2014 Travel Photographer of the Year!

Several days ago I came out of the Namib Desert to find out that I had been named the 2014 SATW Travel Photographer of the Year! This is a huge honor and something that I was rather surprised to have won.

The list of people who have won in the past 32 years is a who’s who of some of the best travel photographers in the world. These are normally men and women who photograph for the likes of National Geographic. I am conspicuously different from every other previous winner of the award in several ways:

  • I am the first full time blogger to win the award.
  • My work has never appeared in print. I have never had it featured in any magazine or newspaper.
  • I have never even so much as been approached by any print publication to have my work displayed.
  • I am completely self taught. I’ve never taken a course, read a book or had a mentor in the subject of photography.
  • All of my images are available for the public to view for free.

This isn’t just a triumph for me, but for everyone in the world of new media. I might have been the first such person to have won, but I will not be the last.

I also won my second Lowell Thomas Award for my photo essay of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.

To celebrate, I’ve decided to publish a special photo essay of the images which got me the win. The following 20 images were taken around the world over the last 2 years and compromised the portfolio I submitted. I don’t necessarily think they are my best 20 photos, but they do represent a diversity of scenes and places.

As always, I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I did taking them!



Snow covered trees on the Top of the World Highway outside of Dawson City, Yukon

Victoria Street at sunset. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Colony of King Penguins on the Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island

Mangrove tree at sunset on Caye Caulker, Belize

Totem poles in the abandoned Haida village of SGang Gwaay, British Columbia

Diving gentoo penguin in Paradise Bay, Antarctica

Cigar rolling on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands

Sunbeam in Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Woman in front of the Trafalgar Waterfall on the island of Dominica

Musher and his sled dog at the start of the 2013 Yukon Quest
Musher and his sled dog at the start of the 2013 Yukon Quest

The landscape of Lord Howe Island, Australia

Photographing penguins near Moltke Harbor, South Georgia Island

Sled dogs in the 2013 Yukon Quest

Winter waterfalls in Plitvice National Park, Croatia

Desert tree at sunset in Feynan, Jordan

The Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River near Page, Arizona

Fur seal pup on on tusset grass in South Georgia Island

Iceberg in Paradise Bay, Antarctica

Marine iguanas in the Galapagos Islands

30 thoughts on “2014 Travel Photographer of the Year!”

  1. This is such a great collection of good blogs. There are really a wonderful group of people out there writing about real world experiences. Guide books have a lot of truly useful information, but good bloggers tell great stories at the same time. This is another example of a masterpiece Please Click Here

  2. Really Ultimate pics…seriously you have deserve this Award..i appreciate for this beautiful work with stunning pics..:)

  3. Great job . Thanks For sharing Awesome Pictures Specially Marine iguanas in the Galapagos Islands,
    Fur seal pup on on tusset grass in South Georgia Island,Photographing penguins near Moltke Harbor, South Georgia Island. I really love these picture shots,Speechless.

  4. These are all awesome photos Gary! Serious CONGRATS on your recent award. You deserve it. :)

  5. Great Stunning shots here. You really deserve award and I will say must get more awards for such a lovely shoot pics.

  6. Some great shots here. Well done to you. The desert tree and the mangove tree shots really jumed out at me…very nice indeed.

  7. Absolutely stunning photos. Congrats on the award and thanks for a great site that focuses on all aspect (and even the politics) of travel. This has become my go-to travel news site, so thanks!

  8. Truly breathtaking pictures. Love the one of my hometown, Edinburgh. Congrats on your award. Very much deserved xx

  9. Congratulations senorio. Self-taught, non-“traditional” distribution, blogging. That sort of adds up to a middle finger of sorts.

    Sorry about A-Rodge’s collarbone though.

  10. Gary, these are truly stunning. Congratulations to you. These will definitely inspire a lot of travelers too. Will share your link in my feed :)

  11. Congrats on the award! You so deserve it.
    Your photographs are breathtakingly awesome, I am an instant fan! :)

  12. Congratulations, this is so well deserved, you have an amazing website, and as you mention, all for free! Really great stuff, cheers!

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