After 9 months of competition and more than 130,000 submissions from photographers all over the world, the Top 50 finalists for the #AGORAawards2019 have been revealed.
From seals resting on the Antarctic ice to Nomads crossing the Sahara desert, this selection will make you travel across the continents to discover the wonders of Planet Earth and its various cultures, people and incredible landscapes.
The AGORA Awards 2019, hosted by free-to-use photography app AGORA images will reward the best image of the year with the grand prize of $25,000 for its photographer. Unlike any other contest, the third edition of the AGORA Awards recognizes the single most voted photo of the year, without any photography genre categories.
The competition has been running throughout 2019, where photographers from all around the world - amateurs and professional alike - could submit their best shots. The 50 finalists, coming from 21 different countries, are now competing to cast the most votes and will be awarded on November 6th during the official AGORA awards ceremony taking place in Barcelona.
Which of them will win the life-changing prize? See them now and have your say!
#1
Ant Balancing The Earth
It took the photographer 4 hours to take this shot of an ant carrying water drops spread on a piece of thread. By @anadgphotography (Philippines), Analiza De Guzman/AGORA images
#2
Incense Work
In Vietnam, incense is known to connect living people with ancestors and gods. By @ptkhanhhvnh (Vietnam), Khánh Phan/AGORA images
#3
The Best Friends
A lizard and a snail having a cute moment. by @andihalil (Indonesia), Andi Halil / AGORA images
#4
Reaching For Heaven
The Mont Saint Michel, France, lost in the middle of the fog. By @thedronelad (UK), Konrad Paruch/AGORA images
#5
Alone In The Desert
The shot was taken from a high dune in Merzouga, Morocco, where Nomads are seen moving through the Sahara desert. By @carlesalonsophotography (Spain), Carles Alonso/AGORA images
#6
Colors Of Life
Women fishing in West Bengal before heading to the market. By @pranab_basak (India), Pranab Basak/AGORA images
#7
Echoes Of The Unknown
The photographer wanted to display the cordial relationship between a man and a beast. By @theeastwoodexperience (Ghana), Clement Eastwood/AGORA images
#8
Sand Wasp With Prey
This wasp is on a mission to bring its prey home! By @pokokemoto (Indonesia), Imam Primahardy/AGORA images
#9
Sea Of Ice
The professional wildlife photographer took this photo in Antarctica, where crabeater seals like to rest on ice for a nap. By @florianledoux (France), Florian Ledoux/AGORA images
#10
Under The Light Making Batik Crafts
Batik making in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Batik is a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth. The lady pictured has been mastering this art for the past 35 years. With this picture, the photographer hopes to keep this tradition alive. by @_bimo_ (Indonesia), Bimo Pradityo/AGORA images
#11
Dark Disneyland
Vertical panorama of the Neuschwanstein Castle. By @tommimatz (Germany), Tommi Matz/AGORA images
#12
Expressions
Saint met in a Pakistani Shrine. By @asimijaz (Pakistan), Asim Ijaz/AGORA images
#13
Motherly Love
More than a 2-hour wait for this photographer to capture a tender moment between a chimpanzee and its infant at the Tenerife zoo. By @santiagolopezfotografia, Santiago López/AGORA images
#14
Nature Always Wins
Shipwreck graves in Brittany, France. Some boats have been there for more than 100 years. By @charliieb (Monaco), Charlie Berthaume/AGORA images
#15
Run And Fun
Young monks having fun at the Hsinbyume Pagoda. By @lingling25 (Myanmar), Ling Ling/AGORA images
#16
Songs Of Freedom
More than a photo - an unspoken struggle for freedom and belonging, inspired by Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song'. By @eighthman (Ghana), Michael Aboya/AGORA images
#17
Among The White Umbrellas
Traditional umbrellas factory in Mandalay, Myanmar. The production of a traditional umbrella cannot be done by a single person or within a day: there is a division of labor in the making of a single umbrella. Each worker is responsible for different parts to finish one umbrella. By @aungthuya (Myanmar), Aung ThuYa/AGORA images
#18
Mother's Goodness
Perfect timing for this shot of a Hoopoe bird feeding its chicks. By @phyomoe (Myanmar), Phyo Moe/AGORA images
#19
Blue Eye
The photographer pictured his son running through the City of Arts and Science, in Valencia. By @ajuriaguerra (Spain), Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz/AGORA images
#20
Dancer
Taken at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Athens. By @markellos (Greece), Markellos Plakitsis/AGORA images
#21
Wild Look
Lynx spotted in the Cábarceno Natural Park. By @saavedraphotography (Spain), Sergio Saavedra/AGORA images
