The Best Adventure Photography of the Year

Taking the perfect picture is often an exercise in patience, making sure a number of factors align to capture that one ideal moment. The Red 
Bull Illume awards recognise those who manage to achieve 
the feat, producing epic photographs that capture the essence of adventure.

There were 5,645 photographers entering in 11 categories with one overall winner. As you’d expect, the finalists and winners are special indeed. Here are a couple of Coach’s favourites.

Overall Winner: Lorenz Holder, Germany

This remarkable shot of professional BMX athlete Senad Grosic was taken in Gablenz, Germany. The pair were actually heading to a different location when they spotted this scenic lake. Their good fortune continued in that Holder had recently 
been on a fishing trip and had his boots and net in the car, so they could painstakingly clear the lake of fallen leaves by hand. The result was a perfectly mirrored shot of the bridge and leaves over the water, with Grosic popping an “endo” for good measure.

Wings Category: Micky Wiswedel, South Africa

The Wings category rewarded photos of airborne athletes, which prompted some extreme images 
of jumping, 
soaring and falling. 
The winner shows climber Jamie Smith tumbling from Table Mountain in Cape Town just after 
he failed to stick 
a tricky hold near 
the top. Luckily Wiswedel was on hand to grab this incredible picture 
of him falling with the sea and horizon in the background, and Smith did manage to complete the climb later 
in the day.

For more info on the winners, head to redbullillume.com. A book with all the winning pics is available from redbullillumebook.com, £45+ shipping.