September 1st, 2010
Enlightenment at Red Bull Illume
Congratulations to three COTW featured photographers who were named amongst the winning photographers awarded at the prestigious Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010 awards.
Chris Burkard was named the overall winner!
Photo: Chris Burkard receiving his Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010 award
"I’m overjoyed, it’s hard to put into words being able to be nominated and to win this award in front of all your piers and people I respect, I’m truly blessed."
Chris Burkard
Also awarded were Australian surf photographers Stuart Gibson in the Energy category and Nathan Smith in the Close Up category. Nathan was also named the Athletes’ Choice winner.
"I’m dizzy from the whole experience, said Smith. I’m humbled to be here and happy to have made the top 50 let alone win two awards that in my book are very prestigious. I’m in a room full of photographers who I look up to."
Nathan Smith
Photo: Chris Burkard‘s photo won the Illumination category
Photo: Nathan Smith‘s photo won the Close Up category
Photo: Stuart Gibson‘s photo won the Energy category
And congratulations also to Brian Bielmann, Mike Smolowe and Jeremy Koreski who were all finalists. Below are their entires…
Photo: Brian Bielmann‘s photo in the Spirit category
Photo: Jeremy Koreski‘s photo in the Sequence category
Photo: Mike Smolowe‘s photo in the Spirit category
Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010
Red Bull Illume is the world’s premier action and adventure sports photography competition. The 2010 Image Quest has uncovered a new, stunning collection of images.
The 50 finalists were unveiled on August 31 at a spectacular ceremony in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Chris Burkard received the honor of being voted the Overall Winner. His image of surfer Peter Mendria riding the waves in golden sunlight on Chile’s West Coast was selected by a international Jury of 53 photo experts. As night time fell over Dublin, the Front Square of the historic university was illuminated by arguably the greatest collection of action and adventure sports photography ever seen. The category winners and finalists in the top 50 images were selected from the 22,764 images submitted to the 2010 Image Quest by thousands of photographers worldwide after an extensive search for the world’s best photographs in BMX, surfing, skateboarding, B.A.S.E jumping, climbing, motor and winter sports.