On December 5, 2019, ROAM, the global community dedicated to inspiring curiosity and purpose through adventure storytelling, hosted its first annual ROAM Awards during a star-studded event at the historic Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado.
The ROAM Awards was created as a way to discover, celebrate, and amplify emerging and established storytellers and provide an international platform for creators to submit their best photographs, videos, and written essays.
Hosted by world-class snowboarder, filmmaker, and ROAM founding member, Travis Rice, the awards ceremony was a celebration of outdoor adventure as seen through the lenses and minds of creatives from around the world.
More than 2,900 images from 50 countries were submitted to the awards and reviewed by a panel of internationally renowned photographers, filmmakers, and adventurists, including Jimmy Chin, Andy Mann, Chase Jarvis, Geoffrey Gray, and Sasha DiGuilian.
Following exhaustive discussions and debates, 60 entries emerged as the very best in photography, short film, and written essay. By the end of the night, five winners were announced.
Chin Leong Teo
Chin Leong Teo is a multi-award-winning Singaporean amateur photographer. He participated in his first photography competition in June 2013. Since then, he has won top prizes and had been conferred honors in more than 200 international photography circuits, salons, and exhibitions. His recognitions include multiple Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique (FIAP) Blue Badges for being the best author in photography salons, FIAP Gold Medals, and Photographic Society of America (PSA) Gold Medals. In November 2014, his work was showcased in the Guardian Newspaper in the UK. At the inaugural ROAM awards, he was also crowned the winner of the Discovery category.
Chin Leong's photography philosophy is to capture "all things beautiful God created" and to continue to grow and evolve his photographic sense and acumen.
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George Bruce Wilson
George Bruce Wilson is a filmmaker, photographer, and creator based out of Salt Lake City, UT. George is a passionate freelance creator who's work delivers a feeling or moment that can be remembered. As a self-taught artist and musician from a young age that passion for creation moved George into photography and later developed into film making.
Wilson Won the Thrill category for "Best Photo" at the Roam Awards. He believes creating and learning never ends and will continue to grow and create as an artist.
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Jesse Levine
Jesse Levine is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and adventure photographer based out of Crested Butte, Colorado. He specializes in producing images and stories in remote settings across the globe. His passion for adventure and unique stories has brought him to Kyrgyzstan, Patagonia, Alaska, Europe, and many far-out places in his home state of Colorado.
Photo Caption: This image was captured during a 15-day self-supported expedition in the Pamir Mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
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Steve Shannon
Growing up in the West Kootenay, Steve Shannon developed an early love for the outdoors. He began skiing at age two and by high school was firmly addicted to exploring the mountains around home by a variety of means. From those early childhood past times, his appetite for adventure has only grown. His interests have led him around the globe, from racing his dirt bike in the International Six Days Enduro in Chile and Greece to photographing races in Romania and Mexico.
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Roie Galitz
Roie Galitz is an award-winning wildlife photographer, entrepreneur and public speaker, currently based in New York. He is also honored to serve as a Greenpeace ambassador, calling to protect our planet.
For over a decade, Roie has been exploring and documenting our planet’s wildlife. His photographs have received great exposure worldwide, millions of views and frequent appearances in media outlets such as BBC, PBS, and National Geographic.
The story behind the shot: I was photographing this big male Polar Bear (with production permits to get closer) when suddenly he started to walk in our direction rapidly. We didn’t have time to pack all our gear and quickly hopped on our snowmobiles and drove away, leaving our gear behind. The bear approached the cameras and tried to look through the viewfinder, licked the back of the camera and went away continued on his path. Perhaps he was just curious to see what all the fuss is about or thought of a career change.
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