The 2024 International Photography Awards (IPA) brings together some of the world’s most talented photographers. Participants in the contest showcase stunning images that capture powerful moments across various genres.
As stated on their website, the photo awards' mission is: “To salute the achievements of the world’s finest photographers, to discover new and emerging talent, and to promote the appreciation of photography.” With this in mind, we’d like to present some highlights from last year’s IPA edition and offer a glimpse into the photographers behind these remarkable images.
#1 3rd Place / Editorial / Press / Sports: Modern Mowgli By Theresa Seilern-Aspang
Rene Casselly is a former circus artist, the first ninja warrior Germany winner, and the winner of 'let's dance' (the German version of 'dancing with the stars') He is a full blood artist and lives in Hungary at Kimba Elephant Park - a shelter and home for retired circus animals.
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33points
Bored Panda reached out to Seunggu Kim, the award-winning photographer behind the series ‘Better Days.’ We were curious about what initially inspired him to document Korea’s leisure spaces and how people spend their limited free time. Here’s what we discovered: “When I was in my 20s, I felt that my identity was defined by the environment to which I belong while working at the school and at the construction site. As I went through a time of worry, I wondered what the bright side of my life was, and I thought that people's leisure could show it.”
#2 1st Place / Special / Panorama / Panoramic: Sunrise Oblique Light By Shirley Wung
The bright morning sun jumps out of the mountains, and the golden sunshine shines on the earth, which makes people moved.
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31points
#3 2nd Place / Editorial / Press / Personality: Ian Mckellen By Frederic Aranda
British actor Ian McKellen photographed moments before a haircut.
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29points
When asked about the process of selecting specific locations for the series, Seunggu Kim shared his criteria for what makes a scene compelling to him: “We are interested in places where heterogeneous factors overlap, such as the economic gap in the suburbs of cities, the division of cities and rural areas, where there are cultural intersections, and the coexistence of nature and artificial nature.”
#4 Analog / Film / Fine Art: Better Days By Seunggu Kim
Korea has developed rapidly over 40 years, which caused a lot of social consequences. One of which is long working hours with a very short period of break. During holidays, Koreans try their best to enjoy it, but due to lack of time to travel, they spend time mostly around the city. I take a step back and observe various leisure spaces and people, slowly frame them, and wait for complex situations to balance. Koreans “fast pace lifestyle", and "community-based trust", revealed in this work show Koreans adapting to any situation, enjoying themselves together, and striving for ”coexistence“.
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28points
#5 3rd Place / Nature / Landscape: Frozen Pocket By Norman Mccloskey
10 years after I first learned of this place, I journeyed from the west coast of Ireland to the surreal landscape of this remote part of Arizona to photograph a complete contrast to the landscape I live and work in normally.
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26points
The photographer also shared that he’s been working on this project for 15 years. From his observations, Koreans enjoy their leisure time freely and safely, anywhere and anytime. However, he also mentioned, 'The period during COVID-19 was very dark. Those moments were captured too, and you can find them in my recently released book, Better Days.”
#6 1st Place / Nature / Seasons: Village Hidden In The Fog By Yasushi Kashima
A sea of clouds which occurred in autumn Yoshinoyama. At dusk, Kinpusenji Temple, illuminated by the setting sun and covered in autumn leaves, emerged from the fog. The sight was very fantastic and mysterious. The area from Mt. Yoshino to Mt. Sanjogatake has long been known as Kin-no-Mitake or Mt. Kinpus, and has been a sacred area known throughout the world since ancient times.
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25points
#7 3rd Place / Analog / Film / Landscape: Faroe Sheep By Dominik Gottwald
The rest of the herd ran away.
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23points
Lastly, Seunggu Kim shared with us his future plans in the photography world: “I am interested in the 'loose bond' that is unique to Koreans. It's something not usually revealed, but it exists in the heart and is built on long-standing trust beyond mere relationships. I plan to express this more directly in my upcoming work.”
#8 3rd Place / People / Portrait: Humans Of War By Zoya Shu
Each person is a universe. Every life is priceless. The photographs of the a*****t soldiers of the 24th A*****t Battalion "Aydar" were taken in the spring of 2024 near Kramatorsk, Ukraine. These individuals embody a myriad of diverse experiences and a concentration of life. Among them are a lavender field owner, a foreman, an artist, a tradesman—people from various walks of life and professions, now defending their country, which faces the challenge of survival. Everyone dreams of victory, the end of the war, and returning to their families to live a peaceful life with their loved ones.
