibañez Ruiz / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo
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© Ismael Ibañez Ruiz / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo

© Ismael Ibañez Ruiz / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo. See more of Ismael Ibañez Ruiz's photography, here: www.ismaelibanez.com
©Theodore Van Orman / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo
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©Theodore Van Orman / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo

Jordan & Cody. Colorado pipe. Photo by ©Theodore Van Orman. See more of his photography, here: www.tbvophoto.com
©Jussi Grznar / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo
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©Jussi Grznar / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo

©Jussi Grznar / 2013 Red Bull Illume Lifestyle Category Finalist Photo - see more of Jussi Grznar's photography, here: http://jussigrznar.com
©Jody MacDonald / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo
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©Jody MacDonald / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo

©Jody MacDonald / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo. See more of Jody MacDonald's photography, here: www.jodymacdonaldphotography.com
©Clark Fyans / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo
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©Clark Fyans / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo

©Clark Fyans / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo.
©Ryan Taylor / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo
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©Ryan Taylor / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo

Ben Horan carves through a field of cranberries during a Red Bull Winch Session. Photo by Ryan Taylor. See more of his photography, here: http://www.ryantaylorvisual.com
©Nicolas Jutzi / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo
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©Nicolas Jutzi / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo

©Nicolas Jutzi / 2013 Red Bull Illume Illumination Category Finalist Photo. See more of Nicolas Jutzi's photography, here: http://www.nicolasjutzi.ch
©Florian Breitenberger / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo
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©Florian Breitenberger / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo

©Florian Breitenberger / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo. See more of Florian Breitenberger's photography, here: http://florianbreitenberger.de
©Rainer Eder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo
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©Rainer Eder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo

©Rainer Eder / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo. See more of Rainer Eder's photography, here: www.rainereder.com
©Ray Demski / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo
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©Ray Demski / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo

Climber: Bernd Zangerl Boulder: Walking on heavens door - India Photo by Ray Demski. See more of his photography, here: http://www.raydemski.com
©Elias Kunosson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo
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©Elias Kunosson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo

IndianAir - ©Elias Kunosson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Experimental Category Finalist Photo. See more of Elias Kunosson's photography, here: EliasKPhoto.com
©Rami Hanafi / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo
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©Rami Hanafi / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo

Miikka Hast, Tamok Norway, 2012. Photo by Rami Hanafi. See more of Rami Hanafi's photography, here: ramihanafi.com
©Christian Pondella / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo
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©Christian Pondella / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo

Location: Helmcken Falls, BC - Canada Athlete: Tim Emmett Photographer: Christian Pondella See more of Christian Pondella's photography, here: www.christianpondella.com
©Sterling Lorence / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo
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©Sterling Lorence / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo

Matt Hunter does a 45 foot gap step up to wall ride in Kamloops,BC, Canada. Photo by Sterling Lorence. See more of his photography, here: www.sterlinglorence.com
©David Carlier / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo
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©David Carlier / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo

©David Carlier / 2013 Red Bull Illume Energy Category Finalist Photo. See more of David Carlier's photography, here: http://www.bivouac44.com
©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo
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©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo

©Lorenz Holder / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo. See more of Lorenz Holder's photography, here: http://www.lorenzholder.com
©Juan Cruz Rabaglia / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo
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©Juan Cruz Rabaglia / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo

©Juan Cruz Rabaglia / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo. See more photography by Juan Cruz Rabaglia, here: www.juancruzrabaglia.com
©Jaanus Ree / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo
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©Jaanus Ree / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo

©Jaanus Ree / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo. See more photography by Jaanus Ree, here: www.jree.ee
©Jussi Grznar / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo
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©Jussi Grznar / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo

©Jussi Grznar / 2013 Red Bull Illume New Creativity Category Finalist Photo. See more of Jussi Grznar's photography, here: http://jussigrznar.com
©Claudio Casanova / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo
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©Claudio Casanova / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo

©Claudio Casanova / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo. See more of Claudio Casanova's photography, here: www.claudiocasanova.com
©Stuart Gibson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo
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©Stuart Gibson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo

©Stuart Gibson / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo. See more of Stuart Gibson's photography, here: wwww.stugibson.net
©George Karbus / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo
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©George Karbus / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo

©George Karbus / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo. See more of George Karbus's photography, here: www.emerald-vision.com
©Morgan Maassen / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo
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©Morgan Maassen / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo

©Morgan Maassen / 2013 Red Bull Illume Close Up Category Finalist Photo. See more of Morgan Maassen's photography, here: http://www.morganmaassen.com
2013 Red Bull Ilume Photo Competition Ceremony - Hong Kong
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2013 Red Bull Ilume Photo Competition Ceremony - Hong Kong

Lorenz Holder - 2013 Red Bull Illume Photo Contest Overall Winner
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Lorenz Holder - 2013 Red Bull Illume Photo Contest Overall Winner

Photographer Lorenz Holder, the overall winner of the 2013 Red Bull Illume action sports photo competition, holding his award with the winning photo in the background.

The athletes also got to vote on their favorite photo. In a way, having your photo chosen as the favorite by your subjects (professional athletes, in this case) is even more prestigious. That honor went to American photographer, Morgan Maassen, for his underwater photo of surfers waiting for a wave in Fiji.

2013 Red Bull Illume Athlete's Choice Winning Photo

For the final awards ceremony, Red Bull flew in the contest judges and top fifty finalists for an unveiling on the Hong Kong harbor. The event featured the fifty winning images in 2x2m light boxes. After the exhibition spends a few weeks in Hong Kong, Red Bull takes the show on the road with stops in Europe, Canada and the USA. Check the Red Bull Illume Web site for more information on the exhibition tour and to learn more about the competition and photographers.

2013 Red Bull Ilume Photo Competition Ceremony - Hong Kong

2013 Red Bull Illume Web Site >>

Go to the next page to browse all fifty winning photos from the 2013 Red Bull Illume photo competition.

About the author: Photo-John

Photo-John, a.k.a. John Shafer, is the managing editor of PhotographyREVIEW.com and has been since the site launched back in 1999. He's an avid outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as possible on his mountain bike, hiking or skiing in the mountains. He's been taking pictures for ever and ever, and never goes anywhere without a camera.


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