Hong Kong Scene Takes Second Place in Nat Geo Photography Competition

National Geographic, the undeniable masters of beautiful photographs, have announced the winners of their annual Photographer of the Year contest, and Hong Kong made the list.

Drone extraordinaire Andy Yeung took second place in the ‘Cities’ category for his shot of Whampoa Garden. According to Yeung, his inspiration came from the infamous Kowloon Walled City, which was once the densest place on Earth. “Hundreds of houses were stacked on top of each other and there was very little open space. The Kowloon Walled City may be gone, but its legacy remains. It exists in Hong Kong’s modern architecture and stacked apartments, which have been built to accommodate the masses.” Entitled ‘Walled City #08’, it’s a shocking reminder of the urban beauty we have right here in our own city.

The Grand prize went to Mexican photographer, Sergio Tapiro Velasco, for his ‘The Power of Nature’, a stunning capture of an erupting volcano being struck by lighting.

Both pieces uphold National Geographic’s photography principles of awe-inspiring and cinematic visuals. With incredible detail, rich colours and interesting angles, it’s almost hard to believe they’re photographs and not computer-created images.

See all the winning photos and find out more about the photographers here. If you think you’re up to the challenge, check out their rigorous rules and apply for 2018.