Commons:Photo challenge
Photo Challenge
The Photo Challenge inspires photographers to take great pictures and upload them to Commons. Monthly thematic competitions encourage participants to try new subjects, new photographic or processing techniques, and to develop skills while improving the Commons repository of free images. Photographs entered into a competition must be new to Commons and taken by a Commons user. |
Formal things
- Challenges
Challenges are based on a theme and run for a month. The theme may be a concrete subject, an abstract concept, a photographic technique or artistic style.
- Participation
Everybody can participate in challenges open for submission. You simply
- Choose one or all of the current challenges
- Read the challenge description(s), which may vary in their rules (e.g., some place restrictions on when the photos are taken)
- Take picture(s) for the challenge(s) during the challenge period (or, if allowed, select from your own existing pictures that are not yet on Commons)
- Upload your picture(s) during the challenge period
- Submit your candidates at the top of the current challenge gallery during the challenge period. To do that you click the [Edit] button of the Entries section of your chosen challenge and insert the File name above the last entry (or above File:-Insert image here-.svg for the first entry).
- Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
- For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
- Do not sign your submission(s)
- If you want, you can have a look at previous challenges and Vote
Challenges are open to any Commons user. Submissions must be your own work, not previously uploaded to Commons prior to the challenge date and should illustrate the challenge theme in the opinion of the photographer. Please read the challenge descriptions, as there may be additional rules or explanations for specific challenges. There is no limit on the number of submissions per user (unless specially so restricted in the challenge), but please choose from among your best and most varied images.
To submit pictures, you edit the gallery of the contest and add your candidate(s) to the top of the list.
New themes can be proposed and discussed here.
- Assessment
After the challenge has closed to new submissions, the pictures will be assessed by popularity voting in the subsequent month. You are allowed to vote for images submitted by others if your Commons account is at least ten days old and has more than 50 edits or if you participated in one of the challenges. Challenges open for voting can be found here.
- Winning
The best three pictures will be awarded first, second and third place. They will be displayed on the Photo challenge page and may use the template {{Photo challenge winner}} on the file description page.
Table of contents
New media viewing experience
Please note users can disable the media viewing experience for all images on Commons when logged in (uncheck "Enable Media Viewer" under Files and click Save in Preferences, Appearance).
Challenges open for submission
2023 – October – Silhouette
The new challenge features photographic silhouettes.
Ideally, each submission should contain a summary description of the subject in the file information, including the location of the subject, and relevant categories should be added to the files to enable other Commons users to find them and use them. Please take care not to violate copyright in respect of non-free creative works, and observe our educational project scope and the personality rights of identifiable people, or your files may be subject to deletion.
The challenge will remain open for submissions throughout October UTC.
Checklist for this theme:
- Photographs must be the work of the nominator.
- Photographs must be newly uploaded to Commons during the challenge submission period i.e. October 2023 UTC (but may have been taken earlier).
- Submissions must be added to the top of the "Entries" section below.
- Please do not nominate lots of similar photos; instead choose just your best and most varied images.
Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Restriction: A maximum of four entries can be submitted per photographer.
There are 16 days 2 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)
Examples
Entries
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Tightrope walking, Ferrara, Este castle, Italy
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Vigors's Sunbird having a hearty breakfast before the day's hectic routine.
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Silhouette of a Gray Langur, sitting at a height and scouting for other langurs.
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Solar eclipse (Oct 2023) progression as the Moon appears to traverse across the Sun's surface (shot in Boulder, CO, USA). A few sunspots can be seen on the right and central-right part of the Sun.
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Solar eclipse 2023 with about 80% coverage shot from Boulder, CO, USA.
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Airbus A321 XLR
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Sonnenaufgang über Twielenfleth im Alten Land
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Seefestung Bourtzi vor dem Hafen von Nafplio
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Krane im Hafen von Klaipeda im Abendlicht
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Künstlerin bei einer Vorstellung
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Coconut tree with birds flight forming V shape
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Park, Dublin, Ireland.
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Reservoir Dam, Kildare, Ireland.
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Ibex in Vanoise National PArk
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Victory by Louis-Simon Boizot, Fontaine du Palmier
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Silhouettes under the city gate
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Benches at Cherai Beach, Kerala
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Benches at Cherai Beach, Kerala
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Cherai Beach, Kerala
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Rococo pelton
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Dewey Beach, Delaware, USA
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Foto: Sommergewitter beim Festival d'Avignon im Juli 2000
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Friedel Herten: Gemälde 'Vögel und Libellen' Jean Miró nachempfunden, Korschenbroich 2004
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At Trienggadeng beach, Aceh, Indonesia
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Schmiedeeisernes Fensterbild des Heiligen Apostels Andreas am alten Sparkassengebäude auf der Hindenburgstraße 48. Andreas ist der Namenspatron von Korschenbroich.
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Troitsky Brücke. Weiße Nacht über der Newa, St. Petersburg 2H1A6927WI
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Tourists enjoying views from Kozákov mountain, with Trosky castle ruin in the background
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Church of Surp Arakelots
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Silhouette of the New Mosque in Istanbul
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Sunrise at Angkor Wat
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Silhouette of a ruddy turnstone taken in Zoutelande, Zeeland, Netherlands
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Silhouette of a black-winged stilt
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Silhouette of ship and wind turbine in sunset.
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View after sunset to the Iron Bridge in Frankfurt am Main with back-light of the twilight
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Sommerkveld nær Herlandsvatnet i Fotlandsvåg på Osterøy
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Choransicht des Mönchengladbacher Münsters St. Vitus aus der Sicht des nahegelegenen Abteigartens. Der sechs Meter hohe Anello (Ring), 2001, stammt vom italienischen Konzeptkünstler Mauro Staccioli (*1937) aus Cor-Ten-Stahl.
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Silhouette in a snowy forest
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Silhouette of a LEGO Technic Backhoe Loader model 8069
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Rose vase silhouette
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Falconry show silhouette
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Silhouette of mountain from Applecross Pass
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"Welcome" sign in Brooklyn
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Taken at White Bay, Jost Van Dyke BVI
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Пешеходный мост через озеро Бельское в тумане
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Park, Dublin, Ireland.
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Climbing Frame, Dublin, Ireland.
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West Runton, Norfolf at Sunset
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Dog walking on West Runton Beach - Norfolk
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West Runton Beach - Norfolk at Sunset
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Украшение трубы
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Silhouette of a linden tree
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The ANZAC-class frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH 153) at Garden Island, Western Australia
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Silhouette of a Kid Playing on the Beach at Sunset
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Lifeguard Tower at Sunset at Huntington Beach, CA.
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A Silhouette of a ship at sunset in Tampa Florida
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Отражение дорожного знака
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Antennas on sunset
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Swedish Saab Gripen with smoke trails at both wingtips.
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Silhouette of a tree in front of High Spy in Lake District National Park.
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Тень от столба и фотографа
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Windsurfing lessons on the Sea of Azov. Yeisk estuary. Yeisk. 2014.
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Silhouette of a happy family
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Silhouettes of two wild goats on a rock in Don Kek Si Phan Don Laos at sunrise
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A silhouette of a 250 kg Dolphin during an evening show. Oltremare's dolphinarium - Riccione, Italy.
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A shopping center on a holiday
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Indian Rocks Beach Sunset 2022
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Sculpture 'Exposure'
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La festa alla sera su di una scogliera
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Steelworks on a cold day in January. Salzgitter AG, Germany.
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Silhouette on Mekong in Phnom Penh
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"Between leaves is blood of the sunset,
as if someone's fingers pinch the wound." -
Duck silhouette at Garda Lake
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Sunset at Ponte Scaligero, Verona
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Walking silhouette
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Am Roten Meer in Ägypten IMG 1692WI
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Am Strand in Ägypten IMG 5001WI
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Schooner Margaret Todd
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Involuntary beer advertising
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Vyšehrad railway bridge in Prague, Czech Republic
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Silhouette della Grande Moschea al tramonto a Roma
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A doorway to the rooftop.
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Санкт-Петербург, Россия 2H1A6431WI
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An old man and the sea
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A place to be
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Coming home
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Силует, сонце сходить
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Birds on a pier along the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand
2023 – October – Pollution
The new challenge features pollution.
Ideally, each submission should contain a summary description of the subject in the file information, including the location of the subject, and relevant categories should be added to the files to enable other Commons users to find them and use them. Please take care not to violate copyright in respect of non-free creative works, and observe our educational project scope and the personality rights of identifiable people, or your files may be subject to deletion.
The challenge will remain open for submissions throughout October UTC.
Checklist for this theme:
- Photographs must be the work of the nominator.
- Photographs must be newly uploaded to Commons during the challenge submission period i.e. October 2023 UTC (but may have been taken earlier).
- Submissions must be added to the top of the "Entries" section below.
- Please do not nominate lots of similar photos; instead choose just your best and most varied images.
Add your entry between the <gallery> tags as indicated. Gallery entries are placed each on a new line, and consist of the filename, a vertical bar |, and a description. For example:
Electric steam iron.jpg|An electric steam iron
For help on the syntax of entries in a gallery see Help:Gallery tag. Please do not add square brackets [[ ]] or include a thumb parameter or the full URL. The File: prefix is not required, but harmless.
- Restriction: A maximum of four entries can be submitted per photographer.
There are 16 days 2 hours left before this challenge ends. (refresh)
Examples
Entries
-
Algae wisps have slowly conformed to the almost-stagnant, laminar flow of water. Waste plastic and paper can also be seen in the same.
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"Mermaid" street art made from garbage collected on the beaches (Split)
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"Mermaid" street art made from garbage collected on the beaches - detail (Split)
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The stranded vessel "Glory Amsterdam" was monitored from the air to rule out leakage of pollutants.
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Ship at sunset with visible exhaust gas
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Nest of a greylag goose with glass bottle.
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Грязная дорога 01
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carpenter's workshop burning waste wood
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Merry Christmas
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Отходы на поле
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Müll Ecke Pingsdorfer Straße/In der Maar]]
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Белая гора в Воскресенске
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air pollution by two stroke gardening tool
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Подтекание размытой земли
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An environmental disaster caused by oil production and refining.
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Water pollution in Paris, France
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Water pollution in Paris, France
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Diesel pollution, excavator
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Power plant pollution in Moscow
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Illegally placed waste
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Cruise vessel smoke in Akureyri
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Radioactive soil generated by Fukushima nuclear accident.
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Statue damaged by vandals and painted over
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Statue damaged by vandals and painted over
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Unsuitable living conditions of the Roma.
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Plastic pollution on Lake Bracciano. But... a little plant is growing through the plastic jerry can
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Strand in Tunesien nach einem Sturm TUNISIMG 2644WI
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Strand in Tunesien nach einem Sturm TUNISIMG 2631WI
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In the sky, a dark storm is raging and pollution is everywhere. The world is in anguish as it is being destroyed by the pollution. This picture shows the sad reality of how we are destroying our planet.
Challenges open for voting
Voting is open to all registered contributors who have held accounts for at least 10 days and made 50 edits, and also to new Commons contributors who have entered the challenge with a picture. Users cannot vote for their own picture. Voters may select up to three photographs in each theme to award points and can give praise to other photos without awarding points. Voting will be open for one month. The votes not complying with those requirements will be removed or converted to praises. In some cases users might be asked to correct their votes after voting ends.
