There’s something special about black-and-white photography. Without color to draw the eye, details like light, shadow, texture, and composition matter even more. A simple expression can tell an entire story, an ordinary building can become a work of art, and a familiar landscape can suddenly look completely different.
Celebrating this timeless approach to photography is The Mono Awards 2026, presented by Synology. Organized by Australian Photography and Capture, the competition is now in its eighth year and showcases outstanding black-and-white photographs from Australia, New Zealand, and around the world. This year’s competition attracted more than 3,000 entries across three categories: People, Places, and Animals, with a total prize pool of $12,500. From intimate portraits and striking architectural compositions to fascinating wildlife encounters, the submissions show how much photographers can express using only shades of black, white, and gray.
We’ve gathered the top five photographs from each of the three categories, along with a selection of honorable mentions from the Top 50 shortlists. Scroll down to explore these remarkable monochrome images, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that impress you the most!
The top honors went to Carly Goldsmith in the People category for “Childhood,” a candid photograph of her two youngest children playing together; Andy Zakeli in the Places category for “De-Escalation,” an unusual perspective on an everyday scene at Sydney’s Gadigal Station; and Brooke Pyke in the Animals category for “Fever,” a mesmerizing underwater photograph of approximately 100 mobula rays in Baja, Mexico.
Reflecting on this year’s competition, Mike O’Connor, Editor of Australian Photography, said: “We’re always amazed by the diversity of work entered in The Mono Awards, and 2026 was no exception.” He also highlighted the different creative approaches photographers took to black-and-white work, with winning images captured in locations across the globe.
#1 “Childhood” By Carly Goldsmith
1st Place Winner in the People Category
Description: “Carly Goldsmith photographed her two youngest children playing together in her backyard one afternoon, capturing an unposed moment as the afternoon sun cast a defined shadow across the fence. Goldsmith says the ordinary moment took on greater emotional weight when she reviewed the image later.”
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12points
#2 “A Personal Meeting With MT. Fuji” By Keiko Ellis
5th Place in the Place Category
Description: “The Mt Fuji Heritage Centre at Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, provides visitors with the experience of a personal encounter with Mt Fuji. On arrival at the rooftop terrace, visitors are provided with a powerful view of Mt Fuji, including a reflection on the floor, which helps to make them feel they are meeting Mt Fuji 'face to face.'”
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9points
#4 “Cathedral Of Steel” By Cushla Monk
2nd Place in the Places Category
Description: “Cushla Monk captured Sydney Harbour Bridge emerging through fog after researching weather and sunrise conditions before making the early-morning trip to the harbor. She was drawn to the movement of the fog, changing sunlight and the patterns created by the bridge's steel girders.”
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8points
#5 “F/0.58” By John Peters
3rd Place in the Animals Category
Description: “John Peters' image features a female Deinopis subrufa, commonly known as a net-casting spider. Peters photographed the spider shortly after it had molted, revealing an iris-like appearance in its posterior median eyes.”
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8points
#7 “Oxpecker Dialogues” By Abhik Basu
Honorable Mention in the Animals Category
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7points
#8 “Keeper Of Storms” By Craig Turner-Bullock
Honorable Mention in the Animals Category
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7points
#9 “Sniffing For Prey” By Leanne Silver
2nd Place in the Animals Category
Description: “Leanne Silver photographed a young female polar bear climbing onto an ice floe in the Arctic Circle. The bear spent time using the elevated position to gain height and sniff the air for prey, creating a distinctive wildlife moment in the summer sea ice.”
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7points
#10 “The Son Of Man Reimagined” By Jana Sokolovskaja
Honorable Mention in the Place Category
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6points
#11 “Warrior Woman” By Phil Duval
4th Place in the People Category
Description: “A woman wearing an elaborate headdress is photographed at a Viking festival.”
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6points
#13 “Ocean Sentinel” By Eddy Delorie
Honorable Mention in the Place Category
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5points
#14 “Fishermen's Friend” By Emma Parker
4th Place in the Animals Category
Description: “A pelican sits high on Bouddi's sculpted rocks in a storm, waiting to see if it can get scraps thrown by rock fishermen.”
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5points
#16 “Fever” By Brooke Pyke
1st Place Winner in the Animals Category
Description: “Brooke Pyke photographed around 100 mobula rays during an ocean safari in Baja, Mexico. The rays were moving across white sand, creating silhouettes and patterns that Pyke says provided an opportunity to explore the contrast between their shapes and the ripples below.”
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4points
#17 “Stillness” By Benjamin Knight
Honorable Mention in the Place Category
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4points
#20 “De-Escalation” By Andy Zakeli
1st Place Winner in the Places Category
Description: “Andy Zakeli's winning image transforms an everyday scene at Sydney's Gadigal Station into a graphic and unexpected composition. The image was captured during a street photography excursion with his TAFE students, with Zakeli experimenting with different angles and introducing a touch of humor to the scene.”
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4points
