The SPIE International Day of Light Photo Contest is held annually to raise awareness about the International Day of Light and to demonstrate the impact that light has on cultural, economic, and political aspects of our world. Amateur and professional photographers alike are encouraged to submit photos for a chance to win cash prizes.
"This is a story of nature, a picture of airborne mushroom spores and a longhorn bug at night, in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. Mushroom spores are the reproductive organs of the mushroom: they are similar to seeds, but instead of being contained inside an outer coating or fruit, they are released into the air as tiny, dust-like particles. Each spore contains all the genetic information needed for a new mushroom to grow and reproduce. Here, the bug is bathed in circulating spores, an image I captured at night, using my Sony A6700 with a 90mm macro lens. I also used a backlight technique with the help of a torch – and the light also helped to attract bugs to the area. Nature is always unpredictable, but I always enjoy a good wild story."
“This is one of the most picturesque settlements on the Faroe Islands, captured in the glory of the rising sun: the rare sunlight dramatically transforms this seaside village, briefly brightening the typically misty and overcast landscape. This was my third journey to the islands, so I had come to know the place quite well.
After an 8-hour hike and a sleepless night, Tjørnuvík village seemed to be waiting for me. The peacefulness of the morning, the stillness in the air, and the golden hues reflecting off the water made it feel as if time had paused. I wanted to capture that serenity — the feeling of being in a place not so remote, yet profoundly connected to the natural world, the sense of how people living in this small settlement must feel every morning, watching this scenery, when the summer arrives.
As a photographer, I appreciate the opportunity to capture fleeting moments of beauty while exploring new places; each journey offers a fresh opportunity to explore, learn, and document the diverse beauty that surrounds us. What I’m most proud of in this image is the way the omnipresent light transforms the scene. The soft, golden hues of the early morning seem to touch every part of the landscape, from the cliffs to the village rooftops, creating a sense of harmony between nature and settlement. Capturing this balance between light, shadow, and tranquility makes the image feel almost timeless, as if the village has always existed in this moment.”
"I took this picture in Kenya’s Shompole Wilderness. I was able to capture it from the Shompole Hide, which is made of refurbished shipping containers that offer eye-level views of a small watering hole that is regularly visited by the local wildlife. I spent three nights in the Hide, waiting for the right opportunity: I wanted to take a photo of a giraffe, facing me, in the process of drinking from the watering hole. This giraffe was very shy – I waited for more than two hours before it decided to lean over for a drink. I was finally able to get this shot which made me very happy, especially as it took a lot of patience on my part. The rhombus shape generated by the giraffe’s legs and their reflection in the water beautifully demonstrate the power of light."
“The image shows light from a HeNe laser shining into the camera lens, revealing several optical phenomena. The laser beam is hitting the edge of the diaphragm inside the lens, thus producing streaks of scattered light (the diagonal straight lines). The white circle in the center is an overexposed view of the gas discharge inside the tube. The larger yellowish circle and the smaller partial circles are from reflections of the tube-discharge light on various surface inside the lens assembly. The 'starry-sky' pattern is from laser light (yellow) and tube-discharge (violet) light from the main beam in the overexposed center being diffracted from the pixel array on the image sensor, and thence back to the sensor by reflection from surfaces in the lens assembly. For this image, I used a Nikon D7000 with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.
I started working on this kind of photography in the 1980s, fooling around with a little HeNe laser that I had for a science project. Back then it was all film, of course. Later, I experimented, using other lasers (Argon-ion laser and dye laser for different colors), and introduced quartz crystals illuminated by laser beams and high-voltage discharges. In the spirit of 'less is more,' this photo did not require multiple lasers, high voltage, etc., but just that one HeNe to show a range of
optical phenomena.
I’m a physicist, so my photography combines art and science. Besides the laser photography, I take photos of insects in flight, freezing the motion with a flash. Other subjects include high-voltage discharges from tree-leaves, etc., and crystals under a microscope.”
"As a senior freelance photographer, I am passionate about every inch of landscape under my lens, especially in the wild and spiritual land of Qinghai, China. In order to capture this image of a photothermal power plant under construction, I waited for three days and nights at the site in the Gobi Desert the desert. On the morning of the fourth day, when the sky in the east appeared a hint of fish-belly white, I maneuvered the drone into the air and took an unprecedented view of this spectacular moment. As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the heavy clouds, the whole world seemed to be given new life. The beams of golden light gently brushed across the unfinished heat absorption towers, awakening them from the stillness of the night.
This is not only a celebration of modern technological achievements, but also a beautiful vision of the future of sustainable energy. In the picture, against the cool background, the reddish haze burns like a torch of hope, announcing the dawn of a new era. I know that the significance of such a photo can be summarized far beyond simple beauty: It is a visual presentation of the concept of harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature, and an expression of confidence in science and technology innovation to lead us along the path of green development. Through the careful composition and use of colors, I hope that every viewer can feel this encouraging sensation: behind every morning light there are countless dreams sprouting, and technological advancement can open the door to a better tomorrow."