‘Maltese’ Swede wins Wildlife Category in Travel Photographer of the Year 2017

The close-up image of the left hand of a Japanese Snow Monkey captured the attention of the judges in the Travel Photographer of the Year 2017. Johan Siggesson from Malta has won the Wildlife category in this prestigious competition with his image, “From the Abyss” taken on a recent trip to Hell Valley in Japan.

Johan said: “Photographing the Snow Monkeys in Hell Valley in Japan is easy. They are everywhere, they are close and they are not afraid. At the same time, this also make it incredibly hard to achieve something different and unique. While shooting the monkeys resting in the hot pool, trying to get some kind of facial expressions etc, I noticed that if I composed the image in a certain way it would look like an almost human-like creature is climbing up from below and is just about to reach the top.”

He continues: ”I really strive for the simple and clear images where the viewer in some way can connect with the animals depicted. I try to evoke some kind of emotion. Which emotion is really secondary, as long as the image doesn't have a specific purpose. I believe that if any kind of emotion is triggered I have succeeded in telling a short story with my work and people would look at and remember that image that little bit longer."

“I am naturally thrilled, humbled and extremely excited to win the Wildlife Category of Travel Photographer of the Year. It is a great honour to be chosen by such experienced and well renowned judges amongst incredibly stiff competition. Having travelled a great deal during the years, it was my first time visiting Japan. It is such an amazing country in so many ways. I hope to be back very soon.”

The judges said: “What a clever image! Snow monkeys have been photographed so often, it’s hard to find a different approach. Johan has captured a scene in which the monkey looks like a mysterious halfhuman creature emerging from the deep. The detail in the hand is fascinating.”

The Travel Photographer of the Year awards were founded by professional photographer Chris and Karen Coe in 2003. There were few other international photography competitions in those pre-internet days. Travel photography encompasses a wide range of genres and subjects, from landscape to food, from architecture to people and from reportage to wildlife. Travel photographers must be able to take many types of images and work in diverse, changing light.

In 2016 and 2017 the touring exhibition of the winning images were seen by 250,000 visitors. The winning images from Travel Photographer of the Year 2017 will be displayed at exhibitions in the UK and beyond in 2018. A full list of winners is at www.tpoty.com