20 Stunning Images Of Green, Winners Of ‘World’s Best Photos 2020’ Agora Contest

The winning images from Agora’s latest competition, #Green2020, are quite therapeutic to watch: a worldwide view of majestic trees, exotic animals and wide open landscapes, all graced in soothing and relaxing green.

Fifty gorgeous, shortlisted photos were selected from 17,000 submissions representing the color of growth, regeneration and health, and from those an overall winner of the online contest “World’s Best Photo of #Green2020’” organized by mobile app Agora, @agora, was chosen.

The winner of the competition was Bangladeshi photographer Md Asaf Ud Daula, @photographerasaf , with the heartwarming photo (above) ‘Some people feel the rain, others just get wet’ showing a young boy plucking flowers under the rain in Akkelpur. 

You can enjoy all 50 finalists here.

“I came across this scene,” explains the photographer of the image above, “while hiking through the Arenal National Park in Costa Rica. The rainforest is full of diverse life and many surprises. Typically, the Red-Eyed tree frogs are sleeping during the day and very active at night. However, this little one was very much awake, energetic, and playful in the late afternoon. For a moment, we were both curious about each other and it was comfortable enough to peek through the leaves for a closer look. Moments like these enhance and expand our curiosity to explore the natural wonder that surrounds us.”

A Green World

For its latest online photo contest, Agora invited its global community of photographers to participate with their best “green” shots for a chance to win the $1,000 top prize.

“Since the beginning of time, the green color has been associated with growth, life, fertility, energy, and vitality,” Agora explains. “This invigorating and refreshing color has demonstrated calming virtues that can bring a certain harmony to the body. If we refer to our human behavior, the green color also offers a guarantee for survival: It announces the proximity of water sources for future harvests or natural shelter.”

The battle of Verdun was one of the bloodiest during World War I — a total of 263,000 soldiers lost their lives there. With its well-organized graves and lavish green patches, the cemetery stands in contrast to the cruel battle. “Through my photo, I want to convey respect, dignity, but also the rejection of violence and war,” said the photographer, Frank Meulemans.

The Prizes

Agora is a free-to-use mobile app where photographers, whether amateur or professional, can participate in photo contests for a chance to win international recognition and cash prizes (from $1,000 to $25,000).

“The app’s global system enables its global audience to vote and pick the best images from each competition, making the process more inclusive and democratic than any other traditional photography contest,” the organizers explain.

“Green is the color of hope because it is the color of life. Thousands of photographers around the world have participated with their best photos of #Green2020. This powerful selection of images will stir your soul,” said Octavi Royo, Agora’s CEO & co-Founder.

“The baby was born in the emergency room of the hospital,” the photographer of his newborn child said. “The hospital was so busy that night that my wife gave birth without the assistance of a doctor but with the precious help of a fantastic team of midwives.”

The picture above was taken from a bridge crossing the Bangali River. “In January, one of the most beautiful natural shows happens in this place: lots of migratory birds, just like the ducks pictured here, come from the mountainous regions to rest,” explains the photographer.

The image above shows one of the most incredible natural displays on the planet: the northern lights. “It was a really cold night with -32 Celsius degrees!” writes the photographer. “ Trust me: At that temperature also the blood starts to freeze! I wanted to capture the sinuous movement of the green light beams and their reflection on the not-yet-frozen lake. Here you can feel the same fear, the same impotence, the same emotion that our ancestors certainly felt and understand all the legends that have been written about this wonderful phenomenon.”