Striking photograph of Hong Kong wins Urban Photographer of the Year award

A striking photograph of Hong Kong has earned British photographer Mark French the coveted title of CBRE's 2013 Urban Photographer of the Year competition, beating over 12,500 entries from around the globe.

The theme for the competition was 'Cities at Work', challenging entrants to capture the essence of urban life at different times throughout the day. The main prize is a luxury photography safari from a range of destinations across the globe. French's winning entry, title 'Looking good at work', depicts a solitary tram driver amongst a crowd of advertising, taken at 9am during Hong Kong's rush hour.

The runner up for this year's competition was British photographer Glenn Surtees, with his 7am photo of a worker inspecting the rooftop of a theatre in Singapore. The third prize went to Rui Pedro Moura Barbosa Dias, with his image of firefighters putting out a factory fire in his native Portugal. In addition, a number of hourly prizes are being awarded for the best image from each hour.

French, said: "I am thrilled to have been crowned 'CBRE Urban Photographer of the Year', particularly given the high number of inspiring entries in this year's contest. The image was taken shortly after I had relocated to Hong Kong and I was struck by the immensity and quantity of advertising on display."

Michael Strong, Executive Chairman, EMEA, CBRE said: "This year's competition attracted a record amount of interest and number of high quality entries, making the judges' jobs even more difficult. However everyone agreed that the winning image by British photographer Mark French is a stunning masterpiece. This competition is a unique one - showcasing the lives of city workers, whilst highlighting the diversity and beauty of cities across the world."