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Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

The Life in Another Light infrared photography competition has once again delivered a powerful showcase of artistry, creativity, and technical expertise. Now in its latest iteration, the contest continues to highlight the transformative power of light as it captures moments, landscapes, and scenes that seem familiar yet feel entirely new. The 2024 winners, selected from over 3,000 submissions worldwide, offer an opportunity to see the world from an entirely fresh perspective.

Through the use of infrared and ultraviolet light, these photographers transcend the limitations of visible light, revealing a world that exists just beyond our perception. Whether it’s the tranquil pinks of a mountain meadow or the striking blue hues of a lone flower, each image challenges our assumptions about color, texture, and beauty. The competition, organized by Kolari Vision, remains a testament to the immense creativity and potential of infrared photography, allowing both photographers and viewers alike to experience life in a completely new light.

Category Highlights and Notable Winners

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

First Place, Landscape Infrared: “Switzerland”
Gavin Spooner
Spooner’s stunning infrared image of a mountaintop meadow and path captures the surreal beauty of nature in an entirely new light. The grass is transformed into a striking pinkish-purple hue, creating a dreamlike landscape that feels otherworldly. The composition’s soft, ethereal qualities highlight the power of infrared light to completely reshape a familiar scene.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

First Place, IR Chrome: “Dreams of Reality – Dream 5”
Mitja Kobal
This surreal infrared image features a child playing beneath a broad roof with large square cutouts, casting dynamic shadows on the ground. The use of IR Chrome photography creates a mysterious and whimsical atmosphere, turning a seemingly ordinary moment into a captivating scene that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

First Place, Ultraviolet: “Magnolia Grandiflora”
Michael Riffle
Riffle’s ultraviolet photograph of an abandoned stone building surrounded by orange-hued grass creates a striking juxtaposition of decay and nature’s vibrant transformation. The ultraviolet light reveals hidden textures and highlights details in the landscape that would otherwise be invisible, offering a unique perspective on an abandoned structure.

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Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, IR Chrome: “Ragnar’s Castle”
Jürgen M Lobert
This haunting image captures an old, windswept tree standing alone in a field, with dark clouds looming overhead. The use of IR Chrome enhances the atmosphere, adding a sense of melancholy and isolation. The stark contrast between the tree and the landscape creates a striking visual that evokes the passage of time.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Third Place, Black & White: “Divide”
Edd Allen
Allen’s black-and-white infrared photograph of rocky mountains above an alpine valley is both dramatic and tranquil. The red-hued foliage contrasts sharply against the gray sky and rocky terrain, emphasizing the majestic scale of the mountains while offering a fresh, moody perspective on the natural landscape.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, IR Chrome: “Wind River”
Jason Kurth
Kurth’s infrared image of the Wind River landscape is marked by glowing foliage and towering mountains. The surreal pinkish-red hues of the trees and grass give the scene an otherworldly quality, transforming an ordinary valley into a place of quiet beauty and hidden wonders.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, Astro Landscape: “Luminous Jewels”
Tony Casswell
In this captivating astrophotography shot, Casswell captures patches of lichen-covered stones glowing under ultraviolet light, with the Milky Way stretching across the night sky above. The ethereal glow of the stones, paired with the vastness of the cosmos, creates a beautiful harmony between the Earth and the stars.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Second Place, Landscape Infrared: “WA1K345”
Jonas Hangartner
Hangartner’s image of snow-covered trees and a meadow benefits from the soft, bluish tint of infrared light, transforming the scene into a peaceful, tranquil space. The quiet beauty of the landscape, paired with the ethereal colors, offers a serene view of nature untouched by time.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, Candy Chrome: “Candy Egret”
Jeetu Rohra
Rohra’s infrared image of an egret perched in a treetop surrounded by vibrant pink leaves evokes a surreal, almost whimsical quality. The vivid contrast between the pink foliage and the bird’s graceful posture creates a striking image that captures the delicate beauty of wildlife through an unusual lens.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, Black & White: “Space Oddity”
Pierre Banoori
Banoori’s black-and-white infrared photograph of a group of people standing near a modern architectural structure presents a stark, futuristic vision. The interplay of light and shadow, combined with the sweeping curves of the building, makes this composition both dramatic and visually arresting.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Third Place, Candy Chrome: “Grazing”
Mark Burke
Burke’s infrared image of deer grazing in a meadow, surrounded by pink foliage, is both serene and otherworldly. The delicate play of light and the transformation of the natural landscape into vibrant colors highlight the magical qualities of infrared photography, offering a fresh perspective on a familiar scene.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Third Place, Long Exposure: “Tintagel”
Peter Pelosi
This long exposure infrared photograph of a rocky coastline under a partly cloudy sky captures the movement of the sea and the light in ways that traditional photography cannot. The soft, glowing edges of the waves and the dramatic sky create a compelling composition full of mystery and movement.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, Landscape Infrared: “Majestic Fjord”
Katie Farr
Farr’s elevated view of a mountain fjord, with reddish-pink trees and grasses, showcases the stunning potential of infrared photography to transform a landscape into something surreal and beautiful. The vibrant colors and sweeping natural forms give the image a majestic quality that feels both familiar and alien at the same time.

Seeing the Unseen: 2024 Infrared Photography Contest Winners

Honorable Mention, Landscape Infrared: “Spirit Island”
Kert Gartner
Gartner’s infrared photograph of a small, tree-covered island in an alpine lake offers a captivating view of nature’s hidden beauty. The orange-red hues of the trees and bushes, combined with the tranquil stillness of the water, create an image that feels both peaceful and otherworldly.

The Power of Infrared Photography

Infrared photography offers a fascinating window into an unseen world, allowing artists and photographers to explore landscapes and moments in ways that would be impossible with traditional photography. This year’s winning images from the Life in Another Light competition demonstrate the power of light beyond the visible spectrum, transforming landscapes, architecture, and wildlife into captivating works of art.

As infrared and ultraviolet photography continue to evolve, these contests offer an important platform for showcasing the creativity and technical mastery that can be achieved with alternative light sources. The 2024 winners have not only pushed the boundaries of the medium but also provided viewers with an invitation to see the world through a different lens—one that is both familiar and completely transformed.

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