#22
Diamond Ring Total Solar Eclipse
Snapshot of the 2017 total solar eclipse, pictured from Nebraska. By @edoindo (USA), Edward Panjaitan/AGORA images
#23
Rainy Day
Red-eyed tree frog in West Java. By @hendymp (Indonesia), Hendy MP/AGORA images
#24
Undefined
Snapshot taken during a road trip in California, Todos Santos. The photographer was lucky to snorkel with the animals afterwards! by @jordisark (Spain), Jordi Sark/AGORA images)
#25
Boys
With this shot, the photographer wanted to portray equality between two human beings. By @diegocampomar (Uruguay), Diego Campomar/AGORA images
#26
Unknown
Taking this shot without getting his lenses soaked was a hard exercise for this photographer in Tumpak Sewu Waterfall, East Java. By @jprphotos (UK), Jonathan Rogers/AGORA images
#27
La Mujer Que Espera
Women waiting to be served in a salami shop in Rome, Piazza de la Rotonda. By @paulaaranoa (Argentina), Paula Aranoa /AGORA images
#28
Oeil De Zèbre
Shot taken at the Madrid safari. By @s.p.marin (Spain), Sara Pinto Marin/AGORA images
#29
Rainbow Reine
Double rainbow spotted as the photographer was crossing a bridge in the Lofoten Islands. By @uglefisk (Norway), Paal Lund/AGORA images
#30
Reitdiephaven
Long exposure sunset shot in the District in the city of Groningen, Netherlands By @anskar (Germany), Anskar Lenzen/AGORA images
#31
Six Feet Under
Foggy morning in Ukraine, where the photographer spotted a man digging a grave with his bare hands in a little cemetery. By @davidedziegler (Spain), David Carbonell/AGORA images
#32
Snow Horseman
Winter in Mongolia. By @zayyarlin (Myanmar), Zay Yar Lin/AGORA images
#33
Water Is Life
Although typhoons are pretty common in The Philippines, the citizens still worship the life-giving element of water. by @froirivera (Philippines), Froi Rivera/AGORA images
#34
Eid Prayer
The Eid prayer is celebrated on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal, after the fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. By @azimronnie (Bangladesh), Azim Ronnie/AGORA images
#35
Farming
Shot of the rice fields in Northern Vietnam, where workers plant the rice seedlings for the upcoming harvest. By @diepvan (Vietnam), Diep Van/AGORA images
#36
In Retrospect
Lonely man looking at the horizon in Kobe, Japan. By @patriciasoon (Malaysia), Patricia Soon/AGORA images
#37
L’espurna Que Fa Que Tot Comenci
Correfocs during a traditional Catalan festival, where groups dressed as devils light fireworks in the crowd. By @xopet1969 (Spain), Albert Castañe/AGORA images
#38
Rain
Powerful portrait of the photographer's father under the rain. By @wunderbilder (Germany), Perry Wunderlich/AGORA images
#39
Strawberry Greenhouses
Young women working in a strawberry field, located in the Aegean region of Turkey. By @leylaemektar (Turkey), Leyla Emektar/AGORA images
#40
The Most Beautiful Roundabout In The World
Vertical panorama of Paris' Arc de Triomphe, where 12 avenues come together. By @henrydo (USA), Henry Do/AGORA images
#41
Throwing Nets
Fisherman in action at the Situ Patenggang lake. By @g13nnn (Indonesia), Glenn Valentino/AGORA images
#42
Veins Of Earth
The Amazon-like shot was taken in East Sussex, where the Cuckmere river divides the grasslands. By @hugohealy (UK), Hugo Healy/AGORA images
#43
Hearts On The Sea
Aerial photos of fishing nets in Vietnam. By @phannguyen5285 (Vietnam), Nguyen Phan Xuan/AGORA images
#44
Out At Sea - Msc Orchestra
Entry from the contest's youngest finalist, a 18-year-old photographer from the Jersey Channel Islands. The cruise boat was visiting the harbor close to his hometown. By @above_and_beyond_visuals (UK), Cameron Aird/AGORA images
#45
Preparing For 1000 Takjil Iftar Ramadan Kareem
Three volunteers serve 1000 plates of chicken and rice prepared for the Iftar, an evening meal during which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. By @dharmaku (Indonesia), Dharma Kurniawan/AGORA images
#46
Striving
The shot was taken near the Nias Islands, an internationally famous surfing destination. By @bastian_as (Indonesia), Bastian AS/AGORA images
#47
Fire Fighter
Locals and firemen work as a team to fight a fire caused by a power incident in Bangladesh. By @tanveer.rohan (Bangladesh), Tanveer Rohan/AGORA images
#48
The Lights Of Life
Early morning shot of the Cirahong Bridge, located on the border of Tasikmalaya Regency and Ciamis Regency. The bridge was built in 1893 by the Dutch colons. By @dikyedarling (Indonesia), Dikye Ariani/AGORA images
#49
When The Buffalo Comes Back
Buffalos bathing in Pleiku, Central Vietnam. By @hoangquocvinh, Hoang Quocvinh/AGORA images
#50
The Road And The Farm Have Been Flooded
Floods in Gorgan city, Northern Iran. by @mohammadmoheimany (Iran), Mohammad Moheimani/AGORA images
