"I spent three days and three nights at around 4,500 metres above sea level, giving myself the best possible chance of photographing the area under ideal conditions," says winner of the world's biggest panoramic photography competition

Spanish photographer Daniel Viñé Garcia emerged victorious in the World's largest panoramic photography competition, the Epson International Pano Awards. His winning image, titled 'The Sleeping Giant', showcased a breathtaking sunset over Chile's Parinacota Volcano, Pomerape, and the surrounding high-altitude lakes, all illuminated by atmospheric purple and orange hues.

However, capturing this stunning scene was no simple task. Garcia spent an arduous three days and three nights at around 4,500 meters above sea level, waiting for the perfect lighting conditions to photograph the landscape. His perseverance was rewarded when he managed to capture one of the final bursts of sunlight illuminating the volcanic peaks.

The winning image, a 360-degree aerial panorama, was assembled from 33 individual exposures. Garcia meticulously fine-tuned the framing to focus on what truly mattered: the volcanoes, the light, and the landscape's shapes. He revealed that Parinacota Volcano, standing over 6,300 meters tall with its snow-capped cone, was one of his primary photographic goals during the trip to Chile.

Adjacent to it lies Pomerape, another towering giant reaching more than 6,200 meters. Together, they form one of the most impressive landscapes he encountered during the journey. Garcia emphasized that, after acclimatizing properly, he spent the optimal amount of time at around 4,500 meters above sea level to photograph the area under ideal conditions.

The 17th annual Epson International Pano Awards, founded in 2019, is the world's largest competition dedicated exclusively to panoramic photography. The 2026 edition attracted thousands of entries across various categories, including Nature/Landscape, Built Environment, VR/360°, and Aerial.