September 2023
Previous challenges
August 2023
July 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 2 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Storm Mathis - Lake Zug | oceans are rising | Contaminación atmosférica en la ciudad de Madrid |
Author | Roy Egloff | Spielvogel | Saldeplata |
Score | 13 | 9 | 9 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Farm track near Micheldever, Hampshire |
My birthday cake! Oops there's only half left! |
Ein in der Längsachse vertikal zerstückeltes Automobil. |
Author | Simon Burchell | Anna.Massini | Levin Holtkamp |
Score | 15 | 15 | 11 |
June 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Tunnel at London King's Cross illuminated in rainbow colours |
Rainbow yarn for knitting, display in front of a needlework shop in Graz, Austria |
This shows the view directly above the basket of a hot air balloon. |
Author | The wub | Lusi Lindwurm | Hu Nhu |
Score | 19 | 11 | 8 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Kasachische Jurten in der Kyzylkum/ Usbekistan |
Chegem-001 | Chegem-002 |
Author | Carsten Siegel | Саня Новиков | Саня Новиков |
Score | 17 | 17 | 13 |
May 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Close up photograph of wing of Papilio demoleus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Lime Swallowtail |
weibliche Schwarze Habichtsfliege (Dioctria atricapilla) mit Morgentau |
Caterpillar of the small frost moth on a rose leaf |
Author | ManaskaMukhopadhyay | Carsten Siegel | Ermell |
Score | 12 | 11 | 10 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Victoria crowned pigeon | Western Crowned Pigeon in Geneva, Switzerland. |
Peacock feather close-up |
Author | Roy Egloff | RomanDeckert | Mister rf |
Score | 10 | 9 | 7 |
April 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Pylon of high-voltage line crossing Elbe River at Hetlinger Schanze near Hamburg, Germany |
Street corner in Nice's old town | Ballonwettbewerb |
Author | Mozzihh | Virtual-Pano | Mensch01 |
Score | 13 | 12 | 12 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 2 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Sheep with lamb, lying on a dyke, which they graze as dyke sheep for erosion control, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany |
Poitou donkey foal (Equus asinus) in the Lüneburg Heath Wildlife Park |
Baby alpacas of a Quechua Family (Huaman Quispe farm) - Alpacas bebes - Paqucha uña Nuñoa llaqtamanta |
Author | Lusi Lindwurm | F. Riedelio | Elwinlhq |
Score | 16 | 13 | 13 |
March 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Facade of a house at 277, Fondamenta Cavanella in Burano (Italy) |
Washing clothes in a open area | Laundry lines in a residential neighbourhood in Venice, Italy |
Author | Ermell | Pauloleong2002 | Marc-Lautenbacher |
Score | 15 | 12 | 11 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Ice-Hotel in Quebec Canada, the only one in North America |
Spa at Tschuggen Grand Hotel | The Dolder Grand, Zurich, Switzerland |
Author | Marc-Lautenbacher | Roy Egloff | Roy Egloff |
Score | 15 | 14 | 12 |
February 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 2 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Handle of leather trunk from the early 1900s |
Handle Of A Pots Lid | Glättkelle mit rotem Holzgriff |
Author | Mariojan photo | OJjnr | VSchagow |
Score | 14 | 8 | 8 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 2 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Royal Clipper sailing the Med |
cruise vessel 'Expedition' in Antarctica |
Cruise ships in Geiranger Fjord, Norway |
Author | Cbuske46 | Virtual-Pano | Hgrobe |
Score | 26 | 10 | 10 |
January 2023
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | A growler became a sculpture | wind-blown rime ice found on a summit cross |
jogger crossing the icy right barrier gate of the Jahnwehr weir in Bamberg, Germany |
Author | Virtual-Pano | Roy Egloff | Ermell |
Score | 19 | 18 | 15 |
Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 |
---|---|---|---|
image | |||
Title | Hospital corridor in the “Marienhaus Klinikum Hetzelstift“ |
Hospital corridor covered with Namib sand in ghost town Kolmanskop, Namibia |
Ny del av Haukeland Universitetssykehus fra Møllendal gravplass i Bergen |
Author | F. Riedelio | Mozzihh | Odd Roar Aalborg |
Score | 16 | 14 | 11 |