The world’s best action and adventure sport photography
- Text by HUCK HQ
- Photography by © Jody MacDonald / Red Bull Illume
German BMX pro Senad Grosic is in perfect balance. With his front wheel anchored to the old stone bridge in Gablenz, his rear wheel and body pokes up into the air like a ballerina. His likeness is captured in the mirror-like surface of the water metres below, creating a reflection that’s almost too perfect to believe.
Shot by photographer Lorenz Holder, this image was the overall winner of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2016, the compeititon which celebrates the very best action and adventure sport photography.
5,645 photographers from across the globe submitted a staggering 34,624 images, that encompass everything from surfers riding atop freight trains in the heart of the desert, to wounded kayakers and death-defying skydivers. After judges selected winners for each of the 11 categories, which included Mobile, Close Up and Lifestyle, Lorenz Holder was crowned with overall victory.
The 275 semifinalist images from this year’s contest are showcased in a limited edition coffee-table book, which also reveal the finalists’ biographies, their stories behind each shot and the technical details. A selection of the judges’ favourite images also go on display in a travelling nighttime outdoor photo exhibition.
Find out more about the book and exhibition tour stops at Red Bull Illume.
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