The Royal Meteorological Society recently unveiled the winners of the 2023 Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year contest. Capturing first place is Chile’s Francisco Negroni with his extraordinary photo titled A Perfect Cloud. The image showcases two distinct, UFO-like lenticular cloud formations encircling the snow-clad peak of Chile’s most active volcano, Villarrica. The clouds are dramatically lit from within by the bright orange lava, creating a surreal visual spectacle.
Negroni’s image was praised by the jury for its fusion of elements: the stark contrast between the hot lava glow and the snowy peak, the unique capture of lenticular clouds, and the portrayal of the earth’s rotation, evident from the star trails in this long exposure shot. Additionally, the striking contrast between the blue sky and the fiery orange clouds adds to the visual appeal. This exceptional photograph earned Negroni a cash prize of £5000.
Chosen from a pool of 25 finalists submitted by entrants from 94 countries, the winners were selected by a panel of experts in meteorology, photography, and journalism, including members from the UK’s Met Office and ITV Weather team.
Securing second place was Tran Tuan with an intense drone photograph of a wildfire in Bac Giang province, Vietnam, titled Forest Fire Boundary. The image depicts a landscape divided – one side lush and green, the other consumed by smoke and flames.
German photographer Christoph Schaarschmidt took third place with Fichtelberg Mountain, a stunning portrayal of a landscape transformed by snow and rime – ice formed from supercooled water droplets on sub-zero surfaces.
The public also had a chance to vote for their favorite images on the Royal Meteorological Society’s website. The Public Vote winner is Fernando Braga, a Brazilian photographer we recently featured on DIYP, who captured an awe-inspiring photo of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer struck by lightning.
Be sure to explore the category winners of the 2023 Weather Photographer of the Year and visit the Royal Meteorological Society’s website for the complete shortlist of outstanding photographs.