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22points
#9 3rd Place / Architecture / Aerial / Drone: "Soratetsu" Airplane And Trains By Yoichi Yoshinaga
This work was taken aerially from an airplane (Cessna 172). I am a photographer who takes aerial photographs from airplanes and helicopters. I create a work called "Soratetsu," which is an aerial photograph of a railroad. I expressed the transportation rivals, airplanes and Shinkansen, in one photograph. An airplane about to land over the Shinkansen rail yard at Haneda Airport. To take this photo, I obtained permission from the Airport Administration Bureau and captured the moment the two overlapped with a super-telephoto lens from an altitude of 6,000 feet.
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20points
#10 1st Place / Advertising / Food & Beverage: Ripe And Oozy Brie By Heather Brown
Captured for a client explicitly to entice the customer to buy their cheese, this shot required quick reflexes to take this extremely ripe brie as it oozed its way to the table. Taken in natural daylight, I was keen to keep the cheese the star of the show and judging by the feedback (and the amount of sales), I think this photo was a success!
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20points
#11 Fine Art Photographer Of The Year: Fine Art Of Resilience By Paul Szimák
The focus of the Fine Art Of Resilience project is Mother Earth in the form of the Greek goddess of nature Gaia, who we encounter in every picture in a new form. Gaia always appears timelessly youthful and beautiful to us, but in reality she is not well. All images are classic Photoshop compositions that were created by hand over weeks of very complex detailed retouching (WITHOUT any use of artificial intelligence). In Photoshop I retouch using the painting techniques of the Old Masters such as sfumato, trebenism and chiaroscuro to merge my photographs with paintings.
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19points
#12 2nd Place / Fine Art / Portrait: Nataly&damilola By Niki Genchi
Portrait of Nataly & Damilola
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19points
#13 2nd Place / Architecture / Abstract: San Francisco, Ca, By Sinziana Velicescu
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18points
#14 2nd Place / Advertising / Conceptual: Personal Space By Kremer Johnson
In our latest series, "Personal Space," we delve into the evolving landscape of the modern workplace, inspired by a New York Times article on large companies encouraging employees to personalize their office spaces to draw them back post-pandemic. This project emerged from the profound shifts we've all experienced in our professional lives, highlighting the blend of home and office environments. To bring this vision to life, we purchased a standard office cubicle, transforming it into five distinct conceptual spaces, each reflecting a unique story of personal identity and professional life.
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18points
#15 2nd Place / People / Lifestyle: Ranch Life By Karen Hirsch
This photo series represents my romantic notion of life on a ranch in the Western United States. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a cowgirl one day. Being on a ranch in 2024 brought me pure joy. I was given the opportunity to portray the life style of my imagination. This series shows the close relationship the cowboys have with their animals, especially their horses that they depend on. I photographed these cowboys and cowgirls at the Don Donnelly Ranch in Gold Canyon, Colorado during a weekend in January.
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18points
#16 2nd Place / Special / Pets: Soulmates By Chohee Courtois
A cat and its owner reveal their quiet yet profound connection through their eyes - the windows to their souls. The striking resemblance between their eyes as well as their similar facial expressions, combined with their impactful straight gaze and detailed facial features, capture the depth of their bond. This image subtly yet powerfully conveys the intimate and enduring connection shared by the two subjects.
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18points
#17 1st Place / Sports / Extreme Sports: World Record Night Skydive By Laszlo Andacs
I was honored to be one of the photographer for the largest skydiving formation ever built at night. On November 1st 2017 64 jumpers led by Steve Woodford (organizer) got together in the night sky over the Arizona desert and set the still standing world record of the largest night skydive. To do this kind of photography requires the photographers themselves to be a very experienced skydivers, they jump along with the group, the images they capture are the official evidence for the judges for certification. The photos show the day time and evening practice jumps along with the world record.
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18points
#18 3rd Place / Architecture / Interior: Bookhouse By Yahia Fahid Alsharif
During my time in Qatar, I had the opportunity to explore the National Library, where I was captivated by the captivating abstract design within. The library was adorned with a serene ambiance, filled with an abundance of books. The gentle rays of the sun filtered through the windows, casting a beautiful natural glow upon the books, walls, and even the faces of the avid readers.
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15points
#19 2nd Place / People / Family: Greenhouse Gathering By Robin Fox
A frame to document our children during their summers spent together. This greenhouse is one of the spaces central to their siblinghood.
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15points
#20 1st Place / Architecture / Historic: Winter Prairies By Marc Koegel
New work from the US and Canadian Prairies created during the winter of 2024. The snow simplifies the frame and directs attention to these old structures, that despite rapid decay are still holding on. Churches and Grain Elevators are the 'titans' of Prairie Architecture, generally they are the tallest and most recognizable structures - and they have fascinated me since the first time I've travelled to the area. These photographs were created in North Dakota (USA), Manitoba and Saskatchewan (Canada).
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14points