For 2020 the AMB Photography Awards presented by Shimano adjust their focus onto photography – sounds wild, right? We have created a mix of categories that represent a range of mountain bike photography styles. The terms might not be too technical, but you will need to brush up your skills to really nail and win a category, or the overall.
Given 2020 has thrown up many challenges, we encourage you to go through your stock photos to find images that suit. If riding outside with one other is safe and allowed in your region – go right ahead and get something fresh.
There will be four categories. Each will have a winner, second and third place as voted by you from a short list that we put together with our judges. There will be an overall winner for the most complete portfolio, selected by a judging panel. If you're under 20, you can enter our Young Photographer of the Year award at the same time with any photo you upload. This will be a one off image in any of the categories, and the winner will be selected via public voting from a short list selected by our judges.
We are always looking for the hero shot. The photo that grabs attention on Instagram, or lands on a cover, or opens a major print feature. Hero shots are high action and show great detail of the bike and rider, filling a lot of the frame with the bike and rider. Getting a good hero shot can be all about the right combination of rider, photographer, trail and light. Absolutely nailing it takes great timing and direction.
A pan shot is often attempted but not always perfected. It's not a terribly hard skill, but it does take an understanding of your camera settings, and choosing the right area on a trail to get the right effect. We'll be looking to see as much of the rider being as sharp as possible, and the framing to capture the speed and path of motion of the rider.
Mountain biking takes us into the wide open spaces. In this category we want you to show us how well you capture that. Shooting a wide angle photo takes a strong understanding of composition, setting up your camera to deal with the different light in each area of the frame, placing the rider in focus, and pulling it all together through excellent post production editing. While we might often take a really nice wide angle photo showing off the environment we get to ride bikes in, getting it just right is an art.
What draws your eye when looking at a photo? Is it seeing how sharp the roost is off a back wheel? The focus of a rider's eyes through clear lenses? How a tyre is deforming to find traction over a wet root on an off-camber corner? You will not always find this level of precision and detail in photos, but those images that catch the action and precision in a frame frozen in time, in perfect clarity, are exactly what we are looking for. Show us focus, show us precision. Both on the bike and behind the lens.
Individual Categories Prizes
The winner in each category will receive $500 and a pair of Shimano pedals.
This is the big one! To win the overall title you need to blow our judges away with your portfolio of four images, one from each category: Hero Shot, Pan Shot, Wide Angle and Detail. You can enter more than one portfolio, but we really recommend making sure you have one that is the best of the best!
$3000 + A SHIMANO XTR M9100 GROUP SET
For this one, we're looking for your best photo from a photographer who is under 20 during the competition period. It can be from any category: Hero Shot, Pan Shot, Wide Angle or Detail. You can enter more than once.
SHIMANO DEORE XT M8100 GROUP SET
AMB’s long-standing editor. Mike is an avid photographic enthusiast, a passion that has grown from sourcing and selecting some of the spectacular imagery that features strongly in AMB. And having ridden his bike in stunning locations all over the world, he is well placed to discern which photos tell the perfect story of an exciting adventure enjoyed on two wheels.
One of Australia’s most talented photographers. More often found in the field than behind a desk, Tim has traversed the globe shooting World Cups and EWS rounds for years. Australia is his home, though, and you will just as often see him on the trail sides of a national round or deep in the bushes on some obscure line. With years of photographic expertise, Tim was a clear pick for a judge in this competition.
Yes you can. You can enter each category as many times as you like. You can also submit multiple portfolios for the AMB Photographer of the Year, but we would recommend picking your best shot in each category to form a single portfolio.
Visit the Entry page and upload a shot in each of the 4 categories, along with a location and caption for each image. At the bottom of the page there will then be a tick box available to also submit these four shots as a portfolio entry for the AMB Photographer of the Year. Make sure this box is selected before you click ‘Submit My Entry’.
Our panel of nominated judges will review all entries and select the winner & finalists of the Photographer of the Year category. The winner will be deemed as the photographer who has shown the highest degree of technical and creative ability across the four different categories.
You'll be required to select whether you want to be considered for this category when uploading an image. You need to be under 20 at the end of the competition on 16th September 2020.
We make a shortlist with our judging panel, and then let the rest go to a public vote.
AMB Magazine staff will review all entries and select 12 finalists for each category. The 12 finalists for each category will then be displayed on our micro site https://photoawards.ambmag.com.au and the public will be able to vote on the best image in each category between 24th August and 16th September. The winning image will be the one that receives the most votes.
You will be notified via email if you are a finalist for any category.
You will be notified via email if you are the winner of any category.
August 14th 2020
No, we understand that so far, 2020 hasn't been kind to getting into the great outdoors and taking photos! Preference will be given to images shot over the last 12 months, that we haven't seen before.
If your image made a category shortlist or won a category last year, it will not be reconsidered for this year’s awards. You may re-submit images which were not shortlisted last year if you feel it is particularly relevant to one of the new categories for 2019, but preference will be given to new entries.
For best results, upload highest-quality JPEGs, with the longest side at a minimum of 1600 pixels. Maximum size is 2MB.
For best results, upload highest-quality JPEGs, sized a minimum of 1600 pixels on the longest side. Maximum size is 2MB. Note that finalists and winners will be called upon to submit high-resolution & raw versions of shots if required.
No you can’t.
Basic image editing and colour corrections are allowed, i.e. brightness, contrast, sharpening, mood and temperature balance. Black and White is also acceptable.
No, you won’t be disqualified, but your image will be judged according to the entered category’s guidelines.