The global search for the best built environment photographer in the world has returned with the launch of Art of Building 2016.
Art of Building attracts thousands of entries each year and is open to professional and amateur photographers from across the world.
Every year, the images that reach the competition’s elite shortlist are published on international broadcast and print media. They are viewed by millions of people as the public vote to decide the best photograph gets under way.
The competition is now in its seventh year and is free to enter, with the overall winner receiving a cash prize of £3,500.
Following strong public demand, a new category for young photographers has been introduced this year. It offers under-18s the opportunity to unleash their creative talents to win a £1,000 prize.
Art of Building is judged by a team of professionals from the world of art criticism, photography and publishing. They are seeking striking photographs that offer new insights on the built environment and the way we interact with it.
The competition’s wide-ranging brief welcomes a number of styles such as architectural and fine art photography, abstract images, social commentary and reportage.
The type of equipment used to take the picture is not as important as the composition, intention and overall effect. Past images that have reached the shortlist have been shot on mobile phones as well as state of the art photographic equipment.
Art of Building champion Saul Townsend commented: “Art of Building is renowned for the richness of its subject matter which ranges from heritage and historical structures to new architecture, the construction process, cultural insights and the way buildings interact with nature.
“The competition documents not only how buildings shape our lives, but also how humans shape the environment, from remote rural outposts to sprawling metropolitan skylines. Every year, we receive astonishing images of structures in all stages in their life cycle, from creation through to use, abandonment and decay. The diversity of locations is breathtaking.”
