Landscape nominee

In Iceland, a land of paradoxes, the silent volcanoes beckoned. Unlike their erupting kin, these slept soundly. Yet, their beauty was no less captivating.

Walking amidst them, one couldn't ignore the distinct, almost alien-like hue. The orange and yellow rocks underfoot, devoid of any active lava flow, had a surreal glow. Every step I took felt like a foray into the unknown, a journey on a distant planet: Mars.

These colors, so unexpected on Earth, painted a landscape that seemed to belong to another world. Vast stretches of burnt orange merged with splotches of deep yellow, creating an endless canvas of otherworldly beauty.

I'd often close my eyes, feeling the cold Icelandic wind against my face, and imagine the ground below warm and throbbing, like the surface of the Red Planet. The crunch of volcanic rock beneath my feet would transport me millions of miles away.

Iceland's dormant volcanoes, with their Martian hues, became my portal to the cosmos. In their quiet majesty, I found the thrill of interstellar exploration, without ever leaving Earth.

Hello! I'm Jan-Tore Oevrevik, known as JT, or Jan-Tore Øvrevik in Norwegian. As a Norwegian-American photographer, my passion was sparked in 1998 in a makeshift darkroom in my bathroom, during a local photography course that revealed endless possibilities.

My journey has been richly shared with my wife, Ambreen, who inspires me wherever we travel, from serene nature to bustling cities, helping me capture each place’s essence. Photography for me is about personal expression and telling diverse stories. I’ve been fortunate to meet incredible photographers, whose perspectives enrich my approach.

My dedication has been honored by awards such as Gold (Photographer of the Year 2024) from 1839 Awards, Double Category Winner of the Year 2024 from Global Photography Awards, Category Winner of the Year 2024 from London Photography Awards, Gold Winner 2024 from NY Photography Awards, Silver 2024 from Epson International Pano Awards, and Silver (Photographer of the Year 2024) from ReFocus Awards. I was previously named “Discovery of the Year” by ReFocus and “Best Artist Fall 2022” by Photoserge Academy. My work has also been showcased in venues like Valid World Hall Gallery in Barcelona and Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago, as well as featured in publications like PPA.