Chris Coe

The founder of the Travel Photographer of the Year awards tells Niall Hampton what winning images need to possess

- Niall Hampton

One of the most prestigious global photo competitions is open for entries now. Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) launched in 2003 and celebrates the best work in the field - although there's far more to travel photography than just two words. So what better time to sit down with TPOTY's founder to get his top tips for making your photos stand out...

When did you launch Travel Photographer of the Year, and why?

One day, 23 years ago, whilst returning from a day showing my work to picture editors in London, the idea of the Travel Photographer of the Year awards was born. Listening to a photographer being interviewed by Simon Mayo on the radio as I drove home, I heard travel photography dismissed as 'just needing a camera and a ticket to somewhere'. Working in this area and knowing so many good photographers who were struggling to get their travel images published, I decided to create a showcase for them.

TPOTY launched at the Focus on Imaging show at the NEC Birmingham the following February, supported by Fujifilm, Adobe and Plastic Sandwich.

What defines a ‘travel photograph’ for the purposes of the awards?

Travel photography is a collection of genres and anyone who has worked as a travel photographer will know that they are required to shoot many different things – people, cultures and destinations, of course, but also landscapes, wildlife, food, architecture (both ancient and modern), adventure, lifestyle... the list goes on.

A good travel photographer will be able to shoot in all lights, photograph people but also the natural and man-made worlds, shoot action, macro and so on. It requires versatility and a broad spectrum of skills beyond those required to photograph any one single genre.