Mouth-watering photos from foodie heaven Published duration 25 April 2017

image copyright Shoeb Faruquee

This image from Bangladesh, taken by Shoeb Faruquee and entitled Food for God, has been named overall winner of the 2017 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition.

"For many people, food is not simply for physical nourishment, it is religious or spiritual too," says one of the judges, Michael Pritchard, who is chief executive of the Royal Photographic Society.

"And in this image the photographer has combined these two elements, showing the cook as he prepares food for worshippers on the right."

The photo won the competition's Food for Celebration category. The following images show all of the other category winners - and a selection of judges' comments.

Food Bloggers (supported by Aspire)

Caramel!

Hein Van Tonder (South Africa)

image copyright Hein Van Tonder

Marks and Spencer Food Adventures

Oua Look at This One!

Kyriacos Arkatities (Cyprus)

image copyright Kyriacos Arkatities

"There's a real sense of discovery about this picture - the wonder on the boys' faces, the strange fish, the dynamic angle."

Xanthe Clay, president, Guild of Food Writers and Daily Telegraph food columnist

"This is a shot at the perfect moment. These children are utterly captivated by the weird and wonderful seafood in front of them, the reflection of both children and the produce is magical."

Caroline Kenyon, founder, Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year

Food in the Field

Swiss Chard Forest

Sally Ann Stone (UK)

image copyright Sally Ann Stone

"This wittily angled shot of an ordinary domestic garden vegetable crop transforms it into a magical, exotic and seductive landscape."

Caroline Kenyon, founder, Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year

Bring Home the Harvest

Pheasants at Sunset

Matthew Thomas (UK)

image copyright Matthew Thomas

InterContinental London Park Lane Food at the Table

Mac and Cheese

Jean Cazals (UK)

image copyright Jean Cazals

Partridges Food for Sale

Villefranche Market

Azalea Dalton (UK)

image copyright Azalea Dalton

The Philip Harben Award for Food in Action

The Grandmother

Francesa Brambilla and Serena Serrani (Italy)

image copyright Francesa Brambilla / Serena Serrani

"The food is steaming hot and freshly prepared and the concentration on the grandmother's face is very engaging. The viewer can immediately understand that she is the expert in this kitchen even though the other chefs are in their professional whites whilst she is wearing a T-shirt and pearls."

Helen Lewis, creative director, Quadrille Publishing

"This is a very familiar image, the black and white behind the scenes restaurant shot. But right in the middle is the most unexpected element. The elderly lady, so short she has her elbows raised high to reach into the pot, intense concentration showing on her face."

Elizabeth Galbraith, freelance creative director

Food for the Family

Breaktime

Leonardo Salomao (Brazil)

image copyright Leonardo Salomao

Cream of the Crop

Smoked Mackerel

Wesley Dombrecht (Belgium)

image copyright Wesley Dombrecht

"This image is simply beautiful with a colour palette that reminds me of an old master painting which, at the same time, like those paintings, tells a story about the smoking of fish."

Michael Pritchard, chief executive, The Royal Photographic Society

Startisans Food in the Street

Crouch End

Robin Stewart (UK)

image copyright Robin Stewart

"The interactions of the four people in the foreground are engaging for us as observers and tell us immediately about the relationships between those people over shared street food. Look more deeply behind and the wider context becomes apparent."

Michael Pritchard, chief executive, The Royal Photographic Society

"This has the look of a Renaissance painting, a stage of actors telling the story of their meal. I like the idea that you don't have to have a table to eat together and interact over food."

Xanthe Clay, president, Guild of Food Writers and Daily Telegraph food columnist

FujiFilm Award for Innovation

Rose Wine Tank

Patrick Desgraupes (France)

image copyright Patrick Desgraupes

"This image of wine made me stop. It's like a scene from a Tarantino movie. There's a macabre feel - the white tiles, the spanner, hose and viewing window. It's almost medical.

"And just when you think it's the slaughter of the innocents you realise it's rose wine production. I think it's innovative, challenging and beautifully photographed."

Paul Sanders, FujiFilm ambassador and photographer

Politics of Food

Hunters and Kill

Tom Parker (UK)

image copyright Tom Parker

"As a straightforward portrait it's engaging and tells an immediate story - we understand there has been a shoot. The spoils are behind the shoot and it looks like they had a successful outing. But this image goes beyond that - using a portrait, vertical format to compress the visual elements into classic horizontal strips. The men, the birds, the landscape beyond. Each strip is an integral part of the narrative."

Elizabeth Galbraith, freelance creative director

Marks and Spencer Food Portraiture

Salad Plate

Darren Hickson (UK)

image copyright Darren Hickson

"Our food is so much about colour and in this portrait of salad the photographer has produced a great, vibrant, colourful, image of salad leaves and vegetables, complimented by the paint-spattered table top. I just want to drizzle the oil and start eating!"

Michael Pritchard, chief executive, The Royal Photographic Society

World Food Programme Food for Life

Collecting Egg Rations

Emma Brown (UK)

image copyright Emma Brown

"I love the expressiveness of the girls' eyes and it moves me to see their vivacity and spirit behind their veils - despite the fact they are forced to be dependent on food aid for survival."

Caroline Kenyon, founder, Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year

Production Paradise Food off the Press

Vegetables

Jonathan Gregson (UK)

image copyright Jonathan Gregson

Food Sn-apping (in aid of Action Against Hunger)

Waiting for Stew

Laura Cook (UK)

image copyright Laura Cook

All images subject to copyright.

Related: