The winners of the 2024 UKC Photography Awards have been officially announced, showcasing the finest climbing photography from around the world. After last month's reveal of category finalists featuring an exceptionally strong selection across all categories, voting was reset and conducted fresh for this year's competition. The results are now in following deliberation by the expert judging panel.
The awards were judged by Samm Pratt and Dan Geraghty, who serve as organizers of the Exposure Climbing Photography Festival. This festival, now in its second year, took place from September 19-24 and featured a diverse program including talks, workshops, and an open gallery exhibition dedicated to climbing photography.
In the overall competition, first place was awarded to Grahame N for his striking image titled "A lonely lead - 'The Spindle'." Judge Sam Pratt praised the photograph, noting how the perfectly frontal perspective reminded him of Jim Thornburg's work, describing it as "incredibly straight on but off quite an interesting perspective. Almost so 2D that it's 3D!" The image captures the dramatic isolation and technical challenge of climbing this iconic formation.
Second place went to Hamish Frost for his photograph "Tim about to pull through the roof on the superb second pitch of Time Traveller." Judge Dan Geraghty expressed his appreciation for the image's atmospheric qualities, stating, "I love the sense of isolation in the image. The bleak Scottish weather, the distant hills and loch and above all, the image makes me want to be on that climb in those conditions." The photograph perfectly encapsulates the rugged beauty and challenging conditions of Scottish climbing.
Third place was captured by Edge Photography with their image "Liv smashing Shattered Traverse Low." Dan Geraghty noted how this photograph represents the joy of climbing, explaining, "For me, this image captures what so many of us feel when we go climbing. A sense of ease, wonder and glee. It helps that it's sunny and warm." The image showcases the pure enjoyment and freedom that draws people to the sport.
The category winners demonstrated excellence across various climbing disciplines. In bouldering, Lucy Bentley took top honors with "The Quintessential Peak District Dyno," capturing the dynamic movement and power required in this style of climbing. The Deep Water Soloing (DWS) category was won by Richard Goodey with his image "Barrel Zawn - one of the easier lines. 4ish," showcasing the unique combination of climbing and water that defines this discipline.
For expedition and alpine climbing, Hamish Frost secured the category win with "Gemma Robertson on the upper pitches of the Pelissier Gully," demonstrating the scale and technical demands of high-altitude climbing. Will Rupp claimed the sport climbing category with his compelling image "Rocking Over to Nothingness," while traditional climbing honors went to Jethro Kiernan for "Rachel on the slate classic that is Poetry Pink," highlighting the natural beauty and technical skill involved in traditional route climbing.
The winter climbing category was won by rusty8850 with "Eastern Traverse Tower Ridge," capturing the harsh beauty and extreme conditions that define winter mountaineering. These category winners represent the diverse range of climbing disciplines and the photographers who dedicate themselves to documenting these challenging and beautiful pursuits across various environments and conditions.
