Wazzup Pilipinas!
Shutter bug Gaps Sabuero come to naught in the Red Bull Illume 2016 last September 28 at the Art Institute of Chicago. The Siargao-based surf photographer was one of the 22 Filipino photographers who participated in the world’s greatest action and adventure sports photography contest.
Out of 34,624 images from 120 participating countries around the globe, Sabuero’s photograph of a surfer at Siargao Island made it as one of the top 55 finalists in Masterpiece by Yodobashi Category.
“It’s ridiculous that I see my name there and I feel so out of place. All shots are from professionals (photographers) on big assignments, while mine’s taken with a GoPro at quicksilver not knowing what I was doing. I’m so stoked to have my name be on the list with the people who inspired me,” said Sabuero on his Facebook post.
The Winner Award Ceremony was hosted by television personality Tina Dixon and snowboarder Louie Vito. It also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the prestigious contest with many guests from the photography industry and sports scene, such as BMX athlete Senad Grosic, freeskier Johnny Collinson and Red Bull Illume founder Ulrich Grill.
Following the announcement, the award-winning photographers were able to see their images displayed on illuminated 2x2m lightboxes at the opening of the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour 2016. This unique nighttime photo exhibition will travel to cultural hubs and hotspots around the world for the next two years.
The exhibited photos are the Top 55 images which of course include the 11 Category Winners as well as the Overall Winner. The winners are:
Close Up: Denis Klero, Russia with his black and white shot of climber Rustam Gelmanov showing his chalk-covered hands in Fontainebleu, France.
Energy: Luke Shadbolt, Australia for his black and white image showing the power of nature. Surfer Renan Faccini is set against a huge swell in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
Enhance: Dean Treml, New Zealand and his image of cliff diver Jonathan Paredes jumping from the 28 meter platform on the roof of the Copenhagen Opera House during the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, 2013.
Lifestyle: Jody MacDonald, Canada with her mesmerizing image of her brother Ken MacDonald sitting atop a train during their adventure through the Sahara Desert.
Masterpiece by Yodobashi: Lorenz Holder, Germany showing Senad Grosic ride his bike over a bridge in an autumnal Gablenz, Germany.
New Creativity: Ale Di Lullo, Italy for his fun shot of Aaron Chase riding his mountain bike on the windshield of a NYC cab.
Playground: Lorenz Holder, Germany showing BMXer Senad Grosic ride a rusted viewing platform in Senftenberg, Germany.
Sequence by Sony: Daniel Vojtêch, Czech Republic with his shot of Flying Bulls pilots Miroslav Krejci, Jan Rudzinskyi, Stanislav Cejka and Jan Tvrdic in Jaromêř, Czech Republic.
Spirit: Dean Treml, New Zealand for his image showing kayaker Josh Neilson being supported by fellow paddlers Barnaby Prees, Sam Sutton, Tim Pickering, Ben Brown, Jamie Sutton and Jaren Seiler after a bad landing off Matze’s Drop, Storulfossen, Norway.
Wings: Micky Wiswedel, South Africa with his shot of climber Jamie Smith mid-fall as he attempts a new route on Table Mountain, Cape Town.
Vegard Aasen of Norway won the Mobile Category, the newest photography category in Red Bull Illume, for his black and white mountaineering image taken in Hakuba, Japan.
The images of the top 55 finalists and the top 275 finalists of Red Bull Illume can be seen on www.redbullillume.com and @RedBullIllume Facebook fanpage. The finalists’ entries are published on the limited edition Coffee Table Book that can be purchased on www.redbullillumebook.com.