CAPTURE THE EXTREME 2024 // The Results
After poring over a record number of entries capturing extreme landscapes, extreme weather, wildlife, people and adventure, we are excited to share the results of this year’s Shackleton x Leica Photography Competition.
We are grateful to our panel of esteemed judges for their time and expertise.
They include:
Levison Wood - Explorer, author, photographer
Martin Hartley - Expedition photographer
Joe Smith - Director, Royal Geographical Society
Karin Rehn-Kaufmann - Art Director, Leica
Martin Brooks - Co-founder, Shackleton
The submissions depict epic landscapes, enigmatic wildlife, vanishing cultures and bold adventures in regions far and wide, from Mongolia, Scotland and Kyrgyzstan to Antarctica, Svalbard and Palestine.
In announcing the results, we also launch the Explorers’ Choice Award, whereby we invite our community to vote for your favourite image from the 25 Highly Commended entries. The winner will receive a Shackleton Frank Hurley Field Jacket once it is released later in 2024. Cast your vote HERE.
The overall winner receives a Leica V-Lux 5 Camera; Shackleton Frank Hurley Field Jacket (the winner will receive the very first jacket in the limited production available later in 2024); a Shackleton Hero Sweater and a Shackleton Merino Watch Cap. The four category winners will receive a Shackleton Hero Sweater.
THE WINNER
TYLER BRYAN
BEHIND THE SHOT // “The brisk -45 degree f temperature pierce any exposed skin as we shiver onboard the Huey... We are currently more than 200 miles off the Northern coast of Alaska, deep into the Arctic Circle. Just moments before, we lifted off the frozen heli pad at Camp Whale, (a temporary operating base that has been established on a floating ice shelf). This base serves as our hub for all things taking place during the month long, “Operation Ice Camp”. The bird sours through the sky as the suns morning glow teases over the never-ending expanse of sea ice. She makes a few turns, hovers, then smoothly touches down, blades kicking snow crystals up as we hot unload our gear. The door locks in the open position, I climb back inside and strap in. Within seconds we are airborne again. This time I’m sitting on the edge of my seat, feet dangling out the side of the helicopter as it banks to the left, camera pressed to my eye… finger at the ready to capture the magic I’m about to experience. The scene is something from a movie. Or to be totally honest… something you may only dream of ever witnessing. The cold temperatures have created a low layer of ice fog, the Arctic sun is peaking over the horizon, and the 400 mile long ice sheet below us lights up with the help of her golden rays. The preparations have been made, the dues paid, and the mood set… Another hard bank and it’s showtime…. rising from the deep through a fissure in the sea ice, a Virginia Class nuclear submarine, the USS Indiana is pushing her way to the surface. Like a phoenix from the ashes she rises, chunks of broken sea ice falling from her hull. I can’t help but put the camera down, and just stare in complete awe. This is one of the only ever captured drone photos of a nuclear submarine. It was taken deep in the Arctic Circle off the Northern Coast of Alaska during my expedition with the Arctic Submarine Laboratory for Operation Ice Camp 2024. Shot with a DJI Mavic 3 Pro, 1/15s, f2.8, iso 100, at 24mm.”
CATEGORY WINNER: EXTREME LANDSCAPES
JACOB KUPFERMAN
BEHIND THE SHOT // “The shot was taken in Antarctica after a very unusual heavy snowfall. It resulted in deep powder skiing on the driest continent on earth! A wild landscape and an even wilder experience. October 2023. Sony A7Cii"
CATEGORY WINNER: EXTREME WEATHER
THRAINN KOLBEINSSON
BEHIND THE SHOT // “February 8th, 2022, Westman Islands, Iceland.
"One of the biggest storms in many years was forecasted at the beginning of February 2022. There is a cluster of islands called the Westman Islands, just off the south coast of Iceland where storms can get notoriously bad due to the exposed nature of the islands. I managed to take the last ferry over before all trips were canceled due to the growing swell. I spent the next three days documenting the islands and the local search and rescue team as the storm passed over.
"For some reason, out of the thousands of images I shot, this one turned out to be my favourite. I was drawn to the spot because it used to be the place where fishing boats would come and go out to sea and I wanted to get a glimpse of what fishermen must have witnessed countless of times – right at that spot. I spent hours there as the storm grew worse and worse, with the waves getting bigger and a whiteout starting to form. It‘s the exact conditions that have gotten countless ships into trouble along the coast of Iceland throughout the years - the hours before a big storm hits. Soon after, the sea stacks had completely disappeared and the storm was here.
"Shot on Canon EOS R5 and Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 at 1/800s, f/2.8 & ISO 320.”
CATEGORY WINNER: WILDLIFE AT THE EXTREMES
JOHAN BLOOTHOOFD
BEHIND THE SHOT // “Just ate a penguin: Leopard Seal at Antarctica. Location: "Melchior Harbour" with Nikon D2X”
CATEGORY WINNER: PEOPLE IN THE EXTREMES
JAMIE BUCHANAN DUNLOP
BEHIND THE SHOT // “For several years I had been running a live education programme from the UK Arctic Research Station at Ny Alesund in Svalbard, connecting classes across the world with Arctic science. Each year, we partnered with a different science expedition. In 2016, this was a team from the University of Aberystwyth investigating englacial channels, the streams that run through the middle of glaciers. To access this englacial channel in a glacier a short skiddoo ride from the research station, we needed to abseil 45 metres down this moulin, a vertical shaft carved by summer meltwater.
"For most of the 2 weeks in Svalbard, I was running the live sessions with schools from the station but wanted to get out and experience the fieldwork firsthand. The research team were busy using a 3D laser scanner that captured the size and shape of the inside of the glacier, to create a baseline to measure change over future years. I was mainly creating 360 panoramas for education resources, but the image of one of the team jumaring back up to the surface of the glacier just felt stunning, and having the wide angle lens for panoramas still on the camera captured just how tiny we all are compared to these incredible and fragile places.
"The funny thing was that I had never jumarred before, and while the field team from the British Antarctic Survey made it look easy, I am very glad that no one was taking a photo of me flailing around on the way up. Shot on a Canon 6D.
"Winning the People in the Extremes category is a huge honour. It has been a great privilege to work with science teams in the Arctic over the years and share their work with millions of young people. For this photo in particular, I am really glad that the heroics of those who are investigating the changing polar world get a chance to be showcased."
Shackleton and Leica would like to thank all the photographers who entered the 2024 Capture the Extreme Photography Competition.