A picture of the Burj Khalifa engulfed in fog has been recognized in the prestigious 2021 Epson International Pano Awards. The image by Khalid Al Hammadi placed in the top 10 in the 2021 Open – Built Environment category. It offers a new view of the world-famous landmark, which in the photo is dwarfed by clouds of fog and seen from a perspective that belies its record-breaking height.
A second photograph featuring the Burj Khalifa, this time surrounded by skyscrapers that also loom over a blanket of fog, also placed in the top ten in the same category, although that feels like a more familiar scene.
The winning image in the Built Environment / Architecture category is titled Tonal Intersection and was taken in Brisbane, Australia. It focuses in on the repetitive geometric facade of a building in the city, which is reminiscent of the architectural aesthetic of the Dubai Design District. The winner of the main prize, the 2021 Open Photographer of the Year award, was Joshua Hermann from the United States, who, while paddling past them on a foggy morning in Louisiana, captured the triangular trunks of cypress trees reflected in the watery surrounds.
“One of the great things about photography is it ability to inform. Growing up in south Louisiana and coming to know the swamp and marshlands from an early age, the unique beauty and interesting ecology of the area has stuck with me throughout my life. I hope to share the beauty of these places through my imagery,” Hermann said of his winning entry.