Mikel Iraeta Wins 2026 International Pano Awards
The photographer secured the Open Nature and Landscape title with a massive, multi-image panorama.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Photography
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Mikel Iraeta captured the Open Nature and Landscape category victory at the 2026 Epson International Pano Awards. His winning work, titled Double Arch on Milford Sound, highlights the dramatic geography of the New Zealand region.
Why it matters
The awards recognize technical mastery in panoramic photography, celebrating the ability to document remote natural landscapes through complex compositing techniques. These honors highlight top talent within the global professional and amateur photography communities.
The winning image consists of 107 individual photos stitched together. The landscape featured, Milford Sound, is notoriously difficult to capture, experiencing approximately 300 days of rain annually.
The players
Mikel Iraeta
He is a professional photographer who earned top honors in the Open Nature and Landscape category at the 2026 awards.
Daniel Viñé Garcia
He was recognized as the Open Photographer of the Year at the 2026 competition.
Tomás Sánchez Ruiz
He achieved the title of Amateur Photographer of the Year for his contributions to the 2026 contest.
The details
The photographer successfully navigated extreme conditions in the Fiordland region to secure the shot. The site was so volatile that the access road to the location was closed due to avalanche risk just one day before the session took place.
Timeline
The Epson International Pano Awards competition took place in 2026.
Culture Shift
The rise of digital stitching and complex compositing marks a departure from traditional single-exposure landscape techniques. This evolution in the field reflects a broader cultural shift toward high-fidelity, high-resolution digital artistry.
Readers interested in landscape photography can study these winning entries to understand how high-density compositing improves image resolution and depth. Aspiring photographers should note the level of logistical preparation required to document remote environments like Fiordland.
The takeaway
Achieving elite landscape imagery often requires extensive digital post-production work combined with significant logistical planning. Photographers can implement these multi-image techniques to capture wider perspectives that exceed the limitations of standard camera lenses.
Further reading
Discover more about the evolving world of Photography.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 1News.
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