Pakistani photos among winners of world's largest photography contest 'Wiki Loves Monuments'

LAHORE -  The world’s largest online photography competition, Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM), has included three photos of Pakistani photographers.

Wiki Loves Monuments 2016 attracted 277,365 entries from 10,748 participants, the largest pool of submissions of any photo competition.

The top 15 photos in the world’s biggest photography contest, announced yesterday, reveal a world of monuments, lovingly depicted by volunteers.

Lawyer Ansgar Koreng won the first place, Colin’s Royal Albert Hall photo second, Pakistani police chief Tahsin Shah 10th, and Slovakian hiker Vladimír Ruček 13th.

1.District court of Berlin, Germany, by Ansgar Koreng

2.Royal Albert Hall, United Kingdom, by Colin

3.Perch Rock Lighthouse, UK, by Richard J Smith

4.Castle of Torrechiara - Langhirano, Italy, by Lara Zanarini

Castle of Torrechiara - Langhirano, Italy, by Lara Zanarini

5.Wat Arun, Thailand, by BerryJ

The two mythical giant demons Thotsakan (left) and Sahatsadecha (right) guard the Buddhist Wat Arun temple in Thailand. The photographer journeyed to the temple  waited for hours to take this shot of the temple at twilight after a journey via the Chaopraya River. (Janepop Atirattanachai)

6.Pakistan Monument, Pakistan, by Muhammad Ashar

The blooming flower of the Pakistan Monument is seen here during the blue hour. The photographer traveled from Lahore to Islamabad to share this view of Pakistan’s symbol of unity with the world.

7.Palácio do Planalto, Brazil, by Gastão Guede

“At the right place, at the right moment” and many years of experience culminated in this illuminated Planalto Palace at sunset, where the photographer was able to capture the contrast between Brazil’s presidential palace and its surroundings.

8.Tomb of Bibi Jawindi, Pakistan, by Usama Shahid

The octagonal three-tiered shrine of Bibi Jawindi, located in the historical city of Uch, Pakistan, was built in 1493 for the great-granddaughter of a Sufi saint.

9.Roman Catholic parish church Lawrence in Zliechov, Ilava district, Slovakia, by Volodka22

Fog, golden leaves, and the winter atmosphere engulf the fourteenth century Saint Lawrence church in Zliechov, Slovakia.

10.Darawar Fort, Pakistan, by Tahsin Shah

Tahsin Shah, a Pakistani police chief, drove 500 kilometers in pursuit of the “romance and decaying glory” of the ninth century Derawar Fort. He captured a camel caravan strung along its bastions, a scene that could have taken place 1,000 years ago, for tenth place.

11.Crystal Mill Power Plant, United States, by Joe Sparks

A beautiful day in September at Crystal Mill just before sunset. The Mill is an old power generation plant that supplied hydroelectricity to the mining town of Crystal, Colorado in the United States. The road to Crystal Mill is a tricky one to drive; the photographer had to negotiate a narrow road with steep drop-offs to capture this shot.

12.Gravensteen Castle, Belgium, by Davidh820

Gravensteen castle in the center of Ghent, Belgium, has been a witness to history since the Middle Ages. The photographer waited for days for this moment, as it depended on sunset rays that would give the building a warm glow.

13.Čachtice Castle, Slovakia, by Vladimír Ruček

Beginning photographer Vladimír Ruček likes to hike the mountains of his homeland, Slovakia, sleeping in “a million-star hotel,” alone under the night sky. He photographed the old stone Čachtice Castle greeting the morning sun and took thirteenth place.

14.Rakotzbrücke (a.k.a The Devil’s Bridge), Germany, by A.Landgraf

This photo that won 14th place is a quiet photograph of a serene lake garlanded with lush greenery with the arc of a bridge perfectly meeting its reflection in the water.  His family may be gone from Saxony, but Albrecht returned and left the region a gift. His photo now illustrates the Wikipedia article about the park his family visited.

15.Panama Railway, Panama, by Ivo Kruusamägi

The photographer, a long-time Wikimedian, was traveling in Panama on a rainy day with dim lighting conditions. They decided to take a shot of the Panama Canal Railway, an instrumental component in constructing the canal.